Briefings and responses

The Local Government Association (LGA) recognises mobile phone theft as a growing and complex issue that requires coordinated national action. Councils have a role to play in supporting prevention and enforcement, particularly through Community Safety Partnerships, but they are not equipped to lead on regulating the resale market or tackling international theft networks.

The Industrial Strategy was published by Government on 23 June. The LGA has produced this briefing to highlight the key policy initiatives and upcoming announcements for local authorities.

A summary of the key announcements in the 2025 Spending Review relevant to local government.

Sport and leisure play a positive role in promoting the health and well-being of people and their communities, with local councils continuing to work hard to provide these services.

Setting the baseline is a key issue to resetting the business rates system from 1 April 2026.

Councils want to work as partners with central government to tackle poverty and climate change with a focus of eradicating poverty and transitioning to net zero. Net zero can only be achieved with decarbonisation happening in every place across the country and this will require local leadership.

This paper details tabled amendments to the Planning and Infrastructure Bill and the LGA's view on them.

The LGA estimates that nationally local government’s cumulative high needs deficit now stands at £3.15 billion, which is now threatening the financial viability of some councils. We are calling for the write-off all Dedicated Schools Grant deficits to relieve the financial pressures that councils are currently facing, which are forecasted to reach £5 billion by 2025/26.

We welcome the publication of this Bill, which includes many issues that the Local Government Association has been calling for many years in relation to education and safeguarding

Realising the government's digital inclusion ambitions requires a fundamental shift towards recognising and sustainably investing in local authorities as strategic partners, leveraging their unique expertise and community connections.