Update from the Leader of the LGA Labour Group: 23 January 2023

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Update from the Leader of the LGA Labour Group

Portrait photo of Cllr Shaun Davies
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Campaign photos

Every year LGA Labour uses photos of our councillors out campaigning in our publications. Please send through any photos that you have of councillors and activists out campaigning to jasmine.hawes@local.gov.uk. Please make sure that photos are high resolution (taken on newer smartphones or traditional digital cameras) and that everyone in the photo has given their permission for it to be used.


Project Victory sessions in January 2023

In May 2023 Labour faces a crucial set of local elections – and we’re determined to do everything we can to help elect more Labour councillors, provide Labour leadership to more councils, and show that Labour is ready to take on and win the next General Election.  

There are several other Project Victory sessions planned this month – you may need to register in advance for some of them (marked ‘To register’):

Project Victory: Build Your Majority: Using incumbency
Monday 23 January, 4pm

(For groups in power) Are you maximising the positive benefits of running the council? Learn from council leaders from across the UK about how they align council priorities and communications with your political priorities and get the most out of incumbency.

https://us02web.zoom.us/j/86303802781

Project Victory - Labour Local Champions: Be a Councillor – Why we need you to stand
Monday 23 January, 6pm (Registration now open)

We want every potential Labour voter to have the opportunity to vote for a Labour Candidate at the Local Government elections this May. That's why it's vital that we have Labour candidates fighting every council seat across the country. Find out more in this session about putting yourself forward. To register: 

https://labour.zoom.us/webinar/register/5516734405625/WN_DusgRFB2Qd2eSs-7Ek3epQ

Project Victory: Labour Local Champions: What’s expected of Council candidates
Monday 30 January, 5pm (Registration now open)

This session for sitting Councillors and covers what is expected during the campaign of a candidate between now and polling day in May. To register:

https://labour.zoom.us/webinar/register/4716734408076/WN_dr-gBCehTHaGR3DG106Kzg

Project Victory: Listen, Change, Win - How and why we knock on doors
Tuesday 31 January, 6pm (Registration now open)

This session open to all members will cover why we campaign on the doorstep, what we do with the information gathered and how it helps us win elections. The session will also cover changes to the doorstep script introduced last year, how to use the new questions and best practice on doorstep campaigning. To register: 

https://labour.zoom.us/webinar/register/1916734411122/WN_-sGKk6_qQSmwjYq8cuH1LQ

Project Victory: Get Campaign Ready –  Your Postal Vote campaign – from start to finish
Wednesday 1 February, 5pm (Registration now open)

It's vital that every potential Labour voter who wished to have a postal vote is given that opportunity to apply for one. This session will look at ideas and best practice whilst ensuring you are following electoral law at all times. To register: 

https://labour.zoom.us/webinar/register/3416734414511/WN_aSMb19RrToCpZzwL6oA52g

Project Victory: Get Campaign Ready – Taking on the Lib Dems
DATE CHANGE! NOW ON Monday 6 February, 6pm

Hear from colleagues around the country who have successfully defeated Lib Dem challenges or won seats back – and share your own hints and tips. 

https://us02web.zoom.us/j/85357951606


Local Government Conference 2023: Book now to secure your place!

The LGA Labour Group and Association of Labour Councillors (ALC) Local Government Conference 2023 will be held on will be held on the 11 and 12 February and bookings are now open!

It will follow the same format as the delayed 2022 conference – two full days of events, with an entire day dedicated to campaign training and councillor development as part of ‘Project Victory’, as well as the usual keynote conference speeches, plenaries, and policy workshops on Sunday.

Front bench spokespeople have been invited to deliver the keynote speeches, along with many other excellent speakers from across local government and the front bench. The conference will be run over Saturday and Sunday, with the conference drinks reception and dinner on Saturday night.

The details are:

Saturday 11 February, 10.00am–6.00pm

‘Project Victory’ Campaign Training Day – over 40 different sessions of campaign training and councillor development sessions, with something for every Labour councillor and campaigner: from newly elected member to long-serving group leader. This includes a dedicated Project Victory programme for councillors and candidates, digital masterclasses, and practical campaign training workshops.

Saturday 11 February 7.30pm–10.00pm

Conference drinks reception and dinner (included with conference pass)

Sunday 12 February, 9.30am–4.00pm

Keynote speeches, plenary sessions, policy workshops and breakout sessions, including keynote speeches.

The conference and drinks/dinner will be held at the East Midlands Conference Centre, Beeston Lane, Nottingham, NG7 2RJ.

Booking your place

To book your place, please visit our bookings webpage. Please note we are only able to take online bookings with a credit or debit card.

Conference passes give access to the entire two–day conference including all training and development sessions, and a place at the conference drinks reception and dinner on Saturday night. Standard conference passes cost £90 (£75 + VAT).

New councillors are entitled to a discounted conference pass at just £60 (£50 + VAT). New councillors are those that have been elected for the first time in May 2022 or since in a by-election. You will need to get a promo code from the Association of Labour Councillors to enter when booking your place.

To get the discount code or if you have any queries, please email councillors@labour.org.uk

Accommodation

The Orchard Hotel is part of the complex and adjacent to the conference centre. 

You can contact the Hotel’s in house reservation team directly on 0115 8760900 or email orchard.reservations@nottinghamvenues.com.

Please note that the Orchard Hotel’s reservation office is open from 08:00 till 18:00 Mon-Fri.

Useful information

If you require reasonable adjustments for access due to a disability we will do all we can to accommodate them – please do contact us to discuss.

The East Midlands Conference Centre has a raked seating auditorium. Space can be reserved on the front row for wheel chair users and people with limited mobility. 

The Orchard Hotel has five accessible rooms so please book early if you need one of these. There is plenty of free parking and electricity charging points at the venue. Beeston train station is approximately 1.5 miles away and Nottingham train station is approximately four miles away.

Other nearby hotels can be found here

If you have any questions about the conference, please contact jasmine.hawes@local.gov.uk


Coaching for Disabled Councillors

One-to-one coaching available for disabled councillors

The LGA’s highly effective coaching programme is offering disabled councillors free one-to-one coaching sessions focused on personal leadership development.  

The coaching sessions provide councillors with a safe space to examine, explore and reflect on their leadership style, strengthen resilience, and build confidence to be brilliant leaders of their communities.

The coaching consists of a chemistry call (1 hour), followed by three 1-hour coaching sessions held monthly via Microsoft Teams or Zoom. To find out more, or book your place, please contact leadership@local.gov.uk.


Events

Photographic voter identification and raising awareness
Thursday 9 February 2023, 2.00pm - 3.00pm (Webinar)
The Elections Act passed through Parliament in early 2022 and introduced a new requirement for photographic voter identification at Parliamentary elections, Police and Crime Commissioner elections, and local polls in England. This new requirement will come into force at the local elections on 4 May 2023.

In preparation for this change, the Electoral Commission has launched a public awareness campaign. The campaign will include a combination of mass media and targeted digital advertising to maximise the reach of the campaign. In addition, the Commission has developed a range of resources to help local authorities to support residents to understand the new requirements.

Join us at this briefing from the civil servants from the Department of Levelling Up, Housing and Communities and the Electoral Commission to learn more about the new voter identification requirements and the public awareness campaign that was launched on 9 January. The webinar is free to attend for LGA member councils. Book your place now.

Political Leadership Masterclasses: Health and Wellbeing in the Integrated Care System
Tuesday 7th March 2023, 10am-4pm, Birmingham
Wednesday 15th March 2023, 10am-4pm, Liverpool

Political leaders face the challenge of leading change at scale across cultural and structural boundaries, navigating complexities in the new Integrated Care System environment. The importance of Place and Health and Wellbeing Boards (HWBs) is integral to the success of integrated care systems (ICS). This Masterclass session, run once in Birmingham and once in Liverpool, will explore approaches to tackling the challenges. These are free events, open to Members from across the country.

Leadership Essentials: Sport and physical activity
Tuesday 7 February 2023 (evening) – Thursday 9 February 2023, Burleigh Court Hotel, Loughborough
The LGA and Sport England are running a free-to-attend face-to-face event for elected members responsible for physical activity under their portfolio. The programme is aimed, amongst other things, at supporting elected members to engage with Sport England’s ten-year strategy ‘Uniting the Movement’, explore their approach to leadership and developing an understanding of how Sport England and the LGA can help and support councillors to lead change.

The 20 places available will be issued on a first-come, first-served basis. The event has no delegate fee, and accommodation and meals will be provided.
For further information and to book your place, please email grace.collins@local.gov.uk.

Digitalisation masterclasses for councillors: Exploring the 12 local government outcomes of digitalisation (online)
The LGA are hosting four half day masterclasses in February on the 12 local government outcomes of digitalisation. These masterclasses will aim to demystify digitalisation and equip councillors with a framework to lead and engage with their council’s digitalisation journey. This is suitable for councillors new to digitalisation as well as those seeking to build on their existing knowledge.

Visit our webpage for further information and to register please complete this booking form.


News from Labour councils

Exeter City Council has provided residents with an A-Z list of materials that can be recycled

Manchester City Council has announced plans for a sustainable civic centre at Wythenshawe following a public consultation

Nottingham City Council has started work on a brand new bus station

Merton Council has boosted funding for local community and voluntary groups


News from the LGA

“Cross-government support needed to address skills shortage in culture and creativity” – LGA statement on Communications and Digital Committee Report on our creative future  

Councils face growing shortages of health visitors – LGA responds to IHV report into health visiting

Levelling up should be led by evidence: LGA responds to Levelling Up Fund second round announcement

Councils need urgent funding about how addiction services will be funded in the future- LGA responds to adult substance misuse treatment statistics

Local government workforce shortages adding to service pressures – LGA survey

Prioritise reducing waste - LGA responds to announcement on deposit return schemes


By-elections held on Thursday 19 January

Stevenage BC -Bedwell

Labour and Co-operative Party: 907 [69.8%, +13.0%]
Conservative: 263 [20.2%, -7.1%]
Liberal Democrat: 129 [9.9%, -1.6%]

Labour and Co-operative Party HOLD

Staffordshire Moorlands BC – Biddulph West x 2

Labour: 364 [28.4%]
Labour: 288 [22.5%]
Independent: 226 [17.7%]
Conservative: 185 [14.5%]
Independent: 154 [11.3]
Green: 61 [4.8%]

Labour GAIN from Conservative
Labour GAIN from Independent

Staffordshire CC – Biddulph North

Labour: 931 [49.5%, +13.8%]
Independent: 493 [26.2%, +26.2%]
Conservative: 458 [24.3%, -33.3%]

Labour GAIN from Conservative


Upcoming by-elections

Thursday 26 January

Rotherham, Keppel

To support Carole Foster’s campaign, contact Cameron McKiernan on  rotherhamorganiser@gmail.com or call 07780 379943.


Thursday 2 February

Bristol, Hotwells and Harbourside

To support Eileen Means’ campaign, contact eileen@labourbristol.co.uk.

North Northamptonshire, Northall

To support Keli Watt’s campaign, contact keli.watts@icloud.com.

Torfaen, Llantarnam

To support David Bolton’s campaign, contact torfaenclp.secretary@gmail.com


Thursday 9 February

Cheltenham, Battledown

To support Caroline Gavin’s campaign, contact cheltenhamlabourparty@gmail.com.

Dartford, Wilmington, Sutton-at-Hone and Hawley

To support Jonathan Wynne’s campaign, contact team@dartfordlabour.org.uk .

Denbighshire, Rhyl Ty Newydd

To support Jacquie McAlpine’s campaign, contact valeofclwydsecretary@gmail.com.

Hertfordshire, Hitchin North

Please let us know if you have an email address for Ian Albert’s campaign.

If you have an upcoming by-election, please contact jasmine.hawes@local.gov.uk with an email of who to contact to offer help.


Future bulletins

If there are issues you think we should try to include in future bulletins, please let us know by replying to this email jasmine.hawes@local.gov.uk