The Local Government Association has outlined the 100 offers for the new government, to be made within the first 100 days.
These offers were informed by the LGA’s Local Government White Paper, which was published last week and outlines the priorities for the future of local government in England. This includes asking the government to focus on five main priorities, which are:
- An equal, respectful partnership between local and national government (5)
- Sufficient and sustainable funding (25)
- Backing local government as place leaders (9)
- A new focus on prevention and services for the wider community
- Innovation and freedom from bureaucracy (14)
In the White Paper, the LGA said:
“There has never been a more difficult time for local government. Rising demand and costs have meant the toughest of choices, with less to spend on the services that communities value. Yet the sector continues to show great resilience and continues to innovate…
“… Now must be a time for change and new hope. The LGA has consulted widely, including with over 200 local authority leaders and 150 local authority Chief Executives across England. Their messages are clear.”
The 100 offers that the LGA has made to the new government – which will be decided by the public on Thursday – are all based around the five main priorities that were included in the Local Government White Paper. The majority (47) of the offers came under the issue of needing a new focus on prevention and services for the wider community, whilst the focus on an equal and respectful partnership, and the backing of local government as place leaders only demanded five and nine offers respectively.
Examples of some of the offers that have been made for the new government include:
- Publish a cross-departmental strategy setting out national commitments to prevent homelessness (Equal central-local partnership)
- Increased investment in local government mental health support to adults and reform the Mental Health Act (Sufficient and sustainable funding)
- Unlock the potential of local government to lead on inclusive growth (Local government as place leaders)
- A mandatory requirement on Integrated Care Boards to involve elected local leaders in resource allocation and commissioning decisions (Focus on prevention and services for the wider community)
- Reform the Apprenticeship Levy so that local leaders have maximum flexibility to pool funds locally (Innovation and freedom from bureaucracy)
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Video credit: Local Government Association
