Keir Starmer to speak at LGA ‘virtual’ Annual Conference – book your place!
Don’t forget to register to watch Keir Starmer speak and take questions at the LGA’s ‘virtual’ Annual Conference next week, chaired by LGA Labour leader Cllr Nick Forbes, at 2pm on Wednesday 1st July. It is free to attend for councillors and senior officers from councils in England and Wales, but you must register in advance to attend. Register for your place on the LGA website.
Of course the Communities Secretary Robert Jenrick is also facing a lot of questions currently – and you can ask him one directly if you register to hear him speak on Thursday. Details for this and all other events that are part of the LGA Virtual Annual Conference can be found here, and are all free to access for councillors.
Join us at the LGA Labour Annual General Meeting
LGA Labour will also be holding this year’s Labour Group Annual General Meeting online at 10.30am on Wednesday 1st July. Holding this on Zoom allows us to extend an invite to all Labour councillors who wish to attend. The AGM will include the Leader’s Annual Report from Cllr Nick Forbes, and we have invited David Evans, new General Secretary of the Labour Party to be our guest speaker.
Any Labour councillor is welcome to attend the LGA Labour Group AGM but you MUST register in advance to receive the details. Register for the Labour Group AGM using this link. (This is a different registration process to the Keir Starmer speech – if you wish to attend both you must register for both events.)
Result of LGA Labour North West regional representative and Wales representative elections
North West
Samantha Dixon (not elected)
Andrew Western (elected)
Wales
Joshua Beynon (not elected)
Dhanisha Patel (elected)
Appointments for places on LGA Boards - deadline approaching
The nomination process for places on LGA boards and structures closes on Wednesday 1st July at 17.00. You can find all the information you need and the self-nomination form here: https://www.local.gov.uk/lga-labour/about-us/elections-and-appointments
If you have any queries, please contact Martin Angus, Political Adviser, Labour Group office martin.angus@local.gov.uk.
Next Generation Programme 2020/21
The Next Generation Programme for 2020-21 is now open for applications. 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.
To apply to be part of the Next Generation you will need to have been a councillor for at least one year as well as be a Group Leader, Portfolio Holder, Service Committee Chair, Portfolio Shadow, or Chair of Scrutiny – or your Group Leader agrees that you are likely to be so within a year. There is a competitive application process, which closes on Friday 24 July 2020. You will need sign off from your Group Leader to apply. The programme will run over the weekends of 4/6 December (London), 15/17 January (Warwick), 26/27 February (Manchester). Participants must attend all of the three weekends. These dates include the Friday as pre-night accommodation, the Programme content is on the Saturday and Sunday.
There is no cost to attend the programme, all meals and accommodation will be provided including pre-night accommodation where required. However attendees must cover their own travel costs. If you would like further information about the programme, please email martin.angus@local.gov.uk
To apply please complete the on-line application process.
LGA Labour Policy webinars
The Labour Party’s National Policy Forum process is now live, and the LGA Labour Group will be making submissions to a number of the commissions to ensure that there is a strong local government voice heard in the Labour Party’s policy making process. You can view the commissions here.
To help inform our responses, we are holding a series of webinars for Labour councillors. All discussions will have a focus on the post Covid-19 world and how the recovery can help us to build back better. Webinars will be 90 minutes long and we’ll hear from councillors and shadow ministers talk about the key issues in these areas and give participants the chance to ask questions and make comments. We have now held the Local Government Finance, Devolution, and Health and Social Care webinars – thanks to those of you who have taken part.
The final webinar on Transport, Climate Change and the Economy will take place on Monday 29th June between 3-4.30pm. This webinar, on “How can we secure a sustainable transport system and a sustainable economy following the Covid-19 pandemic?” This will look at how we can encourage more people to use active travel methods, how we can improve air quality and how our post Covid-19 economy can be more sustainable. If you would like to attend this webinar please register here and details will follow.
We’d encourage you, if you’re able to, to make your own submission to the NPF. Details on how to do this can be found here.
If you have any questions, please email hannah.lazell@local.gov.uk
Cllr Nick Forbes responds to NJC Trade Union Side
Cllr Nick Forbes has written to staff trade unions in response to their request for a joint approach to government for a special one-off pay rise for local government staff. LGA Labour representatives supported the trade unions call, but the proposal was not carried. You can read his letter here.
National Education Union – Councillors Network Webinar
The NEU are doing a zoom for councillors on 3rd July at 5pm to discuss how local government and unions can work together on a recovery plan for education.
Speakers include Cllr Judith Blake, Cllr Robyn Hattersley, and Joint General Secretaries Kevin Courtney and Mary Bousted.
To sign up, please register here.
Coronavirus news from Labour councils
Labour councils and councillors have all been doing extraordinary things in recent weeks to support their communities. Just a few examples we spotted from the last week:
Hackney Council announces artists chosen to create two major new public artworks to honour Windrush Generation
Southampton Council puts weekly COVID-19 saliva sampling to the test
Manchester City Council have launched their Youth Offer Strategy for 2020-23 to ensure that young people in Manchester have their voice heard
Islington Council are advertising for a new Borough Organiser. Please find the job post here.
We will continue to use this bulletin to highlight the great work that Labour councils, groups, and councillors are doing all over the country in relation to Covid-19 – so if you want your local work included, please send it through to martha.lauchlan@local.gov.uk
News from Labour
Labour Refers Jenrick to Parliamentary Commissioner for Standards over Westferry Cash-for-Favours Scandal – Steve Reed
Thangam Debbonaire responds to Government pledge of £105 million to help with rough sleeping
Tulip Siddiq responds to Ofsted stats showing sharp decline in childcare providers
Covid-19 crisis will worsen existing inequalities in our society – Jonathan Reynolds
Stark reminder of gap between rhetoric and reality on achieving net zero emissions – Ed Miliband
Coronavirus news from the LGA
LGA responds to Early Years Alliance report
Councils can lead post-COVID-19 'inclusive' recovery
LGA responds to rough sleeping funding announcement
Health precautions urged by councils to combat coronavirus in heatwave
LGA responds to Barnado's report on foster care
LGA responds to latest ONS figures on coronavirus deaths
LGA responds to museums and galleries reopening announcement
Coronavirus: LGA responds to new construction industry measures
LGA responds to shielding guidance announcement
LGA responds to IFS report on coronavirus impact on council finances
100,000 social homes a year needed as part of COVID-19 recovery - councils warn
Test and Trace scam alert issued by councils
UNISON launches Care after Covid: a Vision for Social Care
On Wednesday, UNISON launched ‘Care after Covid: A Vision for Social Care’, which sets out how the fragmented, crisis-riven care sector could be transformed into a national care system. You can see the full report here.
Responding to Calls for Public Realm Changes
The LGA has produced a document on ‘Responding to Calls for Public Realm Changes’, which talks about street naming or removing statues as a local issues, with suggestions of how to approach it.
Councillors workbook on Mentally Healthier Places
This workbook for councillors has been designed as a distance learning aid to support councillors develop mentally healthier communities. Mental ill health costs thousands of lives and over £105 billion every year, an average of £700 million per upper tier council area, in England alone. If everyone was free of abuse and poverty, living in decent homes, with access, via tree-lined walking and cycling routes, to high quality work, community and green spaces, much of this illness, early death and financial cost could be avoided.
The workbook was developed in partnership with the mental Health Foundation, and was co-authored by Labour councillor Ed Davie, who is Cabinet member for Children and Young People in Lambeth. You can read his blog about this work here.
Consultation on the draft model member code of conduct
The consultation on the draft model member code of conduct was launched by the LGA at the beginning of the week. The link to the background to the consultation is here, the link to the consultation itself is here and a link to the proposed code is here.
Pledge to be a Community Co-operator post Covid-19
The Co-operative Party have put together a community pledge, to make the case for keeping some of the positive community spirit we have seen during Covid-19. The pledge is here : https://party.coop/community-co-operator
They are asking Labour Councillors to sign up, ahead of doing publicity on it during Co-ops Fortnight, which began on 22nd June.
LGA ‘Frequently Asked Questions’ - great resource for councillors
The LGA has set up a page to answer Frequently Asked Questions related to Covid-19, covering children and young people, housing, PPE, and supporting local communities, which you can view here.
These responses are being regularly reviewed and updated following clarification from the government.
Future Bulletins
If there are issues you think we should try to include in future Bulletins then please let us know – just reply to this email.
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