Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:

To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what steps his Department is taking to improve the training offered to (a) the leaders of local authorities and (b) local authority cabinet members.

Through DCLG grant funding, the Local Government Association (LGA) provides broad support to the local government sector, including training and support for members and officers, and policy briefings. This includes one-to-one mentoring for elected leaders and cabinet members by other member peers, members attending LGA Leadership Academy programmes, and corporate peer challenges. Corporate peer challenges involve a team of senior members and officers from other areas spending time in a council to review and challenge an aspect of its activity.