It’s almost a year since the first Leaders’ Council was held at the LGA’s 2024 annual conference in Harrogate.
We wanted to see an equal, respectful partnership between local and national government, and to ensure local government’s voice was heard across Whitehall – and I believe the Leaders’ Council has been helping us to do that.
For example, in July we met with the then Deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayner, then Local Government Minister Jim McMahon, and Care Minister Stephen Kinnock.
Housing, the 10 Year Health Plan for England, the English Devolution and Community Empowerment Bill, and fairer funding were among the issues discussed.
Ahead of the first neighbourhood health services rolling out this September, we emphasised the need for local government to be equal partners alongside the NHS in delivering this key aspect of the 10 Year Health Plan.
Local government colleagues shared examples of good practice in co-designing and delivering integrated community health services with NHS colleagues that are reducing pressures on hospitals and improving residents’ health and wellbeing.
But we also flagged the difficulties councils face in working with NHS integrated care boards when they are heavily focused on managing significant budget cuts.
We told ministers we want the neighbourhood health service to succeed, and that it is paramount that all of the NHS, and its partners, engage fully and openly with councils everywhere, and work collaboratively to deliver for our communities.
The Government committed to local government being firmly around the table in co-designing the neighbourhood health work.
The Leaders’ Council is enabling us to advocate to ministers on the issues that matter most to our members. We look forward to continuing the conversation in our autumn session where SEND, local government finance, and standards and conduct are on the agenda.