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Dear colleague,
Welcome to the LGA Conservative Group’s newsletter, in which we highlight the latest information associated with COVID-19 and other topical issues.
Following the resignation of Matt Hancock last weekend, I have written to express our thanks to him for his hard work over the last four years, in particular his leadership of the last 13 months. I have also written to congratulate Sajid Javid who has been appointed as the new Health Secretary. We worked very closely with Sajid when he was the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government and delighted that he holds a key position in the Government once again.
Addressing the House of Commons on Monday, Sajid paid tribute to NHS staff and volunteers for their amazing work and confirmed that the final COVID restrictions will not be lifted until 19 July.
As you are aware, next week the LGA will hold its Annual Conference from 6 to 8 July and I hope you have registered by now - if not, please visit the LGA website, where you can sign up (for free) and download the programme.
We will be hosting three Group meetings as well and have secured excellent speakers. If you would like to attend any of these meetings, please do email us and a member of the team will send you Zoom link in due course.
Please find below the details:
- Tuesday 6 July (9.30 am) - AGM and LGA Conservative Group Meeting with Luke Hall Minister for Regional Growth and Local Government
- Wednesday 7 July (9.30 am) - LGA Conservative Group Meeting with Chris Pincher, Minister for Housing
- Thursday 8 July (9.30 am) - LGA Conservative Group Meeting (panels include: Cllr James Jamieson, Chairman of LGA, Cllr David Fothergill, Chairman of LGA Community Wellbeing Board and me).
Furthermore, I would like to bring your attention to a motion ‘Local Government contributions towards national climate action in the year of COP26’ which will be discussed during the LGA General Assembly and proposed by a councillor from Brighton and Hove City council (more details to be disclosed at the session). ‘The motion proposes that:
- The significant and far reaching steps that councils across the United Kingdom are taking to combat climate change, cut carbon emissions and protect our environment, including such measures as:
- Declaring a climate and biodiversity emergency, action now taken by nearly three-quarters of all local councils
- Announcing extensive commitments often with detailed action plans to reach net-zero carbon by 2030, surpassing the vague government commitments of 2035
- Implementing broad community level action on climate change, such as climate assemblies, green bonds, warmer homes schemes, sourcing electricity demand from renewables, and developing new parks, open spaces and active travel measures.
- The significance of the ‘Conference of the Parties’ (COP26) UN Conference on Climate Change taking place this year in Glasgow, hosted by the UK; and its aims to accelerate action towards the goals of the Paris Agreement and UN Framework Convention on Climate Change.
- The response of local councils to the issue of sustainable food, given that food systems account for one third of total greenhouse gas emissions, environmental degradation, food waste and socio-economic and health inequalities; in particular the efforts of councils during the COVID-19 crisis in providing food to local communities, as well as supporting community food growing and assisting food banks’.
The LGA supports the broad aim of this motion and on behalf of the LGA Conservative Group I will be responding to it.
As always, if there is anything I or our regional lead peers can do to assist, please do not hesitate to contact us. You can find more details about our lead peers at the bottom of this newsletter.
Cllr Izzi Seccombe
Group Leader, LGA Conservative Group |
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£250 million for adult social care
The Government announced that people in care homes or those being cared for at home will benefit from additional financial support to continue to protect them from COVID-19 transmission. This new funding will be a continuation of Infection Control and Testing Fund, which was due to expire at the end of the month and will now last until the end of September.
Testing arrangements for education settings
DfE has confirmed that regular asymptomatic rapid testing will stay in place until the end of the summer term. Regular testing will then pause over the summer, except for educational settings that remain open such as summer schools. DfE also confirmed that education settings should use the online reordering platform to place orders for further test kits to enable testing over the summer holidays.
Youth Endowment Fund Toolkit
The Youth Endowment Fund have launched the YEF Toolkit which pulls together existing approaches on preventing serious youth violence.
Business Grants
The Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy has published data on grants distributed to businesses in the form of Local Restrictions Support Grant, Additional Restrictions Grant and Restart Grant.
Protecting children from online abuse
The Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport has published a guide for businesses with online platforms on how to protect children.
Best practice
We are looking for examples of best practice from Conservative-run councils on a range of activities, including local test and trace schemes, supporting local businesses and high streets, as well helping local communities at a neighbourhood level.
The examples highlighted are obviously not exclusive and please do email us any best practice examples that you feel demonstrates how Conservative councils and councillors are supporting their communities during the latest phase of the pandemic.
Conservative Regional Lead Peers
The regional lead peers and the areas they cover are as follows:
- Lord Porter of Spalding CBE - National Lead Peer & Regional Lead Peer for the South East
- Councillor Paul Middlebrough - Regional Lead Peer for the South West, Hampshire and Isle of Wight
- Councillor William Nunn - Regional Lead Peer for the East of England
- Councillor Teresa O’Neill OBE - Regional Lead Peer for London
- Councillor Glen Sanderson JP - Regional Lead Peer for the East Midlands, North East and Yorkshire & Humber
- Councillor Mike Wilcox - Regional Lead Peer for the West Midlands and North West.
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