Councillor Nick Forbes CBE Local government was right at the front of the queue when the Government started to dole out austerity measures, with councils losing 60p out of every £1 that the last Labour Government gave to councils in 2010.
It is difficult to overstate the turbulent state of politics as we head into party conference season.
One in four Labour councillors is in opposition, ranging from small groups of just one or two councillors, to larger groups that may only be one or two wins away from taking control.
The need to act on climate change is urgent and real. I’m pleased to see that Labour councils are leading the way in responding to the climate emergency.
It was perhaps inevitable that the Brexit leviathan would drown out any attempts by major parties to make announcements on issues such as local transport or social care during the local elections.
The LGA’s annual conference 2019 in Bournemouth was a great opportunity to meet Labour councillors from across England and Wales, and to discuss the challenges and opportunities they have faced over the past year.
Last year, the Government finally accepted the LGA’s long-standing call to scrap the housing borrowing cap.
This month’s LGA Labour Local Government Conference saw Labour councillors from across England and Wales come together in Warwick.
It is a huge privilege and honour to be elected by our residents to represent them on their local councils, and to try to make a difference to them and the areas in which we live.
The eyes of the nation have been fixed on Parliament, as it debated, voted on, and ultimately rejected the flawed Brexit deal presented by Prime Minister Theresa May.