Members remain central to the LGA’s decision-making processes
The LGA’s new political year started in earnest this month, with lead councillors attending their first meetings under our new governance structure.
New policy committees have replaced our old policy boards, as part of changes designed to strengthen our governance so we can serve our member councils even better.
The LGA Board remains our central decision-making body, directing and overseeing the LGA’s activities, business and strategic priorities. The board is made up of our chair, five political group leaders (vice-chairs), and additional deputy chairs to reflect the LGA’s current political balance – all of whom are directors of the LGA company.
The board is backed by a new Strategic Policy Oversight Committee (SPOC), which will oversee and coordinate policy development, ensuring alignment with the LGA’s strategic priorities and considering cross-cutting issues. The SPOC consists of the LGA’s chair and vice-chairs, plus the chairs of our policy committees and Improvement Committee.
Our former policy boards have been reshaped into nine thematic policy committees, which will continue to lead on policy development and report to the SPOC.
The nine committees are: children, young people and families; culture, tourism and sport; fire services; health and wellbeing; inclusive growth; local government resources; neighbourhoods; public service reform and innovation; and safer and stronger communities.
The Improvement Committee provides oversight of funding and performance for LGA improvement programmes. It reports to the Improvement and Development Agency (IDeA) Board, a subsidiary of the LGA focused on delivering improvement support to councils.
All these structures have been filled with councillors in line with the LGA’s political balance, with our political groups using their respective methods of selection to populate the seats apportioned to them.
The LGA’s political balance for 2025/26 is: Labour, 35.9 per cent; Conservative, 24.1 per cent; Liberal Democrat, 17.0 per cent; Independent (including Independent, Green and Plaid Cymru), 15.2 per cent; Reform UK, 7.8 per cent.
The LGA’s Councillors’ Forum will continue as a key space for all elected members from LGA member councils, for engagement and policy input, and an enhanced programme of topical speakers, including senior government ministers.
We have embedded the LGA’s values and behaviours across the entire governance structure, and clarified that the LGA Member Code of Conduct and Member-Officer Protocol apply to all members engaged in LGA business.
Our Articles of Association have been updated to restate our commitment to making decisions by consensus, while providing procedures for the rare occasion when this may not be possible.
These changes were agreed by the LGA’s General Assembly following a major review earlier this year. This included an external review of the effectiveness of the LGA’s governance arrangements, to ensure that they are fit for purpose and comply with relevant legislation and best practice in corporate governance.
We also carried out a self-assessment using our ‘Improvement and assurance framework for local government’ (see www.local.gov.uk/publications); reviewed and improved internal processes, procedures and guidance; and interviewed elected members, staff and stakeholders connected with the LGA.
We will test our governance processes and procedures to ensure quality standards as part of our annual governance review.
Thank you to everyone who has previously served on our governance structures, and a warm welcome to those who joined us on 1 September.
LGA Board and Strategic Policy Oversight Committee (SPOC) members
Cllr Louise Gittins (Lab, Cheshire West and Chester) has been Chair of the LGA since July 2024. She previously served as Chair of the LGA’s Children and Young People Board, and Deputy Chair of its Community Wellbeing Board. She first became a councillor in 2011, becoming Deputy Leader of Cheshire West and Chester in 2015, and then Leader in 2019.
Cllr Kevin Bentley (Con, Essex) became Senior Vice-Chairman and Leader of the LGA’s Conservative Group in July 2023, having previously chaired the LGA’s People and Places Board. He was elected to Colchester City Council in 2002 and Essex County Council in 2009, and has been Leader of Essex since 2021.
Cllr Bev Craig (Lab, Manchester) became an LGA Vice-Chair and Leader of the LGA’s Labour Group in July 2024, having previously served as an LGA Deputy Chair. She was first elected to Manchester City Council in 2011, and became its first woman and openly gay Leader in 2021.
Cllr Joe Harris (Lib Dem, Gloucestershire), an LGA Vice-Chair, has led the LGA Liberal Democrat Group since July 2021. He was first elected to Cotswold District Council in 2011, leading it from 2019 to May 2025, and is Cabinet Member for Highways Maintenance and Communications at Gloucestershire County Council.
Cllr Amanda Hopgood (Lib Dem, Durham) is an LGA Deputy Chair and Chair of the LGA’s Children, Young People and Families Committee. She was Durham’s first woman leader, from 2021 to 2025, and is currently its Deputy Mayor.
Cllr Hannah Dalton (Ind, Epsom & Ewell) became Leader of the LGA’s Independent Group and an LGA Vice-Chair in July 2025. A Residents’ Association councillor on Epsom and Ewell Borough Council since 2015, she became Leader in 2021, and is a Vice-Chair of the District Councils’ Network.
hdalton@epsom-ewell.gov.uk Leader in 2019.
Cllr Stephen Atkinson (Ref, Lancashire) has been Leader of the LGA’s Reform UK Group and an LGA Vice-Chairman since July 2025. He was elected to Lancashire County Council and became its Leader in May 2025, and is a member and former Leader of Ribble Valley Borough Council.
Other LGA Board members
Cllr Claire Holland (Lab, Lambeth), an LGA Deputy Chair since 2024, was first elected to Lambeth Council in 2014. She became Leader in 2021 and, in July 2024, was appointed Chair of London Councils.
Cllr Peter Mason (Lab, Ealing) has been an LGA Deputy Chair since 2024 and is Leader of Ealing Council. A trained town planner, he was first elected in 2014 and became Leader of the west London borough in 2021.
Cllr Bella Sankey (Lab, Brighton & Hove) has been Leader of Brighton & Hove City Council since May 2023 and an LGA Deputy Chair since 2024. Formerly the director of a national charity, she was first elected in December 2022.
Cllr Abi Brown OBE (Con, Stoke) is an LGA Deputy Chairman and Deputy Leader of the LGA’s Conservative Group. First elected in 2010, she was Leader of Stoke-on-Trent City Council from 2019 to 2023.
Cllr Sam Chapman-Allen (Con, Breckland) was elected to Breckland Council in 2007 and has been its Leader since 2019. A new LGA Deputy Chairman, he is also Chairman of the District Councils’ Network.
Cllr Tim Oliver OBE (Con, Surrey) is a new LGA Deputy Chairman, Leader of Surrey County Council, and a former Leader of Elmbridge Borough Council, where he was first elected in 1999. He is Chairman of the County Councils Network.
Cllr Bridget Smith (Lib Dem, South Cambridgeshire) is an LGA Deputy Chair, Deputy Leader of the LGA’s Liberal Democrat Group, Leader of South Cambridgeshire District Council since 2018, and a Vice-Chair of the District Councils’ Network.
Cllr Andrew Cooper (Ind, Kirklees) was elected Deputy Leader of the LGA’s Independent Group in July 2025 and is a new LGA Deputy Chair. He is Group Leader for the Green Party on Kirklees Council.
andrew.cooper@kirklees.gov.uk Councils’ Network.
Other SPOC members
Cllr Tom Hunt (Lab, Sheffield) is Chair of the LGA’s Inclusive Growth Committee. He was first elected in 2022, becoming Leader of Sheffield City Council in May 2023, and sits on the board of the South Yorkshire Mayoral Combined Authority.
Cllr Pete Marland (Lab, Milton Keynes) is Chair of the LGA’s Local Government Resources Committee. He has been Leader of Milton Keynes Council since 2014 and on the board of Local Partnerships since 2020.
Cllr Jane Scullion (Lab, Calderdale) is Calderdale’s Leader, and Chair of the LGA’s Improvement Committee, the Improvement and Development Agency’s Board, and West Yorkshire Combined Authority’s Climate, Energy and Environment Committee.
Cllr Arooj Shah (Lab, Oldham) is Chair of the LGA’s Neighbourhoods Committee. The Leader and Cabinet Member for Growth on Oldham Council, she was the first Muslim woman council leader in the North of England.
Cllr Matt Boughton (Con, Tonbridge and Malling) is Chairman of the LGA’s Safer and Stronger Communities Committee. First elected in 2019, he has been Leader of Tonbridge and Malling Borough Council since 2022.
Cllr Dan Swords (Con, Harlow) is Chairman of the LGA’s Public Service Reform and Innovation Committee. First elected in 2021, he was Harlow Council’s youngest ever Leader – age 22 – when he took over in May 2023.
Cllr Dr Wendy Taylor (Lib Dem, Newcastle) is Chair of the LGA’s Health and Wellbeing Committee. A former Executive Member, she currently chairs Newcastle City Council’s Health and Social Care Scrutiny Committee.
Cllr Julie Jones-Evans (Ind, Isle of Wight) is Chair of the LGA’s Culture, Tourism and Sport Committee. A councillor since 2009, she is Chair of the Isle of Wight Council’s Economy, Regeneration, Transport and Infrastructure Committee.
Cllr Mick Barton (Ref, Nottinghamshire) is Chairman of the LGA’s Fire Commission and Fire Services Committee. First elected to Mansfield District Council in 2003, he has been Leader of Nottinghamshire County Council since May 2025.
- For more information about the LGA’s governance arrangements and its meetings, please visit www.local.gov.uk/about/our-meetings-and-leadership