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Welcome to our National Advisory Group (NAG) e-bulletin. Feel free to circulate this email to your colleagues and suggest that they sign up to receive it themselves. This bulletin is delivered through our corporate communications service through which you can create or manage your subscriptions and read previous editions of this bulletin.
Senior officer leadership training – carbon literacy
We have a few places left on our two-day online (virtual) carbon literacy training courses for council officers (including procurement officers). Various course dates are available from September to December. The programme will help senior council officers across all services to explore their crucial local leadership role in responding to the climate emergency. During the course, you’ll commit to two carbon-reducing actions. These actions will be evaluated for you to become carbon literate. See our frequently asked questions for more information. Complete our application form to sign up.
LGA Cyber 360 programme
The LGA Cyber 360 programme provides an opportunity for councils to explore cyber security through a different lens – offering a fresh set of perspectives on a council’s cyber security culture in a safe, friendly and constructive environment. We are inviting expressions of interest from councils to take part in the programme, which sees a team of peers and technical experts provide in-depth, bespoke support, helping councils to build capabilities, and develop a whole-council approach to cyber security.
If you would like to hear more about this opportunity, we will be running information sessions on Thursday 25 August (3.00pm–3.30pm) and Friday 9 September (3.00pm–3.30pm). You can also email lgacybersecurity@local.gov.uk to speak to the team.
Cost of living – inflation rise
The rate of consumer price inflation rose to 10.1 per cent in July – the highest increase in more than 40 years and an increase from 9.4 per cent in June. The Office for National Statistics has said that, according to estimates, inflation could rise to 13.3 per cent in October when the energy price cap rises again.
Councils are working to ensure those most in need are supported as they struggle to cope with rising prices. We have launched our Cost of living hub which includes a series of case studies, resources and data to help councils deliver support to residents. In the coming weeks, we will be extending this support and launching a cost pressures bulletin which will highlight the latest updates from Government and Parliament on cost of living and council finances, and new resources and case studies to help councils deliver support to their residents. Sign up to receive our cost pressures bulletin and see details of our inflation roundtable in the 'Webinars and events' section below.
'Buying social justice through procurement' survey
We’ve been working with academics at Queen Mary University of London, who are investigating the use of social procurement by local authorities, universities and housing associations to advance equality in employment as part of the Buying Social Justice project. Queen Mary University of London has asked us to promote the 'Buying social justice through procurement' survey and encourage you to complete it if you can. The researchers are intending to produce guidance in the form of a toolkit on how to effectively incorporate social and equality aims in procurement, which we hope will be a valuable tool for councils going forward.
If you have any questions about the survey or the project, please email project lead Professor Tessa Wright at t.wright@qmul.ac.uk or project researcher Dr Joyce Mamode at j.mamode@qmul.ac.uk. The survey will take no more than 1o to 15 minutes to complete and the deadline is Friday 16 September.
Vertical application solutions – call for evaluators
Crown Commercial Service has asked us to highlight its call for local government evaluators for its new vertical application solutions agreement that will replace the Digital and Application Solutions Framework from January 2023. Evaluations will start from Thursday 22 September. If you are interested in helping to shape this new framework please email technologysolutions@crowncommercial.gov.uk clearly stating ‘RM6259 Evaluator’ in the subject line.
Sustainable procurement webinar
Tuesday 13 September, 10.00am–11.30am | Zoom
Procurement to partnership – your questions answered (E3M webinar)
Wednesday 21 September, 2.00pm–3.00pm | Zoom
Local government procurement – inflation roundtable
Wednesday 28 September, 12.30pm–2.00pm | Zoom
Carbon literacy – taster session
Tuesday 4 October 2022, 10.00am–11.00am | Microsoft Teams
Procuring and Supplying Digital Data and Technology (DDaT) Unconference
Wednesday 12 October, 10.00am–4.00pm | techUK, 10 Saint Bride Street, London EC4A 4AD
Economic Growth Advisers Programme showcase
Thursday 13 October, 10.30am–12.00pm | Zoom
The LGA Procurement team manages a number of webpages dedicated for your needs – please contact guy.head@local.gov.uk if you want anything uploaded to our webpages.
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