Putting residents first
In July 2019, I stood up to give my first speech as LGA Chairman at our annual conference in Bournemouth – and on 4 July I will returning there to hand the reins to my successor, Cllr Shaun Davies.
Time to allow councils to set planning fees
In my final column for first as Leader of the LGA’s Conservative Group, I want to put on record my thanks to all Conservative councillors across the country for the tremendous hard work you put into your communities.
Giving power back to towns and cities
It will be a pleasure to see many of you in Bournemouth from 4-6 July for the biggest event in the local government calendar.
A stronger liberal voice in local government
I am still getting over the Liberal Democrats’ fantastic set of local election results from May.
The importance of peer support
It was a great privilege to be chosen as National Lead Peer for the LGA’s Independent Group.
Top apprentice
Laura De Campos Duhdamell, from Surrey County Council, has been named 2023 Local Government Apprentice of the Year.
Teachers’ conditions
A handbook setting out the conditions of service for school teachers in England and Wales has been updated for the first time in more than two decades.
first survey
You are reading the LGA’s first magazine online – what do you think about it? You can make your views known by completing our 2023 reader survey.
‘Take local approach to energy efficiency’ – LGA
Councils are calling for a new local approach after a flagship energy efficiency scheme supported just 60,000 homes in Britain in 2022 – down from almost half a million in 2013.
Poorest places in ‘broadband slow lane’
Poorer households are being left in the “broadband slow lane” despite relying more heavily on the internet at a time of rising prices, a new LGA report on digital exclusion has revealed.