LGA: Councils respond to publication of Repeal Bill

Responding to the publication of the European Union (Withdrawal Bill), known as the Repeal Bill, Lord Porter, Chairman of the Local Government Association, said:

"The UK's exit from the European Union will have a significant impact on local government, creating challenges that need to be addressed but also opportunities to do things differently.

"EU laws impact on many of the council services that affect people's day-to-day lives. These range from deciding how to protect people from being served unsafe food when they eat out to regulating how councils buy goods and services.

"Local government must play a central role in deciding whether to keep, amend or scrap EU laws once they are converted into domestic law.

"Brexit should not simply mean a transfer of powers from Brussels to Westminster, Holyrood, Stormont and Cardiff Bay. It must lead to new legislative freedoms and flexibilities for councils so that residents and businesses benefit. Taking decisions over how to run local services closer to where people live is key to improving them and saving money.”

NOTES TO EDITORS

There was a diversity of views among local government about Britain's membership of the EU. To reflect this, the LGA remained neutral during and post the referendum.