Councils are at the heart of sustainable approaches to reducing cost pressures on residents
I have recently been appointed as the Chair of the LGA’s Resources Board, which leads work on council finances, workforce, and support for low-income households.
The cost-of-living pressures currently facing councils, people, businesses and communities are a key priority for my board, and across the LGA.
We are committed to working across the political spectrum and with the LGA’s other boards to ensure that we are shaping policy and supporting councils in the most effective way possible.
Councils are facing considerable challenges in sustaining essential services because of the rising costs of energy and other inflationary pressures. Many of these – for example libraries, leisure centres and community hubs – are the very services that people depend on to stay healthy and connected, and to access advice and support.
People are also turning to us in increasing numbers for help and advice across all our services.
We have been working closely with government, partners and councils on shaping and delivering initiatives that provide immediate help, such as the Household Support Fund.
At the same time, councils are at the heart of a more integrated, sustainable approach to reducing the cost pressures that households face, building financial resilience and leading strong, inclusive economies.
We are working with members and colleagues across the LGA to identify key priorities for the sector. For example, we recognise rising fuel prices are a major concern for councils and communities, so have been pressing government to work with councils to accelerate the transition to renewable energy.
Retrofitting homes and promoting energy advice will be essential to keeping energy costs down sustainably, while also supporting the transition to net zero.
We are urging ministers to act now to ensure healthy food is accessible and affordable to everyone.
Increasing eligibility for free school meals, investing in local food systems, and ensuring emergency food provision is linked to wider support services will be vital in preventing hunger and reducing health inequalities in the context of rising food prices.
We are pushing for an explicit, national-level focus on homelessness prevention work and an associated funding regime that enables councils to deliver measures that prevent residents reaching a crisis point and requiring far more costly emergency support.
I know you will be taking similar approaches in your own councils, and we are developing some cross-cutting case studies for the LGA’s cost of living hub to share learning across the sector.
We have recently launched a cost-of-living network that will bring together speakers from councils, national charities, and government departments to explore what is being done to help mitigate the impacts of the rising cost of living.
In Trafford, my own council, we have also taken an integrated approach to addressing the cost-of-living pressures and have made supporting people out of hardship one of our main corporate priorities.
The Trafford Poverty Strategy 2022-2025 has been developed in partnership with Trafford Poverty Action Group and pulls together our work on creating an inclusive economy, improving access to information and advice, maximising household income, supporting children and young people, and building community resilience.
I believe that creating a strong and supportive social infrastructure allows communities to thrive, creates benefits for local people and places, and promotes an inclusive economy. It is also important to delivering an effective and long-lasting response to cost-of-living pressures – in Trafford, and elsewhere.