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

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what guidance her Department has issued to local authorities on (a) producing and (b) updating productivity plans since 4 July 2024.

I wrote to all councils on 13 September to thank them for producing a plan and detail the rich evidence base they have given us. I proposed that we work together to build on the work to get more out of existing resources. I was also clear that I am not interested in micromanaging councils, but helping the sector improve efficiency even further, including reducing the barriers to change.