The council aims to be a "regular forum for the key sector representatives to discuss strategic questions impacting local government, to share key and evolving challenges, and co-design solutions".[5]
The English Devolution White Paper published on 16 December 2024 states that the council "… [brings] together a representative group of local authority leaders with the Deputy Prime Minister and other ministers so that local leaders have a seat at the table in government and policy solutions can be co-designed with local government."[6]
Most members of the council represent only local government in England, but a small number also represent cities in Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales. The main local government representative bodies of Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales are not represented on the council.
As of October 2024, the membership of the council is as follows:
On 7 October 2024, the organisational members of the council sent a letter to the Chancellor of the ExchequerRachel Reeves urging reform of the local government funding system to help stable local authority finances.[17]