Greetings!
I hope you are well and looking forward to an August break!
LGA Corporate Peer Challenge
You may have been involved in a full LGA corporate peer challenge as every council is expected to undertake one every five years, though you can take other assessments in the meantime. You can check out the final reports here. I have just completed a corporate peer challenge (CPC) for West Suffolk, working cross-party with Labour and Conservative peers, alongside a Chief Executive peer from Lancaster, and two other senior officer peers. It has been a real pleasure to meet Independent Group councillors in West Suffolk, where two Independent Groups and Labour have formed an administration. We discussed the council’s ambitions, successes and challenges with council leadership, staff, and community partners. LG Inform, Oflog and all the other data is very telling, but as we know, there is nothing to beat in depth face to face discussions!
It has been a productive and enlightening week, offering fresh perspectives, and identifying areas for potential growth and improvement. Looking forward to compiling our findings and sharing recommendations to support West Suffolk’s continued development. Huge thanks to Deputy Leader Victor Lukaniuk and the team for their work and important contributions.
I was also really thrilled to meet Green Party lead colleagues from other Suffolk Councils attending a County Leaders meeting at West Suffolk. What a joy to have so many brilliant leading members.
As you may know, the LGA’s Corporate Peer Assessment offer is effective and well regarded by the sector and covering local priorities and outcomes, organisational and place leadership, governance and culture, financial planning and management, capacity for improvement.
Following a corporate peer challenge, a report outlining the key findings and recommendations from the peer team is shared with the council. In the spirit of openness and transparency, councils are required to publish this report, alongside an action plan, within three months of the corporate peer challenge.
If you have any questions or would like to book a corporate peer challenge, please do get in touch with your principal adviser and/or regional team.
Join one of our new working groups!
At our first ever Opposition Leaders and Deputy Leaders meeting last week, lots of discussions revolved around housing, what the term ‘affordable’ means and the role of Housing Revenue Accounts. At the same time Devolution continues to create much debate with the imposition of Mayors with unitary powers over local councils and thereby losing our unique independent voice!
Chief Officer Pay Agreement 2024 announced
On Monday, agreement was reached on pay for local authority chief officers, setting out a 2.5 per cent increase, backdated to April. The attached circular sets out the details.
LGS Pay 2024: Unite to ballot for strike action
I met cross party with Unison leading officers last week. Thanks to our members who have been involved in detailed discussions nationally. Following Unite members’ vote to reject the employers’ full and final pay offer, the union has just announced it will ballot for industrial action. The ballot will run from 27 August to 15 October. Please see our comprehensive guidance on managing industrial action, along with associated FAQs.
For ease of reference, current state of play of the four is as follows:
Council Leaders: Look out for our IPSOS/LGA Local Leaders Poll
You will have received an invitation from Ipsos to participate in a short poll of council leaders, to capture your views of the challenges and opportunities facing local government, and to understand what makes you most proud in leading the council. The poll will take no longer than five minutes and will provide valuable feedback informing our discussions with the sector, government, and partners over the next year. We have had a great response so far, and all further responses are welcome by next Friday 2 August.
Next Generation APPLICATIONS OPEN 2024/25 cohort – 9 SPACES LEFT!
We are very excited to announce that our Next Generation Programme is now open for expressions of interest. This flagship programme offers ambitious and talented councillors a bespoke and unparalleled political development opportunity. Each year we support a select group of councillors, chosen through a competitive application process, with the cost of the course and accommodation covered by the LGA. Those who have completed the LGA Independent Group Next Generation Programme leave with a new network of aspiring councillor colleagues and with greater confidence, self-belief and a strategy about how to further their influence, role and community leadership. Many have gone on to successfully hold leadership positions, including council leaders, deputy leaders, cabinet roles, and LGA Board places.
The programme is not routinely available to our colleagues in Wales as the Welsh LGA receives specific funding for member development, but the LGA Independent Group Office will sponsor one place on this course from Wales a year, so please do get in touch.
This is a residential course that takes place over three Friday/Saturdays during the year at Warwick University. Delegates are expected to attend all the events in person and to commit to undertaking the additional reading and preparation work. The dates for this year are 11/12 October 2024, 29/30 November 2024 and 29 February/1 March 2025.
LGA Annual Conference rescheduled – 22-24 October, Harrogate
We are delighted to have been able to secure a date for our LGA Annual Conference to be held this October as we know it is an event which is hugely valued by our members. It will provide a perfect opportunity for the local government family to come together after the General Election and discuss the opportunities and challenges that lie ahead.
If you can make these dates, then your booking will be transferred and there's nothing for you to do. However, if you would like to cancel you can do so via the ‘My booking' tab and clicking ‘Amend my booking’ on the Annual Conference event website.
I really hope to see lots of you at the LGA Annual Conference. It is such a great opportunity for us to network, learn and share, and it’s fantastic that we are able to go ahead this year.
And finally…
With a busy autumn of conferences and events ahead of us, here is a list of key dates you won’t want to miss!
- Members Briefing Day for Board members: 5 September LGA Offices, London
- LGA Annual Conference: 22 – 24 October, Harrogate
- Independent Group Conference, Moor Hall (Maidenhead): 10 Jan – 11 January
- Annual Peer Conference: 6-7 March, Manchester
Warmest regards,
Boosting Middle Leaders Programme
Applications are now open for Boosting Middle Leaders, a leadership programme which brings together mid to senior level councillors and officers to build relationships, share perspectives, and develop practices to help them to deliver the best outcomes for their communities. The deadline for applications is Sunday 8th September.
Applications now open for the Disabled Councillors Leadership Programme
The Disabled Councillors Leadership Programme has been shaped in co-production with disabled people and councillors, ensuring it responds to the specific needs of disabled leaders. Now in its third year, the LGA are excited to offer disabled councillors the opportunity to join Cohort 3. Councillors can apply by completing a short online form.
The programme is a unique opportunity to meet other disabled councillors from across the country from all political parties, learn from each other and develop as a cohort of peers and critical friends. Delegates will learn about their strengths as a leader, develop their leadership style, and use disability as an asset to leadership. Other topics include developing confidence, refining communication skills, and working across political boundaries to achieve change.
Delegates will attend a mix of residential, in-person and online workshops:
- Workshop 1: 23 & 24 November 2024, Manchester (residential)
- Workshop 2: 11 January 2025, online (half-day)
- Workshop 3: 1 February 2025, online (half-day)
- Workshop 4: 15 March 2025, Birmingham (residential)
The programme is free to attend, though delegates’ local authorities must cover travel costs. To find out more, please visit the LGA’s website or email the Leadership Team
Planning Leadership Essentials: Chairs of planning committee
Due to unprecedented demand for places on our initial Leadership Essentials session for Planning Committee chairs and vice chairs, we are running a second session on 16 to 17 January. This two-day residential session is a deep-dive into what makes a good chair, what are the latest matters affecting planning committees and how to make defendable & robust decisions. Places are limited, so to book your place, email Grace Collins.
Dates for the Diary
Thursday 5 September 2024 | Manchester
This Local Government Association event is open to new members from across the North-West who have been elected (for the first time) in May 2024. The event will support newly elected members in exploring their roles. It will provide an opportunity to hear from cross-party guest speakers about their experiences and insights, as well as support this cohort of newly elected members from across the region to develop their networks.
Thursday 19 September 2024, 2.00pm - 3.30pm
This virtual event which is funded by Government will provide an overview of local government finance without any numbers - focusing instead on roles and responsibilities, key terminologies and processes. It will give you an understanding of both what you need to be aware of in your role and what you need to understand about your authority’s role and is aimed at newly elected members or those just looking for a refresh.
Thursday 26 September 2024, 10.00am - 11.30am
Focussing on key roles and responsibilities of the audit committee, this webinar will refresh and provide clarity on the key tasks of the audit committee and in particular the Chair role within this.
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