£338 million for walking and cycling
The Government has announced a £338 million investment in walking and cycling, as well as changes to the Highway Code to give greater protections to non-car users on the road.
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‘Increase fly-tipping fines’
Fines for fly-tipping must be increased significantly, as current sentences handed down fail to match the severity of the offence committed.
‘Invest in grassroots sport to capture Olympic legacy’
The legacy of Team GB’s success during this summer’s Tokyo Olympics risks being lost without further investment in grassroots and community sport facilities, the LGA has warned.
Residents ‘want a say on new homes’
New polling by the LGA has found that eight in 10 residents want to be able to have a say on all new homes built in their local community.
Self-isolation exemptions for critical workers
Fully vaccinated critical workers – including in local government – will be able to leave Covid-related self-isolation to go to work in exceptional circumstances, under new plans to prevent serious disruption to vital public services.
Social care reforms delayed
As first was going to press, it was reported that a Government announcement on adult social care would be delayed until the autumn, despite ministers apparently reaching an agreement to fund reforms by raising national insurance.
County devo deals to help level up
New ‘county deals’ will help devolve power to local communities beyond England’s biggest cities, the Prime Minister has said in a keynote speech on the Government’s ‘levelling up’ agenda.
Five-fold increase in councils’ B&B spend
New analysis by the LGA has revealed that councils are being forced to spend more than five times as much on housing people who are homeless in bed and breakfast accommodation as they were a decade ago.
‘Honest debate’ needed on long Covid
The LGA has called for an “honest debate” about the impact of long Covid, not just on the NHS, but also on demand for social care, at its recent annual conference.
‘Epidemic of violence’ against women
The LGA has warned that girls and young women are being deliberately and increasingly recruited into drug-dealing ‘county lines’ gangs and subjected to horrific sexual violence.