News from the Leader of the LGA Labour group - 4 June 2019

Having trouble viewing this email? View it as a Web page.

local government association - labour group

News from the Leader of the LGA Labour group

twitterfacebook

Visit our website

Follow us on Twitter

Like our Facebook Page

Cllr Nick Forbes

LGA Boards 2019/20 – nominations now open

The nomination process for appointments to the LGA Boards 2019/20 is now open. All details can be found on the LGA Labour website

If you are interested in applying to a position on an LGA Policy Board, the LGA Leadership Board, Councillors Forum, or a Workforce Employer Body, we would encourage you to read the policy board descriptions and role descriptions. 

Members are required to complete an application form and submit it with a 250-word supporting statement. It is important to outline all your experience and areas of interest to enable us to make the most effective appointments to policy leadership positions at the LGA. 

You will find the application form here. We will require consent from your Group Leader - a consent form is included in the application form. 

Applications will close at 5pm on Friday 5 July 2019. Successful nominations will be announced on Monday 22 July 2019. 

Appointments are made by the elected Labour Group Officers, using the principles outlined on the LGA Labour website. 

We are only able to accept nominations by email. Please email your completed self-nomination form to martin.angus@local.gov.uk


Best practice – Support for councillors who are carers 

Following on from the success of the parental leave for councillors policy drawn up by the LGA Labour Women’s Taskforce, the Taskforce was asked to produce guidance on how best to support councillors who have caring commitments.

The Taskforce has drawn up guidance on what a good policy to support councillors should look like. This includes making it clear which council duties will be covered by the policy, the rate at which allowances should be paid, who can provide the care and which dependents can be covered by the policy.

We’d encourage all Labour-run councils to use this to either strengthen existing policies to supporting councillors with dependents, or to put a policy in place if this does not already exist. Along with parental leave, this is an important step in encouraging people from a wider range of backgrounds to be councillors, and to ensure that existing councillors with these commitments remain as councillors and have these particular barriers removed from them if they wish to progress to leadership roles.

The guidance can be viewed here. If you have any questions or want to share what your council does in this area, please email hannah.lazell@local.gov.uk


Best practice – Getting more women to stand to be councillors           

The LGA Labour Women’s Taskforce is acutely aware that in order to get more women into leadership roles in local government, we need more women to stand to be councillors in the first place.

With that in mind, we’ve produced a best practice guide with examples of how different Labour groups have encouraged women to stand to be councillors. We appreciate that this year’s elections are only just out of the way, but we know that you’ll soon be thinking about next year’s selections soon, so we wanted to have this for your consideration as soon as possible.

The best practice can be viewed here. If you want to share any of the things your local Labour Party does to encourage more women, or if you have any questions please email hannah.lazell@local.gov.uk.


News from local Labour

Hackney Council’s Cllr Mete Coban has been shortlisted for the One Young World Politician of the Year award

Several Labour councils, including Islington, Liverpool, Halton and Nottingham, were mentioned in a Guardian article about bringing services back in-house

Birmingham City Council scooped its eighth gold in a row at the Chelsea Flower Show for its display recognising the need for action on climate change

Greater Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham and Salford City Mayor Paul Dennett are to launch a new £3.7m housing development to prevent homelessness

Stevenage Borough Council has launched its brand new ten-year cultural strategy, Stevenage Re-imagined


Remembrance List 

Each year at the LGA Labour Group AGM we remember the names of serving Labour councillors who have passed away in the previous year, reading out their names and authorities to mark their contribution to Labour in local government.

We would be very grateful if you could please email Hannah.lazell@local.gov.uk  with the full names of any members of your Group who have died in the previous twelve months, so that they can be included on the Remembrance List. Please send us your names no later than midday on Friday 28 June.


Last places available - book now to avoid missing out

LGA Labour/ALC ‘Effective Opposition’ conference: 10am-5pm, Friday 14 June 2019, Birmingham 

Places are being booked up fast for the LGA Labour Group and Association of Labour Councillors one day ‘Effective Opposition’ conference, aimed at Labour councillors in opposition. To make sure you don’t lose out book your place today here

Andrew Gwynne MP, shadow secretary of state for Communities and Local Government, is confirmed to attend and deliver a keynote speech. The day will see delegates 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, but places are limited – book your place here.


Next Generation Programme 2019/20

The application for the Next Generation Programme for 2019/20 will be opening in mid-June.  Please keep an eye out in our weekly bulletin for details and how to apply.

The programme offers ambitious and talented councillors an unparalleled political development opportunity, uniquely developed within party political traditions and with party political experts. Next Generation aims to support and encourage councillors to be bold and confident political leaders, progress in your political career and be champions of local government.

There will be a competitive application process and you will need sign off from your Group Leader to apply. The programme will run over the weekends of 19/20 October (London) 30 November/1 December (Warwick) and 18/19 January 2020 (Manchester). Participants must attend all of the three weekends.


News from Wales 

Bridgend Council is working with Barnardos to pilot a new social and emotional learning programme in pre-schools 

Caerphilly Council has launched a Period Poverty initiative in local leisure centres to break down the barriers that women face to participate in sport and leisure activities


News from the Labour Party

Jonathan Ashworth responds to the workforce plan 

Margaret Greenwood – Government failing with Universal Credit as people are now more worse off with Tax Credit debt 

Jon Trickett – Labour will use the billions spent by Government to force firms to take radical action on climate change 

Andy McDonald – response to calls for the Northern Rail franchise to be terminated 


News from the LGA 

LGA responds to Health and Social Care Committee report on sexual health services

The latest edition of First Magazine is now online

LGA responds to report on domestic violence and homelessness

LGA responds to IFS report on council funding

LGA responds to Panorama “Crisis in Care” programme


Emergency planning and civil resilience masterclasses – June 2019

These one-day masterclasses, to be held at in Liverpool on Friday 14 June and in Durham on Monday 17 June, will feature expertise and experience from leaders involved in major emergencies and will provide an introduction to handling the media, understanding your role as a councillor during a civil emergency and provide practical advice and best practice.

Key aspects of the masterclass include:

  • the role of councillor during a civil emergency – looking at both your role as a representative of the council and as local community leaders
  • the role in preparing for, responding to and recovering from emergencies and in particular around building and maintaining trust in communities.
  • input will be provided from local emergency planning officers and communications experts about how to deal with the press during a civil emergency.

The masterclass won’t focus purely on one type of emergency but will bring in examples from different events including flooding and terrorism.

This masterclass is suitable for all elected councillors, and is free to attend.

Date and venue Friday 14 June from 10am - 4.30pm, Hilton, Liverpool City Centre

Monday 17 June from 10am to 4.30pm, Radisson Blu Hotel, Durham

Bookings and further information Grace Collins, Adviser – Leadership and Localism  Email: grace.collins@local.gov.uk


Opposition Watch

Buzzfeed News - Two Tory councillors repeatedly made anti-Islam comments online. The Tories haven’t suspended them


By-elections

By-elections held on 30 May:

Gosport BC – Brockhurst

LD 488 [51.5%; +10.3%]
Con 214 [22.6%; -12.2%]
British Union & Sovereignty 165 [17.4%; +17.4%]
Lab 80 [8.4%; -4.7%]
UKIP 0 [0%; -5.7%]
Green 0 [0%; -5.1%]
Turnout 26%
LD Hold

No by-elections are scheduled for 6 June.