Enhancing quality of life

Overview

Districts play a crucial role as local leaders who are on the side of residents. Our priorities are shaped by our understanding of and engagement with local communities. Districts protect and enhance quality of life by safeguarding our environment, promoting public health and leisure and creating attractive places to live, work and raise families.

The project group

The workstreams are currently undergoing a refresh, and an update will be posted shortly.

Our workplan priorities include:

Continuing to build evidence and lobby government to allow districts to raise a prevention precept
Seeking to influence and respond to the social care green paper to ensure the district role in reducing the burden on adult social care is fully recognised by the Government
Building strong relationships with sector partners, including Public Health England and the NHS
Continuing to promote the district role in place-based health and wellbeing; showcasing examples of community leadership, effective partnership working, innovative and sustainable provision of leisure facilities, maintaining high quality green spaces and supporting local cultural activities.
Continuing to promote and encourage bids to relevant funding streams, including Sport England
Promoting the work of the Healthy Towns and Villages Network

DCN UPDATES

Government agrees to protect district council functions

Levelling Up Bill: Government agrees to protect district council functions The District Councils’ Network has welcomed Michael Gove’s move to end the risk that district council services could be taken away from them without local consent. The Levelling Up Secretary...

‘Every community and every individual will feel poorer’ – DCN responds to Autumn Statement

DCN responds to Autumn Statement: ‘Every community and every individual will feel poorer’ District councils have little alternative but to scale back universal services which matter to all local residents after the chancellor signalled a real-terms fall in their...

Empowered councils can deliver net zero and clean growth

Empowered councils can deliver net zero and clean growth Local government should be empowered to independently fund clean growth projects and lead the drive to hit net zero in local communities, a report from Localis, co-commissioned by DCN, today urges....

Hunt warned: further cuts will weaken shire communities

Hunt warned: further cuts will weaken shire communities District council leaders say they will have no option but to cut hugely valuable local services which will diminish towns and communities across England should further cuts be imposed upon them. They...

Four-fifths of councils running out of accommodation for homeless people

Councils are running out of temporary accommodation in which to house growing numbers of people who are becoming homeless, exclusive research reveals. The District Councils’ Network insight also reveals how the cost-of-living crisis has spurred a huge increase in demand...