Millions ‘could be lost’ from school budgets
A total of £118 million for disadvantaged pupils could be lost from school budgets in England this year because of a government change in how this funding is calculated, new LGA analysis shows.
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Empty offices ‘could lead to poor housing conversions’
The LGA has warned that office blocks left empty following the pandemic are at risk of being turned into potentially substandard housing under permitted development rights, which allow developers to convert buildings into homes without planning permission.
Stepping up on levelling up
The Government has renewed its commitment to levelling up as part of the recovery from the pandemic, with new announcements focusing on better access to high-quality education, improved infrastructure in town centres, and more public sector jobs outside of London.
MPs support greater powers for councils
Eight in 10 MPs say councils should have more financial freedoms and powers to build homes in their area and 72 per cent say they should have more control over local taxes, according to exclusive LGA polling by Savanta ComRes.
Meeting in the time of coronavirus
Almost every council holds a meeting of all councillors in May, following the local elections.
MPs call for 10-year social care plan
A cross-party committee of MPs has called on ministers to publish a 10-year plan for social care, with detailed costings.
Queen’s Speech ‘levels up’ but not on social care
The Government has put forward its new legislative programme, with a wide range of measures set out in the Queen’s Speech to Parliament including around planning, jobs and skills, health and care reform, environment, climate change and building safety.
£203m for rough sleeping as ban on evictions eased
Housing Secretary Robert Jenrick has announced a further £203 million for councils to help get rough sleepers off the streets and into safe accommodation.
1.1m planned homes ‘still to be built’
New analysis by the LGA has revealed that more than 1.1 million homes granted planning permission in the last decade are yet to be built.
Variants mean roadmap remains under review
As first was going to press, the Government was still planning to end the remaining legal limits on social contact in England from 21 June but had warned no decision would be made until the week before, given concerns over new variants.