Setting the scene
|
Sustainable development opportunities for local government. |
| |
|
Local government has a significant impact on the lives of every citizen in the country. Together local authorities spend over £80 billion a year on the day-to-day running of local services (over £2500 a second!), accounting for over a quarter all public expenditure in England. Local authorities in England employ over two million people (around 8% of the working population), own 11% of the housing stock and collect over 29 million tonnes of household waste per year (www.lga.gov.uk).
|
| |
| These huge resources are used to carry out a wide range of activities and services. Local authorities are administrators of schools, children and young people's service managers, local employers, waste collectors, roads constructors, land use planners, social service providers, energy consumers, major procurers, public health promoters, recreation and leisure providers, housing providers, regenerators, stewards of local and global natural resources, and much more besides.
|
| |
| Local government has the potential to significantly contribute to sustainable development; through the sustainable use of its resources it can simultaneously support local economies, strengthen local communities and reduce their impact on climate change and the environment as a whole.
|
| |
| Given the breadth and scale of these services and operations, financial decision-makers have a key role and influence in ensuring a sustainable future for us all.
|
|
