BOOK NOW: 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 booking is now open – book your place here
Staying safe whilst campaigning – Suzy Lamplugh Trust advice
With local elections taking place this week, those of you with elections will be out campaigning. The Suzy Lamplugh Trust has advice on how canvassers can stay safe whilst out canvassing, which can be viewed here.
The advice includes:
- Making sure each member of the canvassing team has a buddy in case anyone gets lost or isn’t seen for a while;
- Canvassing in pairs or groups;
- If you’re canvassing at night or in bad weather, only canvass in well-lit areas and buildings;
- Don’t ever enter a stranger’s house – keep the conversation on the doorstep;
- Trust your instincts – do not knock on a door if you do not feel confident doing so.
News from Local Labour
The first 725 homes at Enfield Council’s £6 billion Meridian Water scheme will be delivered by development partner Galliford Try Partnerships
Oxford City Council to establish UK’s first citizens assembly to address climate emergency
Lambeth Council announces that 11-storey tower block will become Britain’s first living wage building
Funding awarded to Birmingham Council by Public Health England to help those affected by alcohol
One hundred venues across Bristol have signed up to Bristol Council’s Community Toilet Scheme
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. Email Lewis Addlington-Lee.
Job adverts
Our superstar Political Administrator Lewis is headed for pastures new so we are recruiting for his replacement. Want to work supporting Labour in Local Government at a national level? Apply here.
Exciting opportunity to work for the first ever Labour MP for Portsmouth South, Stephen Morgan MP – he is hiring a Parliamentary Projects Officer, applications close 1 May. Apply here.
Islington Labour Group is hiring for a new Labour Group Support Officer. Want to join the strong team supporting the Leader of the Council and Labour Group councillors at one of the country’s most dynamic and innovative local authorities? Apply here.
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
BAME Councillor Study
The Centre on Dynamics of Ethnicity at the University of Manchester is 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
A commitment to support employees with a terminal illness is being declared by Newport City Council by backing the TUC’s Dying to Work campaign
Government inspectors praise Swansea Council’s ‘caring and inclusive’ support for vulnerable pupils through their Pupil Referral Unit
News from the Labour Party
Labour announces new funding to reverse Tory cuts to 3,000 bus routes
Jeremy Corbyn MP’s speech at NEU conference
Diane Abbott MP responds to the latest ONS crime statistics release
Margaret Greenwood MP responds to the news from the Trussell Trust that a record 1.6m food bank parcels were provided to people in the past year
News from the LGA
LGA responds to EPI report on off-rolling
LGA responds to St Mungo's report on homelessness funding
LGA responds to Impetus report on young people's employment gap
Local Government Mutual opens for business
LGA responds to King's Fund report on adult social care
LGA responds to Centre for Policy Studies report on social care
Other news
Tory local election candidates suspended over racist and inflammatory posts on Facebook
By elections
There were no by-elections held on 25 April.
Local elections will take place on Thursday 2 May.
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