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The budget was a huge
missed opportunity to embed devolution principles ahead of Brexit. The extra
money for social care has to be seen in the context of the £4.6 billion in
funding that councils have lost since 2010 – and the £5.8 billion needed by
2020.
The crucial factors to now consider are around the funding distribution formula used and what / how many strings come attached with the funding - the LGA must be strong and robust on this over the next few weeks.
What was also clear from
the Budget is that the Government are continuing with their ideological push
for grammar schools. Labour in local government will have to continue challenging
this and winning the ideological battle this ensues.
We would like to hear
from you any examples of where free schools or academies are being opened in
your areas where they are in direction competition with ‘good’ or ‘outstanding’
local schools. Please send your examples to me - nick.forbes@local.gov.uk. This will help us to build an argument
showing that money is not being used effectively or in the best interests of
our local communities.
You can find the LGA on
the day Budget briefing here. If you would like more information on any of the
above, please contact uma.kumaran@local.gov.uk
Congratulations to the many Labour councils who won
LCG awards. Full list here
£6m Newcastle Central Metro station revamp complete
Improvements planned to make hundreds of homes in Corby warmer
Leader of South Tyneside Council, Cllr
Iain Malcolm, says the announcement on adult social care funding 'really missed the mark'.
London mayor Sadiq Khan welcomes progress made on devolution to London in the Budget. Chair of London Councils Cllr Claire Kober has said it is a clear sign of confidence in London local government to deliver real improvements in public services
Steve Lydon, Leader of Stroud District
Council on the council being nominated for prestigious planning industry award
Out on the campaign trail? Send
us your best photos and they may appear in the Labour Group Annual Report. The photos need to be high resolution and you’ll
need to tell us who is in the photo and give confirmation that everyone pictured
is happy for us to use it. Please send
them to: anthie.zachariou@local.gov.uk
Please share: Be
a Councillor booklet and Be a
Labour Councillor: A guide for disabled members and local parties
Thank you to all who have
shared and tweeted our ‘100 Innovations of Labour in Power’ booklet. Please do keep
sharing examples from your councils and include @LGA_Labour in tweets about
this or the good work your council is doing.
Scottish independence: Nicola Sturgeon to ask for second
referendum
Self-employed hit by national
insurance hike in budget
Jim McMahon MP: A Budget for no-one that ignores the
crisis raging outside London
Surrey County Council 'sweetheart deal'
row escalates
Barbara
Keeley MP: Social care is on its
knees. We
all have a stake in its future
North East councils say extra social care funding is "too little too late"
Theresa May heads for battle with Tory
MPs over Brexit bill
Lord Kennedy: Government ambivalence to council housing is ‘frustrating and
disappointing’
Opinion:
Councils are facing bankruptcy – is this the end of public service?
Liverpool conference complex is best in Britain for fifth year in
a row
Newcastle couple celebrate bedroom tax victory
after four year struggle
Cardiff council wants to end rough sleeping in the
city by 2020
Neath Port Talbot Council to Invest £2.8m in Highways
and Neighbourhood Works
New statistics reveal Flintshire Council has best recycling rate in Wales
Jeremy Corbyn MP responds
to the Spring Budget statement in the House of Commons
John
McDonnell MP - speech to Labour economic conference
Teresa
Pearce MP - more evidence of the Tories secret deal with
the leadership of Surrey County Council
Barbara Keeley MP has written to Sir Jeremy Heywood, the
Secretary of the Cabinet & Head of the Civil Service, regarding Surrey and
the FOI information around social care funding. Read her letter here. The BBC South of England are also reporting this on twitter.
The Tories £70bn tax giveaways to the
super-rich and big business
Women hit six times harder
this Budget by government cuts
Keir Starmer MP - The Tories are
talking up a dire future where Britain completely breaks off from our primary allies and trading
partners
Labour
supports the demand for Orgreave
justice - Diane Abbott MP
Jeremy Corbyn MP statement on suggestion of
a second referendum on Scottish independence
Scotland is already
divided enough – Kezia Dugdale MP
The LGA are asking for submissions about local
connectivity issues for collation in the following online form – form here.
Officers will use this information to inform
conversations with Openreach and provide Ofcom with an overview of the issues
councils face. If you would like a hard copy of the form, please email Daniel
Shamplin-Hall.
LGA responds to
Law Commission report on DoLS
LGA responds to
campaign for better transport report about bus funding
LGA responds to
Openreach announcement
LGA responds to
new RAC Foundation report on road bridges
Budget 2017: LGA
responds to social care funding
Budget 2017:
Councils respond to £690 million competition to tackle urban congestion
Budget 2017: LGA
responds to 5G and broadband announcement
Budget 2017:
Councils respond to education funding announcement
Budget 2017:
Councils respond to business rates announcement
The LGA have published a guide for councillors and
officers working to build a stronger dialogue between councils and residents called ‘A guide to mainstream conversations’
UNISON: Careers, Education, Information, Advice and Guidance in Schools –Short
Survey Help Please
We are doing a survey of secondary
heads/leadership teams in England about the impact the devolvement of the duty to deliver the careers
advice in England to schools has had on the quality, type and access to
careers provision for young people. It would be a great help if you could
forward this to any secondary heads
The research seeks
information from secondary head teachers. The survey should take no
longer than 15 minutes to complete. The answers are confidential with no
uniquely identifying information about the head teacher or
school. The research findings will be used to inform government and
stakeholder policy. The link is here
Just Fair: The UK is one of the most economically unequal countries in the
developed world, but the government is still not using all available tools to
tackle inequality. For years it has refused to bring into force section 1 of the Equality Act 2010, which
requires public bodies to have due regard to how their decisions affect socio-economic inequalities. The Equality Trust and Just Fair have recently launched the joint campaign #1forEquality to
demand the government brings section 1 to life. Public support for the
commencement of section 1 from Labour councillors (as well as Mayors and
Mayoral candidates) would increase pressure on the government and send a
strong message about Labour’s commitment to greater equality at a local and
national level.
To support this campaign, please get in touch with
Lucy Shaddock (lucy.shaddock@equalitytrust.org.uk) or Koldo Casla (koldo.casla@just-fair.co.uk)
Surrey council leader 'had gentleman's agreement' with ministers
Tory minister: We should apologise to voters for breaking manifesto
promise on National Insurance
George Osborne to make £650,000 working four days a month at Black Rock
‘Douglas Carswell's Ukip Future To Be Decided On March 27’
Tory candidate sparks row
after likening Camden to war zone
There were 4 by-elections on 9 March 2017:
Harrow LB, Roxbourne
Labour 1554 [62.8%; +13.7%]
Conservative 533 [21.5%; -0.5%]
LD 240 [9.7%; +0.7%]
UKIP 148 [6.0%; +6.0%]
[Independent Labour Group 0 [0.0%; -19.9%]]
Labour hold
Broxbourn BC, Waltham Cross
Conservative
650 [41.0%; -3.5%]
Labour
646 [40.8%; -14.8%]
UKIP
200 [12.6%; +12.6%]
LD
89 [5.6%; +5.6%]
Conservative gain from Labour
East Herts DC, Hertford Castle
Conservative 593 [49.0%; +8.2%]
Labour
207 [17.1%; -2.9%]
LD
188 [15.5%; +15.5%]
Green
157 [13.0%; -4.7%]
UKIP
65 [5.4%; +5.4%]
[Independent
0 [0.0%; -21.6%]]
Conservative hold
Stratford-on-Avon DC, Red Horse
Conservative 476 [53.4%; -9.0%]
LD
266 [29.8% +20.3%]
UKIP
93 [10.3%; -4.8%]
Green
58 [6.5%; +6.5%]
[Labour
0 [0.0%; -12.9%]]
Conservative hold
There are 3 by-elections taking place on 16 March 2017:
Newcastle-upon-Tyne MB, South Heaton
South Ribble BC, Watton-le-Dale East
Breckland DC, Saham Toney
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