In this bulletin

CLLR SAM CHAPMAN-ALLEN: Let’s make a final push for action in the Budget

MUST-READS: Our round-up of policy and media highlights

NOTICEBOARD: DCN’s LGA Conference events – and other diary dates

Let’s make a final push for action in the Budget

 Districts are stronger when they work together for fair funding

Cllr Sam Chapman-Allen, DCN Chair; Leader, Breckland Council

There is an opportunity for the new Government to make its mark in the forthcoming Budget by taking action on longstanding problems.

We’re grateful for the input we’ve had from you, our member councils, about your financial pressures. These have been reflected in DCN’s submission to the Treasury on your behalf.

Temporary accommodation (TA) is one area in which we’re all seeking action. Not only does it often lead to poor living conditions and personal instability but, as you’re aware, it’s consuming an ever-greater proportion of councils’ budgets, leaving us with fewer resources to provide the services our council tax payers demand.

I know you want to bring about permanent housing for everyone in your community and this must be our long-term goal. However, we’ve asked the Treasury to recognise the very real costs that councils face right now. It cannot be right that the housing benefit subsidy we receive for TA costs is still tied to Local Housing Allowance rates from way back in 2011. This is an area in which the Treasury can act now to prevent the need for greater expenditure in future.

There are also costs associated with waste reform – many of you are reeling at the cost of impending expenditure on the new vehicles and other infrastructure necessitated by the plans. While we’re all striving to further improve our waste services and boost recycling rates, the straitjacket imposed by Defra isn’t conducive to councils taking the local decisions that will result in greener or more efficient services. Again, there is an opportunity here for the Government to signal a bottom-up approach that won’t result in the need for massive local expenditure playing havoc with council budgets.

We all appreciate that public expenditure is tight. However, the case we’ve made is that spending now is likely to ward off greater expenditure in future – problems will intensify without action now.

But there is much that the Government can do that will cost it nothing: the ability to ensure planning and licensing fees reflect the costs of providing the services is one such example.

I urge you all to make a final case to your local MP for fair funding for districts this side of the 30 October Budget. Your support is absolutely crucial in bringing about the changes we want to see, which will benefit all of our communities and the nation more broadly.

I am hugely looking forward to seeing most of you in Harrogate for the LGA Conference later this month, in particular at DCN’s drinks reception on the Tuesday evening and our fringe event on affordable housing the following day (full details below).

Amid the turbulent politics of recent years there has been quite a turnover of leaders of DCN councils, and for some of you this will be your first LGA Conference in your role. Please engage with me as DCN Chair as well as my vice-chairs representing the other parties and Independents. While of course there are divisions politicly, we’re intrinsically bound together in support of local government and our places. On the Budget and so much else besides we’re stronger together.

MUST-READS: Our round-up of media and policy highlights

The Independent: Record number of homeless families living in hotels and B&Bs as cost to councils set to soar

The Guardian: Rising cost of social services in England putting arts and youth services at risk, say councils

LGC (£): Temporary accommodation spend ‘threatening the future of districts’

LGC (£) Devolution Map: Revolution gives way to evolution

Prof Colin Copus and Prof Steve Leach in The MJ (£) Is reorganisation inevitable or just ingrained

Kathy O’Leary, Chief Executive, Stroud DC, in The MJ (£): Keeping local government relevant and meaningful

Cllr Sam Chapman-Allen, Chair, DCN, in The MJ (£): It’s essential the Government listens to planning authorities

Matthew Taylor, Chief Executive, NHS Confederation, in The MJ (£): Looking for big results

NHS Confederation Report: Paving a new pathway to prevention

Joe Fyans, Head of Research, Localis, in The MJ (£): Why pubs are community hubs

Institute for Fiscal Studies: Green Budget 2024

NOTICEBOARD: Dates and opportunities for your council

LGA Conference: DCN is hosting two main events at the LGA Conference in Harrogate on 22-24 October.

• DCN Drinks Reception, 6.30pm on Tuesday 22 October in Hall D at Harrogate Convention Centre. You can sign up here.
• Tackling the affordable housing crisis – a blueprint for change. This fringe session takes place at the Crown Hotel, close to the Convention Centre at 5.15-6.16pm on Wednesday, 23 October. It features Cllr Hannah Dalton, DCN Housing Spokesperson; Professor Janice Morphet from the UCL Bartlett School of Planning; Janet Sharpe, Director of Housing at the Association of Retained Council Housing and Mari Roberts-Wood, Chief Executive of Reigate and Banstead Borough Council. To sign up, please follow this link.

DCN Planning Webinars: We are continuing our series of webinars on the future of planning:

• New towns and garden cities: lessons from districts – 7^th November, 12.30pm – 2pm. To register please follow this link.
• Increasing land value capture for the benefit of our communities – 14^th November, 12.30pm – 2pm. To register please follow this link.
• Strategic planning: the case for its return – 21^st November, 12.30pm – 2pm. To register please follow this link.

Waste case studies: The LGA has published guide to councils operating services on a commercial basis. “Let’s do business waste – a policy and practice report” can be read here. It features examples from Bromsgrove, Chichester and West Suffolk councils among others.

Rural homelessness: The Rural Homelessness Counts Coalition and the Centre for Homelessness Impact have launched a rural photography collection capturing “a set of non-stigmatising images which capture the reality of homelessness”. They are intended for use in everything from media coverage to sector reports and publications. The collection is now live and can be seen here. The coalition’s next community of practice event, exploring work to prevent homelessness in North Yorkshire takes place on Friday, 1 November from 11am- 12.30pm. You can sign up here.