Calls for action
Local Government Apprentice of the Year
It is now time to register your apprentices for the competition which will – on 24 and 25 May – see participants from across the country competing to become the Local Government Apprentice of the Year. The event is an excellent developmental opportunity for apprentices to learn, network and showcase their skills and expertise. Apprentices will work in virtual teams to experience the opportunities, risks, and challenges involved in delivering successful local government services, with a chance of winning an award for their efforts.
Applications now open for 'Design, differently' – the new Design Council programme exploring climate action
Design, differently looks to discuss, better understand, and celebrate the ways that community organisations from across the UK are working together to address the challenges of climate change. The programme.is free to councils and looks to use design thinking and problem-solving to support community climate change projects. We’re looking for up to ten councils with a sustainability challenge who are, for example, looking to build capacity or kickstart a fledgling project. The programme will begin in April.
For further information about the programme and the application process please email guy.head@local.gov.uk
Chief Finance Officer (CFO) Mentoring Scheme – apply now to be a mentor or a mentee
The role of chief finance officer (CFO) is one of the most challenging and highly scrutinised roles in local government. In association with the Department of Levelling Up, Housing and Communities (DLUHC), we have designed the pilot of our Chief Finance Officer (CFO) Mentoring Scheme to support the next generation of CFOs to develop the knowledge and skills they need to excel in the role.
Webinars and digital events
How the LGA Behavioural Insights Programme is tackling post-pandemic challenges and the cost of living
Tuesday 14 March, 11.15am–1.00pm (webinar)
Our annual Behavioural Insights Programme event will showcase how councils are using behavioural insights to address key challenges. Councils will share learning from projects tackling the cost of living and improving young people’s mental health.
Sustainability in council services (show and tell)
Thursday 16 March, 10.30am–12.00pm (webinar)
We have commissioned the Zero Carbon Britain team at the Centre for Alternative Technology (CAT) to work with councils in England to develop draft route-maps to understand how to embed sustainability across some council service areas. A series of workshops brought together voices from across councils to contribute expertise in how service areas and operations work – this webinar will explore what was discussed at the workshops, provide space for feedback and questions, and outline next steps for the project.
Spotlight on local government digitalisation outcomes (Digital Showcase Conference 2023)
Tuesday 21 March, 10.00am–4.45pm, Microsoft Teams
This all-day showcase will spotlight the innovative work councils are undertaking to support digitalisation. Speakers include some of our Pathfinder councils who will share case studies from their digital connectivity and inclusion toolkit. Confirmed case studies also include the Kirklees Democracy Commission and the Citizens Alliance Network from Barking and Dagenham. We will also launch a brand-new digitalisation almanac for local government which contains simple steps, practical examples and recommended reading to support those who are new to local government digitalisation and those who are looking to build on their existing knowledge.
Urban Summit
Wednesday 22 March, 10.00am–4.00pm (in-person - London)
The Urban Summit brings together urban leaders, academics, think tanks and others interested in the future of England’s cities to discuss questions including: What do we need our cities to be and how do we get them there? The summit will showcase the progress of the Royal Society of Arts (RSA) UK Urban Futures Commission with an address from Andy Haldane, Chief Executive, RSA, before offering attendees the opportunity to ask questions and shape the debate around the future of cities.
Data and managing council performance – introductory training for councillors
Friday 24 March, 10.00am–12.30pm, Microsoft Teams
Facilitated by Professor Michael Sanders of King’s College London, this training will cover: what is data?, common ways in which data is analysed and presented, key questions to ask of our data and performance management – measuring what matters.
LGA Annual Conference and Exhibition 2023
Tuesday 4–Thursday 6 July, Bournemouth International Centre, Exeter Road, Bournemouth BH2 5BH
Join us at the biggest event in the local government calendar, as we head to Bournemouth to discuss the latest issues affecting local government. We have a stimulating programme of speakers, sessions, workshops, exhibition and fringe events lined up for delegates, along with the Innovation Zone showcasing the notable practice in local government innovation. Be sure to put the date in your calendar and secure your place.
Latest publications and reports
Local government finance capacity and capability study
As part of our sector support programme funded by the Department of Levelling Up, Housing and Communities (DLUHC), we commissioned Local Partnerships to undertake research into capacity and capability in local government finance. Our aim is that the Local government finance capacity and capability study report will support councils in understanding the pressures and challenges finance teams are facing, and actions they can take in response.
Additionally, you might be interested in...
Greenhouse Gas Accounting suite of tools
The Greenhouse Gas Accounting Tool has been developed by Local Partnerships, working with the LGA, to provide a straightforward and consistent approach for councils seeking to calculate their own carbon baseline. As of 17 January 2023, featured alongside the tool is a Waste Emissions Calculator that has been developed by Cambridgeshire County Council and UCL on the LGA Net Zero Innovation Programme. If you have any questions or suggestions for improvement in relation to the tool or the calculator, please contact ghgaccounting@localpartnerships.gov.uk
LG Inform and LG Inform Plus
For more information on subscribing to LG Inform Plus or LG Inform please email us at lginformplus@local.gov.uk or lginform@local.gov.uk
LG Inform fly-tipping report updated with latest data
The annual fly-tipping statistics from the Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs (DEFRA) were published on 31 January and LG Inform has been updated with this latest data. Defra reported there were 1,091,019 fly-tipping incidents in England for 2021/22, down from 1,138,347 in 2020/21.
LG Inform contains over 11,000 data items covering a multitude of topics. Here are some examples of data items added or updated in January:
Winter mortality – Provisional data published by the ONS for 2021/22 shows there were 12,700 excess winter deaths, including COVID-19 in England. This is down from 57,290 in 2020/21. There were 8,800 excess winter deaths, excluding COVID-19 in England.
Dementia diagnosis – NHS Digital has published a newly revised dataset on dementia diagnosis. There were 420,377 registered cases of dementia for people aged 65 and over in England for December 2022. The dementia diagnosis rate for people aged 65 and over in England was 62.5 per cent.
Electric charging devices – New Department for Transport data is now available in LG Inform showing the number of publicly available electric vehicle charging devices in your area.
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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Yours faithfully,
Cllr Abi Brown
Chair LGA Improvement and Innovation Board
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