Briefings and responses

Treasury and HMRC invited views on proposals to remove the lower rate of landfill tax in a consultation that closed in July 2025. The LGA’s response asks for a longer trajectory to phase out the lower rate or for the lower rate to be replaced by an intermediate rate. This would help councils manage any additional costs in the context of other financial pressures. We also note the risk of increased fly-tipping

Community BenefitsEnergy Infrastructure Planning ReformDepartment for Energy Security and Net Zero55 WhitehallLondonSW1A 2HP  Dear Community Benefits team,

The Government held a technical consultation on their proposed reforms to planning committees, seeking views on the delegation of planning functions, the size and composition of committees, mandatory training for planning committee members, and improving delegated decision making.

The LGA welcomes the Government’s announcement of the first-ever Men’s Health Strategy for England. Men face significantly higher rates of serious health conditions and premature death compared to women.

The Government held a technical consultation on the introduction of a new statutory build out framework and the power to decline to determine applications from 25 May to 7 July 2025.

The Government invited views to inform further policy development and proposed options to incentivise a faster rate of build out and poses questions on how this could be achieved.

The Government invited views to inform further policy development and explored how different site sizes should be treated within the planning system, inviting views on reforming site thresholds through a gradated approach to the system as a whole.

A factual summary of the English Devolution and Community Empowerment Bill.

On 3 July, the Government launched a new 10 Year Health Plan, which is summarised in this briefing. It draws out the key points relevant to local government and sets out our immediate LGA response.

The LGA welcomes the opportunity to respond to the Department for Work and Pensions’ Pathways to Work Green Paper. This response draws on the experience of councils across England and builds on the LGA’s long-standing calls for a more integrated, preventative and locally led employment and support system.