Greetings!
Education: GCSE results
Congratulations to all involved in getting our 16 and 17 year olds successfully through their GCSE’s and vocational levels, announced recently. The results were less than 1% different from last year or indeed pre-Covid-19 levels with 67% gaining a pass of grade 4 or better and 67% gaining grade 7 or better.
You can compare your County results to others using this map from Ofqual. Inequalities by region and type of school remain. The announcement to start charging 20% VAT on private schools is likely to lead more children into state-funded schools. Many state schools are already struggling to pay teachers the agreed increase, but without the additional Government funds to match.
Work Experience
If you know anyone who might be contemplating a career in politics, local government or public administration, why not ask them to get in touch with the office for some work experience? If you are a council leader, you might consider taking on a work experience student?
Transformation at the LGA
With the arrival of a new chief executive and the expected retirement of several senior staff, the LGA is working on transformation plans to ensure the organisation is both efficient and effective as possible in the future. Your elected leadership, Councillor Caroline Jackson and Councillor Andrew Cooper alongside myself, are closely engaged to try and ensure we are on the right track throughout this process. Do let me know if you have engaged in a similar exercise within your own local authority as we are planning on having an information sharing session on this issue in the near future.
Devolution and Affordable Housing ‘Expressions of Interest’
At our first ever Independent Group Opposition Leaders meeting back in July, there was a desire to establish two new working groups. The first focussing on affordable housing and the second on Devolution and Combined authorities. We are currently in the process of asking for ‘expressions of interest’ from all members and if you wish to join either or both groups, please contact the Group Office.
Free Childcare
Free childcare from nine months starts next week with 15 hours/week for eligible working parents. This is in addition to the 15 hours for 2 year olds and 30 hours for 3 and 4 year olds. It has to be renewed every 3 months. Pre-schools will be working hard to expand and make more spaces available. The gov.uk Education Hub details how to apply.
Our Councils have a duty to ensure every child has an appropriate education and many of our councillors are also governors, helpers or give committee support, thank you.
Paralympics 2024
As Councillors we continue to support clubs and schools, active in supporting the foundations of Olympic successes, now being won. Our crossbencher LGA President, Dame Tanni-Grey Thompson DBE, is in Paris and speaking up for equality. Her recent experience of no assistance being available at Kings Cross, appears to be indicative of a more widespread problem.
Things can only get…worse
The Prime Minister delivered a sobering message last week saying ‘things will get worse before they get better’. Despite better-than-expected growth figures, the Institute for Fiscal Studies warns this won’t be enough to save Rachel Reeves from cuts in her first budget on 30 October. As you know, the LGA has already highlighted that local government faces a severe funding gap of £6.2 billion over the next two years.
We are working to connect our LGA white paper priorities with the ‘missions’ of the new Labour government. This includes creating a more equal partnership with Government, sufficient and sustainable funding, inclusive growth and prosperity, supporting Councils do what we do best in skills, transport, housing delivering net zero and health, ensuring adult social care is able to support the NHS. It is critical we make our case because it is local services that will matter the most. The review will set department budgets for at least three years. Please let us have your views by emailing LGA Finance.
Are our pensioners paying for Government overspends?
It seems the new Government has a £20bn black hole that means there is less for public services next year. Dropping the pensioners winter fuel allowance has made some pensioners check their eligibility for pension credit or other benefits, so the gain to the Government coffers is uncertain. Ofgem has announced a price rise of £150 per household in October, making it worthwhile encouraging residents to check. It also makes our Councils’ work more urgent, encouraging energy efficiency in both social and private homes. This article from The Independent online is useful: How Winter Fuel Payments are changing – and what other support is available to pensioners?
This Full Fact article looks at comments from Conservatives and Labour using data from the Institute of Fiscal Studies (IFS), much of which affects our Councils. There have been overspends in asylum (£2.6bn/yr instead of a budgeted £110m/yr), transport and inflation, plus announcements made without knowing where the money was coming from, called “unfunded policy decisions”. These “have increased pressures on public spending in 2024-25 by a total of £2.6 billion”. This includes additional funding for buses with the extended £2 fare cap, the extension of the Household Support Fund, for people who cannot afford to pay for essentials, as well as military support to Ukraine, spending on asylum support, and pressures on rail services following a drop in demand post-pandemic.
New housing targets and consultation on National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) – deadline Tuesday 24 September
Thank you for responding to my previous bulletins on the significant changes proposed to the planning rules, called the National Planning Policy Framework. Many of you have been in touch raising concerns about the new Government’s reintroduction of housing targets, half as big again as the targets we were not able to meet under the previous Government. Proposals in the NPPF consultation provide the mechanisms to force increased development, especially in rural areas. We have produced a summary of the consultation for our members on our Independent Group publications page.
We will be holding our own event to gather our members’ views on the consultation so we can present that to the LGA for the cross-party response, and so we can establish whether we need to submit our own response. Please join us online at a Teams meeting Tuesday 10 September 12-1.30pm to discuss how we should be responding to the consultation. Contact the Group Office to register or join the Teams Meeting directly.
The Planning Advisory Service (PAS) are holding a free to attend briefing session on Friday 6 September 1pm – 2.30pm You can book your place on the dedicated booking page.
Independent Group Annual Conference: 10-11 January 2025 Cookham, near Maidenhead
As the Independent Group we also hold our own very exciting and successful annual national conference! Please join us for the annual LGA Independent Group Conference and awards dinner 2024/25, a fantastic opportunity to come together to network, reflect, discuss, debate, learn, share and plan ahead for the next elections.
If you are an Independent, Green or smaller party councillor in England or Wales at a district, county, unitary authority, or a combined authority, this is a key date for your diary.
We have an early bird all-inclusive conference rate for our members, supported by the Independent Group Office. This rate brings together onsite accommodation with breakfast and lunch, the awards dinner and the conference, but places are limited at this reduced rate.
LGA Annual Conference – you can still book to attend
The programme for our upcoming Annual Conference in Harrogate 22-24 October has now been published. Please click on the ‘programme’ tab for more information. I will be looking forward to welcoming Carla Denyer MP who will be our special guest speaker at our group dinner as well as our plenary session reflecting on her journey from local government to becoming an MP and sharing her thoughts on re-setting the central-local government partnership - a journey worth hearing! Current numbers are showing a record number of Independent Group councillors attending, so I am looking forward to an exciting conference.
And finally…
I am looking forward to attending this week’s Green Party Conference in Manchester where I shall be chairing a fringe session on ‘How the new UK Government can meet housing targets while addressing the climate and nature crises.’ I shall be joined on the panel by my deputy, Councillor Caroline Jackson (Lancaster City Council), Councillor Diana Moore (Exeter City Council) as well as Carla Denyer MP and Baroness Natalie Bennett. It will be a pleasure to meet so many of you and join in the congratulations of our four new Green Members of Parliament!
Have a great week ahead!
Warmest regards,
Be a Councillor focus groups
The LGA’s Be a Councillor Campaign is running two focus groups (one each for employers and employed councillors) to hear experiences and good practice around balancing the councillor role with employment, and the mutual benefits and transferable skills for both. If you wish to participate and are not employed by a council, please register your interest by 9 September 2024.
Impact: The Local Government Graduate Programme
Councils can now sign up to this programme in order to participate in Cohort 27 recruitment. Formerly known as the NGDP, the graduate scheme helps build crucial capacity within organisations whilst providing a platform for motivated trainees to kickstart their careers as future leaders of local government.
Men’s health
Men in England are facing “a silent health crisis”, dying nearly four years earlier than women, while suffering disproportionately higher rates of cancers, heart disease and type 2 diabetes, our new report finds. The report, Men’s health: The lives of men in our communities, highlights severe inequalities, with men in deprived areas living up to 10 years less than their affluent counterparts and facing a 20-year gap in healthy life expectancy. The LGA is urging the Government to implement a men's health strategy similar to the women's health strategy of 2022.
Councillor Transformation Network
Our Councillor Transformation Network is for councillors working in transformation, change and innovation roles. Members will discuss emerging issues and trends affecting councils, and hear from each other and guests on policies, programmes and practices. The inaugural meeting of the network will be taking place in November 2024. To join this network please complete our expression of interest form.
Call for evidence: Institutional investment into affordable housing
This call for evidence, in partnership with the British Property Federation, is committed to supporting the supply of more homes across all tenures. We want to hear from all stakeholders across the sector – institutional investors, registered providers, councils, charities – about how the current system works for your ambitions to deliver on your fiduciary duties and any wider social goals through affordable housing. The results will support work looking into how the current level of institutional investment in affordable housing might be expanded to increase the supply of new affordable housing. Please complete the survey by 13 September.
The Children's Society – Future of Local Welfare Inquiry
The Children's Society has launched an inquiry that seeks input from councils on the future of local welfare assistance, focussing on how long-term national funding could improve aid for those in financial hardship. The LGA will be responding to the inquiry. If you wish to respond, the deadline is Thursday, 31 October 2024.
LGA Technology and Innovation Showcase: Call for Council Challenges
We are inviting councils to submit challenge statements for our new Technology and Innovation Showcase. This initiative connects you with cutting-edge AI and smart tech solutions to transform your corporate functions, service delivery, and resident engagement. The showcase will be an opportunity to engage with vetted, innovative tech vendors and drive innovation in local government. Selected challenges and solutions will be spotlighted at our hybrid showcase event on 14 November. Learn more and submit your challenge by the 19th of September.
Leadership Essentials: Transformation, Saturday 5 - Sunday 6 October 2024, Virtual
As a councillor, you’re likely hearing that ‘transformation programmes’ are the way to make efficiencies and savings but what does that really mean? Our series of Leadership Essentials on Transformation will help demystify transformation, giving councillors the confidence and capability to lead the transformation agenda within their councils. Visit the LGA Transformation webpage for more information.
Dates for the Diary
Thursday 5 September 2024 | Manchester
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 5 September 2024, 9.30am - 11.00am
Join this webinar, organised by the LGA, to hear from leading experts on the revived Tobacco and Vapes Bill. The Bill, if enacted, would introduce a groundbreaking initiative to progressively increase the legal purchasing age for tobacco, making the UK the first country to ban smoking for future generations.
Thursday 12 September 2024, 2.00pm - 4.00pm
This event will provide an opportunity to meet other new councillors and hear from more experienced councillors, as well as introducing the LGA’s regional team and support available. It will look at the national local government context through a South-East lens, and give councillors an opportunity to ask any questions.
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 3 October 2024, 10.00am – 11.30am
Co-badged with the NRPF Network and ADASS, this virtual session is aimed at those supporting households with NRPF across councils. Attendees will learn about the NRPF Network’s recommendations for local and central government, find out about helpful resources and hear from councils to help inform local practice.
Thursday 10 October, 10.00am - 11.30am
This LGA virtual event will focus on how local authorities use their status as ‘anchor institutions’ to lead by example by adopting policies and processes more favourable to low carbon options in procurement, commissioning, the design of services, contract management and delivery of all services.
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