Growing numbers of councils have been calling for greater powers to tackle the sale of new psychoactive substances (NPS), also known as ‘legal highs'. The availability of NPS has expanded over recent years and local perceptions that NPS are an increasing problem are backed up by a range of information suggesting a substantial rise in the number of deaths associated with their use.
Councils have a key role to play when it comes to safeguarding children and protecting them from harm. This guide is designed to provide councillors with an introduction to FGM, provide some background on the national policy context of what is being done to reduce FGM and how councils can contribute to it.
This guidance is for all those in local government who have a role in making our communities safer and protecting the most vulnerable members of our communities. It is aimed at leaders and members of community safety partnerships, health and wellbeing boards and local safeguarding boards.
The Psychoactive Substances Act came into effect on 26 May 2016. The Act bans the production, distribution, sale and supply of psychoactive substances. The LGA lobbied for a ban of psychoactive substances and supported the Act as it progressed through Parliament and became law.
The survey was conducted by the LGA's Research and Information team in October-November 2016 in order to gather information about how community safety partnerships (CSP)/county strategy groups (CSG) and councils' community safety services currently operate.