Save the date: LGA Labour/ALC ‘Effective Opposition’ conference: 10am-5pm, Friday 14 June 2019, Birmingham
The LGA Labour Group and Association of Labour Councillors are organising a one day ‘Effective Opposition’ conference aimed at Labour councillors in opposition. The day is designed to share best practice in communications, campaigning, and community leadership. High-profile local government speakers will lead sessions looking at effective scrutiny, understanding council finances, and support for opposition councillors, and there will be tailored breakout sessions for frontline councillors, councillors from small groups, and for groups looking to take or regain power.
Registration will be open to all Labour councillors and political assistants in opposition, and will be held in Birmingham from 10am to 5pm on Friday 14 June. Attendance costs just £10, which includes lunch and refreshments through the day. Online bookings will open later this month, and will be advertised in this bulletin – please save the date in your diaries!
News from Local Labour
Oxford City Council and Oxford Preservation Trust work together to restore historic units in Oxford Covered Market
Redbridge receives 1000 smoke alarms from the London Fire Brigade
Doncaster Council brings business to justice after shop floor fall
Birmingham City Council and Walsall Road Allotments find a way forward
Lord Mayor’s Medals celebrate Bristol’s local heroes
Hackney Council to host second Dementia Festival for Dementia Action Week
Out on the campaign trail: we want your photos and will use the best for the LGA Labour Group Annual Report. They must be high resolution and you must have the permission of everyone in the picture. Please email to Lewis Addlington-Lee.
Local Election Candidate Database
Candidates standing for local elections are encouraged to update their details in Democracy Club’s local election dataset, which will then be used by the Electoral Commission as well as to increase awareness of candidates among the public. For more information or to update your details click here
Labour Party Policy consultations
The Labour Party is carrying out a number of consultations as part of the National Policy Forum process. There are several consultations that have relevance to local government, and the LGA Labour Group will be responding to this to ensure that there is a strong local government voice in the Labour Party policy making process.
We will be responding to the following consultations:
We would encourage Labour Groups to engage in this consultation process, either by sending in your thoughts or by producing your own response to any of these consultations. If you are going to send in your thoughts or local experiences, or if you are planning to produce your own response, please email Hannah.lazell@local.gov.uk
Co-operative Party Local Government Conference Saturday 8 June 2019
Join us at the Co-op Party’s 4th annual Local Government Conference in Newcastle for masterclasses, discussions, ‘spotlight’ sessions and keynotes across a wide range of subjects including food justice, schools, climate change and crime.
Confirmed guests include Dame Vera Baird, Police and Crime Commissioner, Cllr Nick Forbes, Leader of Newcastle and LGA Labour Group, Andrew Gwynne MP, Shadow Secretary of State and Pam Warhurst, Founder of Incredible Edible.
Tickets are £10, which includes lunch and can be booked online here
2019 Local Election Manifestos
Ahead of May’s local elections, please do send us through your manifestos for your local elections so we can use them to share best practice with other Labour Groups. Please email them to peter.robbins@local.gov.uk
Have you experienced public intimidation as a councillor?
The LGA is interested to hear from any councillors who may have experienced public intimidation or threats to their personal safety from members of the public and would like to share their experiences and views. The LGA is developing a guide for our members to help them avoid, address and handle public intimidation, be that via social media, other mediums or in person. We are looking for contributions to inform and shape the guide.
The guide will be launched at the LGA annual conference. We are also holding a dedicated workshop in London to explore the issues on Wednesday 24 April. If you would like to contribute or would like more information please contact alexander.saul@local.gov.uk or fill out this short anonymous survey.
BAME Councillor Study
The Centre on Dynamics of Ethnicity at the University of Manchester are looking to speak to councillors from BAME backgrounds as part of a study into the ethnicity of local councillors. The study seeks to find out more about how policies and practices of the major parties shape the progression of ethnic minority people as well as how gender, religion and generation impact voting. For more details or to participate please contact neema.begum@manchester.ac.uk
News from Wales
Jeremy Corbyn’s speech at Welsh Labour Conference 2019 / Cynhadledd Llafur Cymru 2019
Flintshire councillors elect Labour’s Ian Roberts as new leader
Newport City Council has announced plans for a fourth Welsh-medium primary in the city
News from the Labour Party
John Healey responds to the government’s pledge to protect tenants against unfair eviction
Angela Rayner responds to £1.2 billion cut in special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) provision
The Tories should never have appointed Roger Scruton and must explain what due diligence was done – Andrew Gwynne
Labour considering automatic voter registration – Cat Smith
Tories’ approach to funding mental health services causing crisis – Barbara Keeley
Government’s climate targets are getting further and further off track – Rebecca Long Bailey
Worst A&E stats on record – Jon Ashworth responds
News from the LGA
LGA responds to Government announcement on landlord evictions
Response to Children's Commissioner report on children's mental health spending
LGA responds to youth charter announcement
Response to Children's Commissioner report on children's mental health spending
LGA responds to early communications skills funding announcement
Other news
Andrea Leadsom under pressure to 'come clean' amid offshore tax havens claims
Independent city council election candidate handed £1,236 court bill for fly-tipping after leaving six bin bags in Stoke-on-Trent street
Boris Johnson criticised for breaching Commons rules over Somerset property
Anti-Muslim Tory members on Facebook are telling one another to stop Sajid Javid from becoming Prime Minister
By elections
By-elections held on 11 April
Lambeth LB, Thornton
LAB: 41.5% (-3.3)
LDEM: 40.7% (+7.9)
CON: 6.9% (-2.7)
WEP: 2.2% (+0.4)
UKIP: 1.6% (+0.2)
Labour HOLD
Burnley BC, Rosehill with Burnley
LD: 37.5% (-9.7)
LAB: 27.4% (-17.0)
BPIP: 16.9% (+16.9)
CON: 12.6% (+12.6)
GRN: 5.6% (-2.9)
LD hold
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