Taking the lead
It’s almost a year since the first Leaders’ Council was held at the LGA’s 2024 annual conference in Harrogate.
lga chairman
Conference catchups
The LGA’s annual conference is always a wonderful opportunity to catch up with old political friends, make new ones, and grow our support and information networks to help in our work as councillors.
Sharing good practice nationally
One of the great pleasures of attending the LGA’s annual conference as Chair is being able to dip in and out of sessions at our Innovation Zone.
From devo to delivery
Following the 1 May local elections, I want to recognise and send my personal commiserations to colleagues across the political spectrum who were unsuccessful at the ballot box.
Challenges and opportunities
With less than a week to go until the 1 May local elections in England, I wanted to put on record my thanks to all those colleagues who are standing for re-election or standing down.
Drip-feed funding ‘weakening’ services
While February’s final local government finance settlement confirmed a 6.8 per cent cash increase and extra money towards increased employer National Insurance contributions, councils’ finances remain extremely challenging.
Taking the lead
As we begin 2025, I want to reflect on a key event from the end of 2024 that will inform how we approach the next 12 months.
Investing in prevention
The Government’s finance policy statement, published in late November, outlined its intentions for the provisional local government finance settlement for 2025/26.
A regional focus
Visiting local authorities to find out about the amazing work you are doing on behalf of your residents is one of the most enjoyable, but also humbling, parts of my role as Chair of the LGA.
Prevention is better than cure
The Household Support Fund was a lifeline to councils and their communities when it was first introduced in October 2021.