People want to live in flourishing communities. No community can flourish without powers and resources.

Liberal Democrats are committed to allowing communities to take the action they need to improve their areas. We believe, for example, that given sufficient powers and resources local authorities can play a major role in combating the climate and nature emergencies, whether by insulating homes or improving air quality.

Yet this Government is robbing local communities of their powers and their resources. The Conservatives have forced councils to do more and more with less and less, plunging many into financial crisis. In rural areas, the growth of second homes, the lack of public transport and poor broadband connectivity are undermining the viability of our communities.

Liberal Democrats will support local government through these difficult times, and review the burdens and costs that councils have shouldered as a result of Conservative Government policies. This includes tackling the social care funding crisis, giving councils the freedom to set planning fees to reflect the actual cost of delivering an efficient planning service, and building more homes to relieve the soaring demand for temporary accommodation.

We will:

• Tackle the funding crisis facing local authorities, including by providing multi-year settlements, boosting the supply of social housing, and forging a long-term, cross-party agreement on social care.
• Give communities more control over the number of second homes and short-term lets in their areas.
• Ensure local authorities have the powers and resources they need to tackle the climate and nature emergencies, as set out in chapters 5 and 12.
• Ensure that gigabit broadband is available to every home and business, including in rural and remote communities, and support local bespoke solutions so that no property is left out.
• End the top-down reorganisation of councils and the imposition of elected mayors on communities who do not want them.
• Work with communities to tackle the alarming rise of antisemitism and Islamophobia.

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