Calls to action
Meet Gizmo the robot dog in the LGA Annual Conference Innovation Zone – showcasing local government innovation of the present and future
We hope to see you at the LGA Annual Conference from 28 to 30 June in Harrogate and, if you’re joining us, we highly recommend that you take some time to explore the Innovation Zone where we will be showcasing some of the most innovative work taking place in councils across England and Wales. Gizmo the robot dog (part of the 5G Connected Forest project being led by Nottinghamshire County Council) has been developed by researchers at Birmingham City University to trial how footage gathered in usually inaccessible areas of Sherwood Forest can help monitor and assess the health and condition of forests. Our ‘Spotlight on’ talks will offer delegates the chance to hear from local government experts on a range of topics vital to the sector including cyber security, mental health, climate change, children’s services and place leadership. Other Innovation Zone sessions will explore innovative approaches being used to tackle challenges across a wide range of service areas, with opportunities for delegates to interact and ask questions.
Download our LGA Annual Conference app
Joining us at our Annual Conference in Harrogate? Don’t forget to download our event app! You’d be pleased to know we’re aiming to make this Conference our greenest yet, and the app has been developed to host useful information that was once on paper. With the addition of social digital functionalities, the app will enable you to make the most of your conference experience, including curating your own schedule and connect with other delegates, speakers, sponsors and exhibitors. Simply search for ‘LGA Events’ on App Store or Google Play, or click here from you preferred device.
Take part in our emergenetics pilot sessions
As part of our development of our new emergenetics offer we're giving five local authorities the opportunity to take part in pilot sessions. Each team will receive individual psychometric profiles, and training on how to utilise these tools to work more effectively together. Find out more or apply now
Apply now for our Net Zero Innovation Programme 2022/23
Our Net Zero Innovation Programme, run in partnership with University College London, is now open for expressions of interest. Councils can apply now and learn how partnership and co-production skills between councils and universities can help tackle sustainability, climate change and ecological challenges. Find out more about the Net Zero Innovation Programme including FAQs, blogs, case studies and more
Webinars and other digital events
Supporting suicide prevention
Tuesday 5–Wednesday 6 July, 10.00am–12.30pm | online
Our Suicide prevention programme will host a two-day webinar on the mornings of 5 and 6 July. The sessions will look at the programme's latest work and will see expert speakers discussing issues currently impacting suicide prevention work. Anyone working in the area of public health and suicide prevention is welcome to attend.
Building housing retrofit skills
Tuesday 12 July, 10.00am–11.30am | online
This webinar on building housing retrofit skills will share a number of good practice examples from experts and councils who are creating local green jobs in the area of housing retrofit, as well as insights from our recent action learning sets on housing retrofit skills. The webinar has been developed in collaboration with Ashden, a charity that showcases innovative climate pioneers.
Embedding cyber resilience into local government supply chains
Monday 18 July, 2.00pm–3.30pm | online
We are developing a suite of e-learning modules and web-based guidance, based on the National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) principles and guidelines, and running this webinar on cyber resilience to increase awareness of cyber security, and cyber resilience, throughout local government supply chains.
Economic Growth roundtable: How can councils develop digital skills in their local communities?
Tuesday 19 July, 10.00am–12.00pm | online
This roundtable discussion for council officers working in economic growth and development will be an opportunity to share insights into how councils are adapting their digital skills strategies and meeting increasing demand from employers for digital skills.
LGA Annual Conference and Exhibition
Tuesday 28–Thursday 30 June | Harrogate Convention Centre, King's Road, Harrogate HG1 5LA
Join us in Harrogate for the biggest event in the local government calendar, where we’ll be discussing the latest issues affecting local government. Access useful information about the conference, and book your place at the LGA Annual Conference and Exhibition now.
Leadership development programmes
For more information or to register for any events in our 'Leadership Essentials' and 'Focus on Leadership' programmes of events – or to register interest in attending our Leadership Academy (our long-running flagship programme for leading councillors) – please email grace.collins@local.gov.uk
- Browse 2022/23 dates for our popular Leadership Essentials councillor development programmes, including those for portfolio holders responsible for children's services, finance and economic growth.
- Our Focus on Leadership programme offers events for BAME councillors, young councillors and LGBTQ+ councillors including events on effective opposition, and weekender events.
Latest publications and reports
Modern slavery research report published
Modern slavery is a crime, and councils’ work to tackle it has developed significantly over the past few years. This report presents the findings of an LGA survey conducted during winter 2021/22 to explore what structures and workstreams councils have put in place to respond to modern slavery, and how they are supporting victims.
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Senior officer leadership training – Responding to the climate emergency
Our senior officer leadership training programme on responding to the climate emergency will help senior council officers across all services to explore their crucial local leadership role in responding to the climate emergency. For more information, access our frequently asked questions or to sign up, please complete the expression of interest form.
New Behavioural Insights podcast episode: Rossendale Leisure Trust – supporting people during key life milestones
We have published a new episode of our Nudges for Social Good podcast, featuring Ken Masser from the Rossendale Leisure Trust who discusses the work carried out across Pennine Lancashire to apply behavioural insights to support people during key life milestones. He shares how applying behavioural insights to systems and bringing different voices into the room can lead to positive outcomes and better engagement with residents. Listen to the episode, access the transcript or subscribe to be notified of future episodes at Nudges for Social – our behavioural insights podcast
Top up your skills and knowledge with our free e-learning modules for councillors
If you’re a councillor, our free e-learning platform for councillors will enable you to stay on top of the information you need to know. Our new module on the LGA Councillor Model Code of Conduct, developed as part of our work on civility in public life, provides key information on establishing and maintaining good working relationships between peers, councillors, officers and your key contacts. Our other new modules cover biodiversity and economic growth. All modules allow councillors to take a more visioning approach to their roles as effective community leaders. Councillors can create a bespoke learning programme relevant to their needs. Register or log in now to explore the platform or view our full list of modules.
LG Inform and LG Inform Plus
LG Inform: spotlighting financial hardship and economic vulnerability in your area
We update our LG Inform report on financial hardship and economic vulnerability regularly with new local authority-level data, for example, we have now added new data on fuel poverty in 2020 released by the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS) in May. For data relevant to your local area access the LG Inform financial hardship and economic vulnerability report and use the modifiers to choose your area and a suitable comparison group. For further information email lginform@local.gov.uk
LG Inform Plus: annual review of powers and duties, and records retention, can now be accessed by councils subscribing to LG Inform Plus
This review of local government primary legislation has resulted in a total of 197 duties and 28 powers being added or updated to LG Inform Plus. Examples include new powers and duties related to domestic abuse, environmental protection and non-domestic rating. Additionally, 155 new record retention schedules have been added: bringing the total number of schedules to 1,891. Each schedule, in addition to showing the length of retention, specifies if ‘personal’ or ‘special’ data is being kept, and lists the legal basis for keeping that data. For further information about subscribing to LG Inform Plus please email lginformplus@local.gov.uk
New ward and parish boundaries added to LG Inform Plus
LG Inform Plus data now reflects recent changes to ward and parish boundaries which came into effect in May 2022, including new operative wards for 32 local authority areas (including many London local authority areas and also, for example, Rochdale Borough Council). These changes are reflected in all LG Inform Plus reports and metric values. This means you can run LG Inform Plus reports showing ward profiles for new councillors. 101 changes to parish boundaries have also been made. For further details please email lginformplus@local.gov.uk
first magazine
The LGA's membership magazine, 'first', is delivered free each month to just under 17,000 councillors and local authority chief executives. Access first online to browse all news articles, features and opinion pieces, including those from past issues.
Councillors who receive the magazine should also be receiving the first e-bulletin. If you find that first online and the first e-bulletin satisfy your need for information from the LGA, please consider helping us reduce our carbon footprint by opting out of receiving the magazine. Councillors and officers can sign up for the first e-bulletin using their council email addresses.
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