Lord Porter

  • Much is still to be done on building safety

    18 June 2019

    Lord Porter says the recent fire in Barking showed buildings under 18 metres have similar safety issues to higher blocks, and the Local Government Association looks forward to continuing to work with the Government to deliver much-needed reforms.

  • Councils are a good investment

    27 February 2019

    The Local Government Association's #CouncilsCan campaign aimed at influencing the 2019 Spending Review has begun by highlighting the threat to popular - but non-statutory - services if the £8bn funding black hole is not tackled, says Lord Porter.

  • Let’s see the cap ‘gone for good’

    10 October 2018

    The Prime Minister’s decision to scrap the housing borrowing cap gives councils a ‘huge opportunity’ to build homes, says Lord Porter. The Treasury needs to fulfil the promise ahead of the Budget

  • ‘Tis the season

    26 September 2018

    As conference season takes shape, LGA chair Lord Porter looks at the critical issues currently facing local government he is hoping will take centre stage

  • The stark reality – we have a £7.8bn funding gap

    04 July 2018

    As delegates gather in Birmingham for the Local Government Association annual conference, latest estimates from the association claim councils will need an extra £7.8bn by 2025 for services to stand still. LGA chairman Lord Porter, and its chief executive Mark Lloyd, call for a rethink of council funding in the Spending Review.

  • My final year as chair, I’ll be fighting for fairer housing

    27 June 2018

    Local Government Association chairman Lord Porter outlines his agenda for the next 12 months and reflects on how the events of Grenfell has strengthened his resolve to push for safe, affordable housing for all.

  • Preventing another Grenfell

    13 June 2018

    On the first anniversary of the Grenfell tragedy Lord Porter explains how the Local Government Association is working with the Government to stop this from happening again.

  • Many councils remain at a tipping point

    09 January 2018

    Lord Porter looks back to the provisional finance settlement and ahead to the major financial challenges of the new year.

  • Porter: We cannot continue to run services on a shoestring

    19 July 2017

    Lord Porter sends a strong message to ministers about the current financial landscape that councils are attempting to navigate.

  • Decreasing Whitehall’s dominance

    05 July 2017

    Lord Porter makes an impassioned case for devolution, arguing local and central government cannot deliver more than the sum of their parts without urgent reform.

  • We need to get our foot in the door of Number 10

    30 May 2017

    Lord Porter calls on the sector to ensure, whoever is next in No.10, that it gets its foot in that door.

  • A matter of accountability

    24 January 2017

    Steve Freer and Lord Gary Porter outline the PSAA and LGA’s expectations of the national audit scheme and remind local authorities of the importance of joining before the March deadline

  • The long and winding road

    26 April 2016

    As the Housing and Planning Bill returns to the Commons, Lord Porter explains the many battles waged to ensure councils get the reforms they need