News from the Leader of the LGA Labour Group – 29 May 2018

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29 May 2018

News from the Leader of the LGA Labour Group

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Nick Forbes

Cllr Nick Forbes
Leader of the LGA Labour Group

LGA Labour Group 2018/19 elections

Nominations have now closed for LGA Labour Group officer positions and for the Regional Representative positions.

Only one valid nomination was received for LGA Labour officer positions, and the nominated candidates are therefore elected unopposed:

  • Leader – Cllr Nick Forbes (Newcastle)
  • Deputy Leader – Cllr Lib Peck (Lambeth)
  • Deputy Leader – Cllr Michael Payne (Gedling/Nottinghamshire)
  • Chair – Cllr Simon Henig (Durham)
  • Vice-Chair – Cllr Rishi Shori (Bury)
  • Chief whip – Cllr Simon Blackburn (Blackpool)
  • Deputy Whip – Cllr Alice Perry (Islington)

Eight of the ten Regional Representative positions received only one nomination, and the following candidates are therefore elected unopposed:

  • East – Cllr Richard Henry (Stevenage)
  • East Midlands – Cllr Tom Beattie (Corby)
  • London – Cllr Anntoinette Bramble (Hackney)
  • North East – Cllr Iain Malcolm (South Tyneside)
  • South East – Cllr Sabia Hussain (Slough)
  • South West – Cllr Kate Haigh (Gloucester/Gloucestershire)
  • Wales – Cllr Rob Stevens (Swansea)
  • Yorkshire and Humber – Cllr Tim Swift (Calderdale)

In the North West region and West Midlands region more than one valid nomination was received, and therefore will move to an election of Labour Groups. Ballots have been issued to the leaders of Labour Groups in those regions, and must be returned by 12 noon on June 28th. The candidates are:

  • North West – Cllr John Merry (Salford); Cllr Noordad Aziz (Hyndburn);
  • West Midlands – Cllr Paulette Hamilton (Birmingham); Cllr Faye Abbott (Coventry); Cllr Charlotte Atkins (Staffordshire)

Congratulations to all those elected, who will take up their positions at the LGA Labour Group AGM on 3 July 2018.

News from local Labour

Cllr Alice Perry’s Labour NEC Report – May 2018

Sheffield Council works with regeneration and heritage specialists CAPITAL&CENTRIC to breathe new life into city’s former industrial works

Islington Council has secured the largest fine in its history of a private landlord who was treating tenants unfairly

More than 200 residential tower blocks in Birmingham are to have sprinklers fitted after the city council re-approved plans to install them

Increasing diversity in local government through extending the use of AWS

The following Labour led councils now have new Leaders – Derek Long (St Helens)

News from the Labour Party

Mike Kane comments on the National Audit Office report on Ofsted’s inspection of schools

Angela Rayner comments on Government’s T-Levels announcement

Jonathan Ashworth responds to the latest quarterly bed occupancy data

News from Wales

A bid for £3.75m from the Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF) has been made to help transform a key part of Swansea's historic Hafod Morfa Copperworks site.

Scores of cyclists will take part in a mass ride through Cardiff to celebrate the expansion of the city's nextbike bike-share scheme.

News from the LGA

LGA: clean, connected and in-control: what tomorrow’s transport technology could mean for councils 

LGA responds to Health Foundation report on emergency hospital admissions 

LGA responds to Royal College of GPs call to tackle loneliness 

LGA responds to CQC report on managing rising demand in emergency departments 

LGA calls for taxi licensing reforms 

LGA responds to IFS report on health and social care funding 

LGA responds to IPPR's call to increase National Insurance to secure NHS and social care 

LGA: Ministers urged to tackle academy finances  

165,000 homes could be built with local communities ignored 

Councils call for powers to tackle lorry drivers that ignore road restrictions 

Toxic skin creams still rife in cosmetics market, councils warn 

LGA responds to report on long-stay inpatient care for people with learning disabilities 

Opposition watch

Norwich City Council Conservative election fraud probe

Esther McVey accused of breaking ministerial ethics code with 'trip to the races paid by bookies'

Making campaigning more accessible

Caroline Walsh, a candidate in Eltham North in the 2018 Local Elections, is looking for councillors and council candidates who define as disabled to share their experiences of being a candidate with a disability – this will feed into constructive learning and recommendations for the future for local parties to help make their campaigning more accessible. If you would like to share your experiences, please email lewis.addlington-lee@local.gov.uk

LGA Labour Group - new London councillors' briefing day

Saturday 23 June 2018, 09:30-16:30 (followed by drinks reception on roof terrace). 

Local Government Association, 18 Smith Square, Westminster, London, SW1P 3HZ.

The LGA Labour Group will be holding an event for new London Labour councillors:

The day will be a mix of plenary and breakout sessions. Speakers include:

  • Cllr Clare Coghill, - Leader Waltham Forest and LGA London Rep
  • Cllr Lib Peck - Leader of Lambeth and Deputy Leader of the LGA Labour Group
  • Mark Lloyd - Chief Executive, Local Government Association
  • Andrew Gwynne MP - Shadow Communities and Local Government Secretary
  • Ayesha Hazarika and Marie Le Conte – building up a media profile
  • Cllr Alice Perry – NEC rep
  • Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan (tbc)
  • Mayor of Lewisham, Damien Egan
  • Mayor of Newham, Rokhsana Fiaz OBE
  • Leader of Enfield, Cllr Nesil Caliskan

Please note that this event is only open to newly elected London Labour Councillors elected for the first time on Thursday 3 May 2018

The event is likely to be oversubscribed and will be on a first come, first served basis.  The LGA is currently in the process of updating the list of councillors but for now we would be grateful if you could pass this on to new members in your authority.

To register new councillors should email lewis.addlington-lee@local.gov.uk with their name and authority.

Co-op Party Conferences - Saturday 9 June

The Co-op Party would like to invite you to their 'Being the Difference' Conference on 9 June in Central London.

This is an opportunity for councillors, Party members and officers interested in local government policy to share ideas and hear inspiring examples of campaigns and initiatives.

You'll also be able to learn more about ways that you can put co-operative solutions into practice in your own community.

Speakers include: Jim McMahon MP, Cllr Georgia Gould, Cllr Matthew Brown, Cllr Olivia Blake, Cllr James Lewis, GMB, Keep it Local, Generation Rent, Community Energy England, amongst others.

This year's conference is sponsored by the London Co-operative Party and tickets costs just £10 - click here to book your place.

By-elections

There were five by-elections on 24 May

North Kesteven DC, Kirkby La Thorpe & South Kyme
Lincolnshire Independents 278 [45.9%; +10.3%]
Con 271 [44.7%; -19.7%]
Lab 30 [5.0%; +5.0%]LD 27 [4.5%; +4.5%]
Lincolnshire Independents gain from Conservative

Waverley BC, Farnham Castle
Farnham Residents 354 [37.9%; +3.3%]
LD 338 [36.1%; +11.7%]
Con 175 [18.7%; -7.7%]
Lab 42 [4.5%; -10.0%]
Ind 26 [2.8%; +2.8%]
Farnham Residents hold

Bristol UA, Westbury-on-Trym & Henleaze
Con 2900 [42.3%; +2.9%]
LD 2704 [39.5%; +7.3%]
Lab 891 [13.0%; -2.6%]
Grn 355 [5.2%; -7.6%]
Conservative gain from Lib Dem

Broadland DC, Aylesham
LD 1018 [46.0%; +15.1%]
Con 865 [39.1%; +6.8%]
Lab 328 [14.8%; -7.2%]
UKIP 0 [[0.0%; -14.6%]]
Lib Dem gain from Conservative

Horsham DC, Cowfold, Shermanbury & West Grinstead
Con 661 [68.4%; -3.0%]
Lab 158 [16.3%; +16.3%]
LD 148 [15.3%; -13.3%]
Conservative hold

Upcoming by-elections – 7 June:
East Staffordshire BC – Crown
Mid Devon BC – Cranmore
South Oxfordshire DC – Benson and Crowmarsh