Briefings and responses

The Sentencing Bill enacts several of the recommendations of the Independent Sentencing Review (ISR) that require legislation. The Bill makes significant changes to the sentencing framework, the way in which offenders are managed and serve sentences in the community, and also aims to create a justice system that better serves victims.

The Sentencing Bill proposes significant reforms to custodial and community sentencing, including a presumption against short custodial sentences. These measures aim to reduce prison overcrowding and improve public safety; however, they may also have an impact on how criminal behaviour by an elected member is dealt with.

Knife crime cannot be successfully tackled by dealing with supply of knives alone. Councils have shown that with adequate resources and strong relationships with partners, they can positively reduce knife crime through upstream intervention.

On 26 January 2026, the Government published a Policing White Paper setting out proposals for the most significant reforms to policing in England and Wales for a generation. The White Paper seeks to address challenges in police performance, public confidence and the ability of policing to respond to serious and complex crime - whilst also restoring neighbourhood policing.

The Local Government Association (LGA) supports the introduction of a clear and comprehensive legal framework that applies to the use of biometric technologies by law enforcement organisations. From a local government perspective, clarity and consistency in the legal basis for the use of these technologies is essential to maintaining public confidence, ensuring proportionality and supporting effective partnership working at a local level.