Agenda item

Thursday 7 October, BBC Online: Council tax may need to rise by up to 5% a year for the next three years, says think tank

Council tax may need to rise by up to 5 per cent a year for the next three years to meet government spending plans and an expected substantial increase in the cost of living, according to the Institute of Fiscal Studies.

Thursday 7 October, Telegraph: Boris Johnson pledges no homes will be built on green fields

Boris Johnson has said houses should not be built on “green fields” as ministers abandoned proposals for a major overhaul of planning rules.

Sunday 10 October, Sunday Telegraph: Whitehall urged to focus on “equality of opportunity” not quotas

Whitehall and private firms have been too focused on using targets and quotas to boost the fortunes of people from poorer backgrounds rather than promoting “equality of opportunity”, according to Liz Truss.

Sunday 10 October, Observer: Pledge to build 300,000 houses a year now “almost impossible”

The Prime Minister’s election pledge to build 300,000 new houses a year it in serious jeopardy following labour and material shortages which are causing major disruption across the economy, industry figures have warned.

Sunday 10 October, Sunday Telegraph: Sunak urged to cut business rates to boost high street recovery

Retail leaders and landlords have demanded a cut to business rates amid concerns the tax is affecting the recovery on the high street.

Sunday 10 October, BBC Online: Biodiversity loss risks “ecological meltdown”

The UK is one of the world’s most nature-depleted countries, in the bottom 10 per cent globally and last among the G7 groups of nations, new data shows.

Monday 11 October, GB News: Fly-tipping

Cllr David Renard, LGA environment spokesperson, appeared on GB News to discuss the rise in fly-tipping, following an Environment Agency report which says it is costing the economy £1 billion a year.

Monday 11 October, iNews: £220m levelling-up fund has not been given out by ministers 7 months on

A £220 million fund to boost deprived communities as part of the Government’s levelling-up strategy has not yet been allocated to councils.

Monday 11 October, FT: Michael Gove urged to address loss of half a million social homes in England

Homelessness campaigners are calling on the Housing Secretary Michael Gove to urgently address the lack of social housing to England.

Monday 11 October, The Times: Opinion – planning reforms

An editorial piece says abandon the Government’s flagship planning reforms is not just bad economics, but over time is likely to prove to be bad politics too.

Monday 11 October, Telegraph: House builders urged to install rainwater toilets to stop river pollution

Campaigners have said developers should install rainwater toilets when building new homes to stop river pollution.

Tuesday 12 October, Telegraph: Nearly 6,000 new homes will be built on brownfield land by 2024, says Gove

Nearly 6,000 additional homes will be built on brownfield land by 2024, Housing Secretary Michael Gove has announced, as he vowed to protect the UK’s “cherished countryside” against development.

Wednesday 13 October, Independent: Housing waiting lists could double next year

One in 10 households in need of housing find themselves on waiting list of over fiver years, according to a report by the LGA, Association of Retained Council Housing and National Federation of ALMOs.

Wednesday 13 October, BBC News: Councils to build on derelict land

Thousands of new homes are set to be built on land previously designated as derelict, or brownfield, as part of the Government’s levelling up agenda.

Wednesday 13 October, Telegraph: Flooding risk highlighted

Towns in England should “adapt or die” in the fact of flooding risk as “inevitable” climate change is likely to cause devastation, according to a report by the Environment Agency.