What comes next for councils?
Last month’s King’s Speech set out the Government’s legislative programme for the new parliamentary session, with a wide range of bills that will have direct implications for local government.
For councils, the focus now moves from anticipation to implementation; ensuring that the measures announced are workable, properly resourced and shaped by local need.
The LGA welcomed a number of priorities that councils have long called for, including reforms to special educational needs (SEND) provision and social housing. However, as with any major legislative programme, the detail will matter.
New responsibilities for councils must be accompanied by updated burdens assessments, with post-implementation scrutiny to ensure local authorities are not required to divert resources away from existing statutory services.
One of the most significant announcements for local government is the Education for All Bill.
Councils have long called for reform so that more children and young people with SEND can have their needs met in mainstream settings, where appropriate, and without the need for a statutory plan.
The LGA is clear that these reforms must be co-produced with parents, carers, and children and young people themselves, with a clear focus on improving outcomes.
However, reform will need to be phased in carefully. Need must continue to be met within the existing statutory framework, timescales must remain realistic, and sufficient funding will be required to build capacity now and support transition to a new system.
The Social Housing Renewal Bill is also a welcome step.
Measures to reform Right to Buy, protect new-build social housing and streamline housing consents could help councils rebuild and retain desperately needed social housing stock.
The NHS Modernisation Bill, also known as the Health Bill, also carries significant implications for councils.
The requirement for integrated care boards (ICBs) and partners to develop neighbourhood-level plans rightly reflects the importance of locally tailored approaches.
Local government will be critical to this, bringing detailed knowledge of communities and the ability to convene partners around joined-up, place-based care. However, we have warned that removing mandatory local authority representation from ICBs would be a step backwards, risking a weaker link between system decision-making and local need.
Any ‘single patient record’ must also be interoperable across health and care, including social care, and developed alongside a sustained commitment to digital inclusion.
Several bills also speak directly to councils’ role in building safer, more resilient communities.
The Police Reform Bill maintains the important link between policing and local communities, with proposals for local authority-led policing boards.
The Cyber Security and Resilience Bill could support improved threat intelligence, incident reporting and supply chain resilience, but councils will need clear guidance and proportionate support.
The Digital Access to Services Bill offers opportunities to improve access to public services, but must work for every resident.
Councils should be recognised as essential partners in shaping a national digital ID system, with non-digital routes and assisted support remaining available.
The King’s Speech has opened a new phase of legislative activity. The task for us now is to ensure that national ambition translates into practical improvements for communities.
Councils stand ready to work with government, but successful delivery will depend on genuine partnership, sustainable funding, and reforms that reflect the realities of local places.
- Find out more about the LGA’s parliamentary work.