annual report final july 2017 - local government association · 4 lga liberal democrat group...
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Annual Report 2017
Liberal Democrat GroupLocal Government Association
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3 A message from the Leader of the LGA Liberal Democrat Group
4 LGA Liberal Democrat Group Executive 2015-2017
6 Who are my Liberal Democrat LGA Board Representatives?
7 The 2017 Election and the LGA’s Political Balance
REPORTS:
8 Children and Young People Board
9 LGA Liberal Democrat Group Whip
11 Community Wellbeing Board
12 Culture Tourism and Sport Board
13 Environment, Economy, Housing & Transport Board
14 Improvement and Innovation Board
15 Resources Board
16 Safer and Stronger Communities Board
17 Fire Service Management Committee and Fire Commission
18 City Regions Board
19 People and Places Board
20 Lib Dem Retained Peers Report
22 District Councils Network Report
23 County Councils Network Report
24 Brexit Task and Finish Group
25 Business Rates Task and Finish Group
26 The LGA Liberal Democrat Group Office
LGA Liberal Democrat Group2017 Annual Report contents
Front page photo:This year saw over 30 council seats gained in local by-elections, includingthis gain from UKIP in Aylesbury Vale with almost 68% of the vote!
A message fromThe Leader of theLGA Liberal DemocratGroup
Welcome to our annual report. The aim of this is tokeep all Liberal Democrat Councillors in touch withthe work of the Liberal Democrat Group over thepast year and to ensure you can see what our leadmembers have been doing on your behalf. Fromlobbying over business rates to campaigning for thereform of social care funding, we have been workinghard both within the LGA and the Liberal Democratsto ensure our voice is heard.
It was good to see this work bear fruit in the LiberalDemocrat manifesto - with local government at theheart of it, including a pledge to drastically reducethe powers of central government ministers tointefere in democratically elected local governmentand a pledge to raise £6 billion a year on social careand the NHS - with the party putting social care andpublic health at the forefront of this promise. This issomething that I know will chime with others here atthe LGA.
There were also commitments to lift the borrowingcap to help councils build more homes for socialrent; giving local authorities the power to penaliseexcessive land banking - and allow councils to levyup to 200 per cent council tax on empty homes. Inaddition we wanted to invest nearly £7 billion more inour children’s education, increasing school budgetsand the pupil premium.
This year also saw the local elections, with theLiberal Democrats winning over 440 seats, and withnet gains in councils from County Durham to the Isleof Wight, and across to Norfolk and Powys. It alsosaw us take the leadership of another 2 authorities -Cornwall Council and Hart DC in Hampshire.
Finally, on a personal note, by the time you readthis, I will have stepped down as the Leader of theLiberal Democrat Group at the LGA as we wouldhave elected a new leader by the time of the LGAconference. I would like to say a big “thank you” toeveryone I have worked with over the last 6 years.To all Liberal Democrat Councillors up and down thecountry who do a great job representing yourcommunity - keep up the good work!
Finally, as a Portsmouth City Councillor andsomeone who continues to be passionate aboutlocal government I look forward to working with mysuccessor as Group Leader and with othercolleagues in the years to come.
Cllr Gerald Vernon-Jackson CBELeader, LGA Liberal Democrat Group
Cllr Gerald Vernon Jackson CBE -onbehalf of the LGA LeadershipTeam:Cllr Chris White,Mayor Dorothy Thornhill MBE,Cllr Ruth Dombey OBE andCllr Howard Sykes MBE
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Group Leader(and LGA Vice Chair)Cllr Gerald Vernon-Jackson [email protected]
LGA Liberal Democrat Group Executiveand Leadership Team 2015 - 2017
Group ChairCllr Ruth Dombey [email protected]
Deputy Group LeaderCllr Chris [email protected]
Deputy Group LeaderMayor Dorothy Thornhill [email protected]
Group WhipCllr Howard Sykes [email protected]
Elected in August 2015 for two years, the Lib Dem Group Executive represent the political leadership ofLiberal Democrats in local government inside and outside the LGA Group.The Executive consists of the Leadership Team and the lead Lib Dem members of the LGAGroup boards and panels, along with the Lib Dem representative on each of the other bodiesin the LGA. The Leadership team are listed below.The results of the latest LGA Lib Dem Group Elections will be made public by the end of June 2017.
The LGA Lib Dem Group work withALDC all year round - for exampleorganising the “Next Generation” and“Be a Councillor” programmes. Photo:Next Generation participants meetingwith Tim Farron MP.
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Other LGA Liberal Democrat Executivemembers from 2015 - 2017:Culture, Tourism & SportCllr Mike BellNorth [email protected]
Community WellbeingCllr Richard Kemp [email protected]
Children & Young PeopleCllr Liz [email protected]
Environment, Economy,Housing and TransportCllr Keith [email protected]
Safer CommunitiesCllr Anita LowerNewcastle City [email protected]
ResourcesCllr Claire [email protected]
People & PlacesCllr Heather [email protected]
Fire (Chair)Cllr Jeremy [email protected]
CitiesCllr Abi [email protected]
District Councils NetworkCllr Ric Pallister OBESouth [email protected]
County Councils NetworkCllr Ross [email protected]
ALDC RepresentativeCllr Kath [email protected]
AuditCllr David [email protected]
Local PartnershipsEdward Lord CC OBECity of [email protected]
Local LeadershipCllr Baroness Cathy BakewellSouth [email protected]
From County Durham (above) toWest Sussex (left) and across thecountry, Liberal Democrats gainedseats from both Labour and Toriesthis May
Improvemnent & InnovationMayor Dave [email protected]
LGA Boards cover all areas of a local authority’s remit and provides guidance to the LGA as it representslocal government in Westminster and advises councils around the country. The members listed belowwere those who served from 2015 - 2017. Reports from lead members are further on in this Annual Report.
Community Well-being BoardCllr Richard Kemp Liverpool [email protected] Doreen Huddart Newcastle [email protected] Lucy Nethsingha (sub) Cambridgeshire [email protected], Tourism & Sport BoardCllr Mike Bell (lead) North Somerset [email protected] Stewart Golton Leeds [email protected] Flick Rea (sub) Camden [email protected], Economy, Housing and Transport BoardCllr Keith House (lead) Eastleigh [email protected] Adele Morris Southwark [email protected] Simon J Galton (sub) Harborough &Leics [email protected] and Young People BoardCllr Liz Green (lead) Kingston [email protected] Chris Coleman Cheltenham & Gloucs [email protected] Jon Hubbard (sub) Wiltshire [email protected] BoardMayor Dave Hodgson (lead) Bedford [email protected] Beath BaNES [email protected] Neighbour (sub) Hart [email protected] and Stronger Communities Board*Cllr Lisa Brett (lead until 03/17)) BaNES [email protected]*Cllr Anita Lower (lead from 04/17) Newcastle [email protected] Daniel Duggan Gateshead [email protected] Chris Coleman (sub) Cheltenham & Gloucs [email protected]* (Note: Cllr Brett resigned her seat in March 2017, Cllr Lower then became lead member and Cllr DanielDuggan was then appointed as the replacement Lib Dem member on the Board)Resources BoardCllr Claire Hudson (lead) Mendip [email protected] Simon Shaw Sefton [email protected] David Brown (sub) Poole [email protected] CommitteeCllr David Neighbour Hart [email protected] Commission (our lead also chairs this commission)Cllr Jeremy Hilton (Lead) Gloucestershire [email protected] Roger Price (sub) Hampshire [email protected] Regions BoardCllr Abigail Bell (Lead) Hull [email protected] Iain Roberts Stockport [email protected] Tim Bick (sub) Cambridge [email protected] & PlacesCllr Heather Kidd (Lead) Shropshire [email protected] Stan Collins Cumbria [email protected] Sarah Osborne Lewes [email protected] David Bill (sub) Hin’kley&Bosworth [email protected] Partnerships (External appointment)Edward Lord CC OBE City of London [email protected] Leadership (External appointment)Cllr Baroness Cathy Bakewell South Somerset [email protected]
Who are the Liberal Democratmembers on LGA Boards?
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The 2017 Local Elections andthe LGA’s Political BalanceAs a cross-party membership organisation, the LGA’s governance isdetermined by the strength of its four political groups.Following the local elections each year, Plymouth University’s ElectionsCentre calculates the proportionality figures using a formula that takesaccount of the number of council seats held by each group and thepopulation and type of authority that they represent.Political Balance of the LGA at the time of calculation for 2017-18 was:CON 43.88% (+3.41%)LAB 38.07% (-1.79%)LIB DEM 9.40% (no change)IND 8.65% (- 1.62%)(Figures in brackets show change from previous year)
This means that the LGA Liberal Democrat Group moves back to being the 3rdlargest group within the Association - and once again means that no grouphas majority control of the LGA.
Seats won in 2017
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Liberal Democrats were elected to 441 seats at this year’s local elections We also gained 33 seats in by-elections between May 2016 and May 2017 Following the local elections in May, we gained the leadership of a further2 councils: Cornwall Council and Hart DC in Hampshire
Liberal Democrats had net gains in the following authorities: County Durham - 5 seats Powys - 4 seats We also had net gains in seats in the following authorities compared to2013: Oxfordshire, Cambridgeshire, Cornwall, Hampshire, Ceredigion,Newport, Norfolk, Leicestershire, Hertforshire, Isle of Wight, Port Talbotand West and East Sussex.
6 of our 7 Liberal Democrat Councillors who were successfully returned toShropshire Council
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Interesting times that we are living through! Whilstwe do not what will happen , it is heartening thatJustine Greening has been reappointed asSecretary of State for Education. Not only is she ‘nota fan’ of grammar schools, but also has been moreopen to talks with the LGA and teaching unions. Itmay, hopefully, also mean more fruitful discussionsbetween the LGA and the DfE.
School funding became a major issue during thegeneral election campaign, so for the ConservativeGovernment to continue to ignore the pressures onschools seems unlikely.
The plan was for the National Schools FundingFormula to be introduced in 2019/20. Under theformula some Council areas would see an increasein funding, whilst others see a decrease – howeverheadlines mask the underlying issues.
Many Councils have had to reduce schools fundingdue to increased pressure of the High Needs blockfunding and increased costs for schools, like NI andinflation, have not been met.
In 2013 the DfE stopped funding the sector ledChildren’s Improvement Board, preferring to controlit themselves.
They have now realised that this is not workingto help Council’s before they are rated asinadequate. If discussions can continue, weshould see some funding returned for sectorled improvements.
The Children and Social Work Bill progressedinto law just before the election was called.
The LGA had some reasonable successes,especially in ensuring that sex and relationshipeducation (SRE) was made compulsory in allsecondary schools. The LGA also won thebattle that Social Work England had greaterstatutory independence and that the SoSshould not be able to amend children’s socialcare legislation in a local authority inintervention without local consent.
There were many other vital work streamshappening over the year, including Childrenand Adolescent Mental Health Services(CAMHS), fostering and permanency, SingleInspection framework and unaccompaniedchildren seeking asylym.
Finally, as I have served 6 years (maximumallowed under group standing orders) as LeadMember for Children and Young People’sboard, there will be a new lead next year. Iwish them good luck.
If you are interested in Education, and notalready a member of the Liberal DemocratEducation Association, please considerjoining.
Any questions please get in contact with me [email protected]
Children andYoung PeopleBoardCllr Liz Green
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MeetingsI have attended all but one meeting of the LGALiberal Democrat Executive - 9th June, 21stJuly (absent family), 15th September, 19th Janand 2nd March.
The Officers’ meetings are held the night beforethe Executive, on a Wednesdayafternoon/evening. 8th June, 20th July (absentfamily), 14th September, 18th January, and 1stMarch (absent full council).
The Group Officers also have regular telephoneconferences which I have taken part in.
OtherI have been consulted about and decided onvarious ad-hoc appointments which are made inconsultation with the Head of Office and otherGroup Officers as appropriate.
Formal businessAttendance and submission of reports withindeadlines are monitored by me and reported tothe executive. Members can see a summary inthis year’s Annual Report.
I am pleased to report continuedimprovement in members submitting reportson time. You will also notice that this year’sreport contains updates from our lead on theLGA Refugee Task and Finish Group, the
Brexit Task and Finish Group and theBusiness Rates Task and Finish Group. TheExecutive highlighted these as importantareas which the wider group membershipmight find of interest. Many thanks toCouncillor Chris White (StAlbans/Hertfordshire) for leading on theRefugee and the Brexit Task and FinishGroups and to Cllr Michael Headley forleading on the Business Rates Task andFinish Group.
As part of the governance review of thenational Party, the Liberal Democrat Groupwas asked to appoint observers to theParty’s Federal Policy Committee and a jointLGA/ALDC representative to the FederalBoard.
We sought nominations from Councillors andappointed Councillor Richard Kemp(Liverpool) as our representative to theFederal Policy Committee, and inconsultation with ALDC, Councillor AnoodAl-Samerai (Southwark) to the FederalBoard.
There have also been two additional taskand finish groups within the LGA, onelooking at Combined Authorities, whichCouncillor Ian Roberts (Stockport) lead on,and the other on LGA Governance, on whichCouncillor Ed Lord (City of London) leads forus. Many thanks to Richard, Anood, Ian andEd for undertaking these additional tasks.
We made a number of amendments to theGroup’s standing orders and electionregulations at our Group AGM in 2016.These will be reviewed each year to keep upwith changes at the LGA corporately and thewish of members. There are a number offurther amendments planned, linked toCombined Authorities and Greater LondonAuthority Assembly Members.
We filled the casual vacancy on the Saferand Stronger Communities Board created byformer Councillor Lisa Brett’s departure tothe USA. Councillor Daniel Duggan(Gateshead) was appointed for theremainder of her term. Many thanks toDaniel for stepping into the vacancy.
I have greatly enjoyed the role of GroupWhip, although much of a Whip’s work is‘under the radar’ and unseen. It has alsobeen immensely frustrating at times as wehave no real sanctions when a privateword/chat fails to work.
Whip’s Report
Cllr Howard Sykes MBE
Whip’s Report (Continued)
I also wish to place on record my thanks andappreciation for the help and support I get fromthe Liberal Democrat Office, Rob and Amy andespecially Terry, in dealing with all matters inconnection with the role and responsibility ofWhip.
This is my final report as Group Whip, as I will behanding over to Councillor Alan Connett (GroupLeader, Devon County Council and also onTeignbridge District Council), who takes on therole.
Contact details:Councillor Howard Sykes MBE,Liberal Democrat LGA Group WhipOffice: Room 343, Level 3, Civic Centre, WestStreet, Oldham OL1 1ULHome: 5 Ballard Way, Shaw, Oldham OL2 8DUT: 0161 770 4016 F: 0161 770 4026E: [email protected]: http://howardsykes.mycouncillor.org.ukMobile and text: 0786 750 7653Twitter: @Howard_SykesFacebook: /Councillor Howard Sykes
Record of Attendees
Note - * indicates the member took part on the phone
* Note - October’s meeting was cancelled and there was no meeting in December, but members were still asked to submit reports
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Community Wellbeing BoardFor Lib Dems the next year will be much the sameas the last. With Norman Lamb back in as MP forNorth Norfolk and Health Spokes we can get on withthe jobs we set ourselves last year.
During the year we:
· Established a Facebook page for about 60 LibDem Councillors and Parliamentarians lookingat health and social care issues
· Held a fringe meeting at both the Lib DemConferences
· Published a booklet on good practice in publichealth, “Building Healthy Communities”
· Held Lib Dem Group meetings at the ADASSconference
· Spoke at a whole range of conferences bothas Lib Dem Spokespersons and on behalf ofthe LGA as a whole.
The challenges we campaigned and spokeabout through the local government family willnot go away. During the election we pledgedthat we would provide £6.1 billion by way ofextra tax for Health and Social Care.
That money is desperately needed but maynot be forthcoming. Local Government needsto enhance its public health offer to stoppeople becoming ill and our social care offer toget people out of hospital and back into theirown communities and homes quickly.
We tried last year to provide not just adistinctive Lib Dem view of these activitieswhich largely involved more local decisionmaking but also just a view of what is possibleif we accept the tasks needed to deal with theproblems with energy. The Lib Dem counciland parliamentary teams must aspire to do thesame next year.
In Norman we have a first class spokespersonand have tried to back him. He is one of themost popular MPs in the health and socialcare field. It is our job as councillors tocontinue to back him to the hilt.
Richard Kemp CBE,LGA Lib Dem Spokesperson 2015/[email protected]
Community WellbeingBoard
Cllr Richard Kemp CBE
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This year, Liberal Democrats on the Culture,Tourism and Sport Board have continued to helpto shape the national political agenda and madedecisive interventions on priority issues.
We have continued to work closely with SportEngland on the delivery of their strategy‘Towards An Active Nation 2016-2021’ to ensurethat councils and local partners are central totheir plans to tackle inactivity, and to re-balancefunding away from national organisations andtowards local bodies.
We've also pressed the LGA to strengthen itsstrategic links with a number of bodies includingthe Football Association and the LondonMarathon Charitable Trust.
Lib Dem Councillors have continued to make anactive contribution to the work of the LibrariesTaskforce, including helping to secure £4 millionfor the Libraries: Opportunities for EveryoneFund.
We have supported the development of a newshared purpose agreement between the LGAand Arts Council England.
We continue to press for a re-balancing ofArts Council funding to all parts of the countryand emphasising that councils and their localpartners are well placed to lead a step-change in cultural participation.
Jointly with the Economy, Environment,Housing and Transport Board the Board, wesuccessfully influenced DCMS to openapplications for bidding for the UK host ofEuropean Capital of Culture 2023, givingcouncils certainty over the process.
We are also working within the LGA tosupport the Women's Local GovernmentSociety (WLGS) and BuckinghamshireCounty Council to deliver a national project tomark the centenary of women's suffrage in2018.
We have continued to have a closerelationship with tourism leaders and havequizzed Viscountess Penelope Cobham CBEfrom VisitEngland, Patricia Yates fromVisitBritain and Kurt Janson from the TourismAlliance on tourism issues.
I was also pleased to take part in a number ofLeadership Essentials events on culture andsport this year. Since these innovative eventswere launched, more than 500 councillorshave benefited from in-depth discussions anddevelopment on culture and sport.
I’d like to put on record my thanks to our LibDem team on the Board, Stewart Galton(Member) and Flick Rea (sub), for theircontinued interest, support and engagement.
Culture, Tourismand Sport BoardCllr Mike Bell
Housing and Planning have dominated the work ofthe Economy Environment Housing and TransportBoard this year and look set to do so again for 2017-18.
Adele Morris and I have split much of the Board’swork between us and I want to put on record mythanks to Adele for work with the Planning AdvisoryService and at events.
The LGA’s Housing Commission sought to set outlocal government’s case for building more homes tomeet need and to give councils a stronger role indelivery.
It helped build the case to push back some of thegovernment’s more divisive housing policies such asforced sale of higher value homes and mandatoryrents for higher income tenants.
It also trailed the LGA’s offer of Peer Reviews onHousing for councils looking to take an active role indevelopment for social rent, market rent and sale.
The Housing White Paper’s launch showed amovement away from government’s fixation onhome ownership but as we argued was largelytinkering around the edges of the planningsystem, failing to meet the opportunity to helpcouncils achieve the homes we need or toremove the borrowing cap for those councilswith Housing Revenue Accounts.
In advance of the White Paper we ran our ownsurvey of Lib Dem Council planning leads witharound 80 replies.
This demonstrated the need to update our ownapproach to planning policy. Work had startedon this before the local elections but was puton hold due to the General Election.
This needs to be a priority as our housingambition is higher than our enthusiasm to willthe planning means.
We backed Cathy Bakewell’s amendment tothe Buses Bill seeking concessionary travel forunder 18s which, like an attempt to open upbus franchising powers to non-Mayoralauthorities and seeking devolution of BusServices Operators Grant to councils, failed togain government support.
Elsewhere: on energy we supported LizGreen’s campaign condemning restrictions onfinancial gain to state schools from solarenergy installations, on traffic have raised theissue of non-London councils being able toissue fixed penalties for moving traffic offencesand have started a review on recycling targets.
A busy, challenging, frustrating yet rewardingyear.
Environment, Economy,Housing and TransportBoardCllr Keith House
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The changing nature of Local Governmentsupports the importance of councils being giventhe help they need to innovate and improve theirperformance. The IIB recognises the need forthis help.
The Board offers improvement assistance, andsets a strategic framework for LGA activitydesigned to help and support councils drive theirown improvement and strengthen localaccountability and transparency.
Our objectives include the delivery of aneffective programme of sector-led support.
PrioritiesThe Board agreed 5 priorities
· Leadership
· Improvement
· Accountability & Transparency/ sharing practice
· Productivity & Efficiency
· Innovation
These priorities shape the improvement offeredto the sector and discussions with the DCLG onthe Memorandum of Understanding (MoU).
The final end of year position on deliverables issummarised below (Source: MoU 2016/17)
Agreement has been reached with DCLG aboutthis year’s MoU with an agreed total grant of £21million, £400,000 less than 2016/17.
Highlighting Leadership Offer – forms part ofthe wider package of sector-led improvement.The six main programmes had 649 bookings(latest figures for 2016/17) with the uptake byLiberal Democrats and total number of placesshown in the brackets:
Leadership Academy [9/105], LeadershipEssentials [23/369], Focus on Leadership[17/89], Leader’s Programme [1/9], NextGeneration [14/63] and Leading Edge [0/14]
Productivity Programme – encompasses arange of projects to help improve productivity andefficiency. The programmes fall into threeheadings: Transforming Services; SmarterSourcing; Generating Income.
Independent Evaluation of Corporate PeerChallengeAn evaluation of the Corporate Peer Challenge(CPC) programme was completed by The Centrefor Local & Regional Government Research atCardiff University. The evaluation reveals thatCPC remains a highly effective tool at the heartof the Sector-Led Improvement programme, hasa positive impact for participating councils andthe sector as a whole, and provides value formoney. The report stresses the importance of theCPC’s evolution, and identifies areas for furtheradvances.
Performance SupportPerformance support is part of the work of theBoards’ political leads. Councils facingchallenges receive regular assistance withfurther support discussed/investigated. Children’sSocial Service still accounts for the majority ofsupport undertaken.
Improvement andInnovation BoardMayor Dave Hodgson MBE
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Total Green Amber Red
Deliverables 50 48 2 0
Key themes from the Resources Board 2016-17:
Workforce• Review of the National Joint Council pay spine -
many councils are feeling the pressure on salariesat the lower end of the pay spine as the MinimumWage/ Living Wage catch up with it.
• Sleeping-in payments
Finance• The 2017/18 finance settlement contained
changes to funding streams, including a reductionin the New Homes Bonus to pay for a one yearonly Adult Social Care Support Grant. This is notnew money and not a solution given the scale ofthe funding crisis. The New Homes Bonus hasbeen restricted to over 0.4% growth which willaffect shire district authorities and those with lowerhousing growth. The social care precept has beenincreased to 3% in 2017/18 and 2018/19 butcannot exceed 6%.
• The cost of adult social care continues to bea big concern, particularly with the retentionof Non Domestic Rates in the pipeline.District councils are worried that the top sliceof this amount for Adult Social Care couldmean that there is little benefit to retention.
• The Fair Funding Review looking at themethodology used to measure the relativeneed to spend on local services by councils.
EU Funding - key issues in 2016-17The Resouces Board has set up an EUFunding Working Group looking at:
• The Resources Board contribution todeveloping a new legal base for localgovernment
• Securing the current funding to 2020
• Post EU Exit Domestic Regional Aid. Thefirst phase will stress the need for asuccessor to EU Regional Aid based oncase study evidence.
Welfare ReformA report was commissioned in early 2016 onthe ongoing impact of welfare reform. Theresearch supported the need for a local safetynet and support for claimants with additionalneeds:
• Councils continue to express concerns thatsome households are struggling to managethe changes and absorb reductions toincome.
• Rising housing costs, diminishing supplies ofsocial housing, low wages and insecureemployment are further constrainingpeople’s ability to cope and placing pressureon a wide range of council services.
• Those most impacted by welfare reform arelow income in work claimants.
ResourcesBoard
Cllr Claire Hudson
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This report is the first following the resignation ofLisa Brett from the Safer Stronger CommunitiesBoard (SSCB). May I extend my thanks to Lisafor all of her hard work.
I would like to thank Councillor Daniel Dugganfrom Gateshead who stepped in to cover for thefinal meeting of the year.
The board has two Liberal Democrats, sevenconservatives, seven Labour and twoIndependents. The Liberal Democrats have twomain issues to champion, tackling abuse andexploitation and tackling Anti-Social Behaviour(ASB).
Lisa was working with Barnardos in partnershipwith the LGA and they have established aNational FGM Centre with links to several otherlocal authorities; however this project now hasfunding issues and is currently under threat.Talks are continuing with Government and HealthService providers to try and continue the work.Lisa was chair; Labour now want to take thechair, however they have agreed to myrepresenting the Liberal Democrats on theboards.
Over the past twelve months the board hasdiscussed a number of issues. In February wemet with representatives of the National WaterSafety Forum representatives to coordinate our
lobbying of the Home Office to improve access andthe content of the Water Incident Database (WAID).They have been unable to find a session for this at theLGA conference but hope to have a workshop in theinnovation zone.
We have contributed to the discussions in the Houseof Commons on modern slavery, including extendingthe regulations to small and medium sized businesses.Following a presentation to the SSCB in January bythe Anti-Slavery Commissioner we are in discussionwith his office about publishing guidance for councilsabout modern slavery.
We have been working with the Surveillance CameraCommissioner to help raise the standards of CCTVuse in England and Wales. We are also in discussionwith Big Brother Watch about body worn camerasbeing used to tackle littering, dog fouling, parkinginfringements or recycling and what is proportionate.
We have held a number of events in relation to TaxiLicensing across the country where we havediscussed cross border working, supporting disabledaccess and child sexual exploitation.
We are continuing to press for localisation of licensingfees and licensing regulations to be more relevant tolocal areas. I have met with MP’s and studentrepresentatives from across the country to discussASB and whether students are the perpetrators or thevictims.
I spoke to the all parliamentary working group who arelooking into the effects of gambling and the impact ofBetting Shops on the High Street. We discussedFixed Odds Betting Terminals and the GamblingGuidance which was compiled from our meetings withthe industry.
PREVENT Champions Network Roundtable chaired byBen Wallace Minister of State for Security, to look athow members can be more engaged with PREVENTand how they can be supported.
Liberal Democrat SSCB priorities:
1. To emphasise the preventative work beingundertaken by councils in tackling crime and anti-social behaviour, and highlight the cost benefits ofthis work to the public purse.
2. To ensure that no additional burden of responsibilityfalls upon councils without the appropriate additionalresources.
3. To promote Liberal Democrat values at eachopportunity.
Safer and StrongerCommunities BoardCllr Anita Lower
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I have continued to chair the LGA Fire ServicesManagement Committee for a third year. It has beena very busy time with various meetings being heldwith Home Office civil servants and governmentministers. Cllr. Roger Price has been the Lib Demnamed substitute on the FSMC.
The Policing and Crime Act 2017 received RoyalAssent on 31 January. The Act gives police andcrime commissioners the ability to takeover local fireand rescue services. We blocked this legislationduring the coalition. A number of Police & CrimeCommissioners have accepted a £100,000 grantfrom the Home Office to employ consultants toprepare business cases for takeover bids.
The LGA secured a number of changes to the Act asit progressed through parliament. We helped tostrengthen the consultation that PCCs will have toconduct to progress their plans to take over fire, theywill have to consult local residents, local authoritiesand any employees who would be affected by thetransfer, including both fire and policing employees.
There will also be an additional requirement for thePCC to publish a summary of the views of the
employees consulted, and PCCs will also haveto publish a response to the representationsand views they have received on theirproposals to transfer governance.
In cases where there is local opposition to thetransfer of governance, an independentassessment will be made of the proposals,which the Secretary of State will publish.
The LGA has also worked closely with theHome Office on aspects of reform to the fireand rescue service, such as the introduction ofan inspection regime, which we have arguedshould be proportionate.
We are also working to update our peer reviewoffer so that it complements the newinspection regime.
The Home Office also want the service to drivecommercial transformation across the sector,on issues such as procurement as well asencouraging greater collaboration.
The LGA published its report at the FireConference on “An Inclusive Service” whichaims to improve equality and diversity within aTwenty-First Century Fire and Rescue Service.
Finally, a Fire Reform Board has been set upbetween the LGA and the National Fire Chief’sCouncil, which I chair.
Fire Services
Cllr Jeremy Hilton
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The City Regions Board has met six times sincethe mid-term report in May 2016.
The focus of the past year has been onemployment and skills to further growth ineconomic areas.
To this end the City Regions Board has beeninvolved in the development of the RSAInclusive Growth Commission.
Additionally, work has now started on a sub-national trade and investment policy.
The City Regions Board is now working with theIPPR into research on ‘Devolution, LocalGovernment and Gender Representation.
There has also been joint working with thePeople and Places Board on the LeadingPlaces agenda which is looking at therelationship between councils and universities.
Following the EU Referendum in June 2016, theCity Regions Board has been pushing tounderstand what implications there will be onlocal government and devolution.
On the direction of the Board, the LGA developedthe Devolution Hub which can be found atwww.local.gov.uk/topics/devolution.
This is a one-stop shop for local government on allthe issues concerning devolution.
Working with the LGA Lib Dem office, a survey of LibDem leaders was conducted to understand how theDevolution agenda was impacting Lib Dem groups,particularly as we are in opposition in many Councilswhich now have devolution deals.
With new mayors elected this May, a piece of work isplanned to understand what the impact on day today decision making is in local Councils which havethis new layer of governance.
I would like to take this opportunity to thank Terry,Rob and Amy in the Lib Dem LGA Group Office fortheir support this year and also Cllrs Iain Robertsand Tim Bick who have been part of our team on theCity Regions Board.
City Regions Board
Cllr Abi Bell
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This has been a busy year both in the Board andwith external work.
The Board.
Much of the work has revolved around the falteringDevolution bids, employment and skills and digitalconnection. Both continue into the new Board fromJuly onwards.
The visit from the Chief Exec of OFCOM wasparticularly helpful and made it clear that SharonWhite had a real understanding of the limitations ofBT’s roll out of Broadband, the Contractual issueswith the public and mobile phone coverage.
She was working on enhanced powers and andhaving OFCOM fines repatriated from Governmentto be applied to enhancing services. We live in hopethat this is carried out.
The Skills and Employment report has now beenfinalised and is to be tabled at the June meeting.This is long but some useful stuff in it.
The Rural Policy working group - I haveChaired - has met and gathered evidence overthe last months. This was well on the way to itslast evidence session and being tidied up forAutumn Conference. Consultation took placeat the 2017 Spring Conference.
This was well attended and some usefulinformation came forward. Areas coveredincluded Broadband and mobile signal,housing, coastal areas, deprivation, economicdelivery, agriculture and more besides.
The team have worked on rural transport andBroadband delivery specifically . We have metwith Baroness Kate Parminter when possibleand liaised with Mark Williams, then MP forCeredigion.
The General Election has halted the workwhich will be recommencing as soon aspossible and will now be put forward toConference in the Spring.
It will enable more evidence to be taken andupdated in the light of Brexit - possibly!
Vital parts of the existing work were fed intothe manifesto for the election.
We are also now looking at putting forward arural motion to the Autumn Conference tofocus on rural issues which are frequentlyoverlooked.
The challenge for next year is to make theBoard much more rural and much less thebalancing Board for the City Regions Boardsharing much of its paper work.
Heather
Heather Kidd
Shropshire Councillor for Chirbury & Worthen
EastvilleChirburySY15 6BH
Tel: 01938 561651Mobile: 07980 635518
People andPlaces Board
Cllr Heather Kidd
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Covers period September 16 to June 17
Executive summaryA great deal of support has been deliveredduring the past 12 months across the country toour council groups, group leaders and councilleaders. Any Group or group leader canrequest support, whether it’s for future planning,dealing with difficult issues within the council ormentoring, to develop skills, or simply be asounding board.
We have two lead members, Councillor HowardSykes (Oldham MBC) and Councillor AlanConnett (Devon County Council andTeignbridge District Council). They worktogether and with both ALDC and the LGALiberal Democrat team to support ourcouncillors nationally.
Federal September Conference (Brighton)Howard and Alan attended. Three formaltraining sessions were run: Effective WardCouncillor - getting the balance right betweencampaigning, community and the council; Usingthe Council to Campaign; and TimeManagement and how not to be a slave to youremail.
There were a number of one-to-ones with key groupleaders/deputies and we also based ourselves atother times on the LGA/ALDC stand to provide helpand support as required.
ALDC Kickstart – September and NovemberAlan attended the September Kickstart event as amentor to support ALDC. Howard attended theNovember Kickstart also as part of the ALDC team.Both Howard and Alan will be supporting the JulyKick-Start (7-9) 2017.
LGA Conference 17Howard and Alan will be attending.
Peers PoolAt long last the LGA has accepted the need togather Peers together for a conference which washeld on 8 September in Birmingham. Another isalready planned for 6 September 2017 inManchester.
We have refreshed our Peer Pool on a couple ofoccasions since the last AGM.
We have also issued a number of email newslettersto the Peer Pool this year in an attempt to keepcolleagues better informed and more involved.
LGA Improvement and Innovation Board (I&IB)and Performance Support Panel (PSP)
Howard as National Lead continues to attend boththe above meetings.
Team work and the wider local governmentfamily and party
Alan and Howard continue to co-ordinate their workthrough formal and timetabled phone conferences inaddition to very regular informal contact.
They also use conferences (when face to face) asan opportunity to forward plan their work ensuring itis aligned to both the LGA Group’s objectives andthose of ALDC (and keep the corporate LGA happyas well!).
Lib Dem RetainedPeers ReportCllr Howard Sykes
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Howard meets regularly with ALDC’s CX TimPickstone and both he and Alan work closely withALDC’s team, especially their regional supportofficers.
Howard and Alan continue to co-ordinate theirholidays and leave (as far as is possible) so one ofthem is always available.
Lead Member contact detailsHoward Sykes (National) E:[email protected];T: 0161 770 4016; M: 07867 507 653.Alan Connett (Regional) E:[email protected];T: 01626 638102 M: 07843 013 705 (no mobilesignal at home).
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Details are in regular Executive reports.
Groups/Councils directly helped andsupported, details are in the regularExecutive reportsBath and North East Somerset (BaNES);Cumbria;Eden;South Lakes;Devon;York;Pendle;Lancashire;Mendip;Cheltenham;Milton Keynes;Three Rivers;Colchester,Elmbridge;Walsall;West Dorset;Stockport;Warrington;Suffolk;Cotswold;Torbay;South Somerset;West Somerset and Taunton Deane;Hart;Uttlesford;Kirklees;Cornwall.
Other work Peers have been suppliedforLeadership Essentials Health andWellbeing;Maidstone;Cornwall;North Devon;Devon;Central Beds;Eastbourne Planning workshop;Leadership Essentials on Culture;Facilitator briefing session forIntegration Tool (health/social care);Sutton communications review;Elmbridge coalition workshop;Mansfield Corporate Peer Challenge;Evaluation of the Corporate PeerChallenge Programme (unpaid);Birmingham political nous;Winchester Corporate Peer Challenge;Oadby and Wigston Corporate PeerReview;Brighton and Hove peer challenge;South Somerset peer challenge;Colchester Homes;Elmbridge;Cardiff;Taunton Deane and West Somerset;Maidstone;Hart;Watford.
Groups/Councils directly helped andsupported via Peer Support
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The Liberal Democrats are represented on the DCNMember Board by myself as one of the DistrictCouncil Network’s 3 Vice Chairs and Cllr RicPallister.
The DCN taken forward many initiatives over the lastyear including
- A new All Party Parliamentary Group for DistrictCouncils has been established, chaired by MarkPawsey MP. The APPG has hit the ground runningand has conducted an Inquiry in relation tocollaboration and devolution which sawrepresentations from over 70 councils as well as fourhigh profile oral evidence giving sessions with inputfrom District Councils and MPs alike. The Report willbe launched on the 12 July at the House ofCommons
- The DCN also hosted its first NationalConference on the 2-3 February ‘District DeliveringGrowth’ that over 180 people attended. This highprofile and successful two day event featured twoSecretaries of State. Cllr Ric Pallister took part in apanel discussion on housing and Cllr Chris Whitespoke on a panel regarding Brexit and the impact fordistrict councils.
The DCN has lobbied on various issues - andhad success in influencing government - inparticular in terms of the Planning andHousing Bill and the Housing White paper.
Specific examples of this include:� preventing the privatisation of
planning departments and securingan uplift in planning fees (to beconfirmed)
� calling for greater fiscal freedomsand compulsory purchase orderpowers in relation to housing
� raising strong concerns about thereduction in the new homes bonus
The DCN has also lobbied on:� Shaping the reform of business
rates for example by agreeing andsetting out a collective set ofprinciples for business rates withCCN and RSN
� Clarity over the DFG funding innational guidance as it relates todistrict councils
� Providing tailored briefings on awide range of issues andresponding to over 20consultations. This includes theHousing White Paper (whichincluded a policy seminar at whichCllr Ric Pallister updated membersfollowing his chairing of the DCNHousing task and finish group), theIndustrial Strategy and businessrates, as well as responding tofiscal announcements such as thelocal government financesettlement and the budget.
DistrictCouncilsNetworkCllr Paul Smith
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CCN is a network of 37 County Councils andUnitary authorities that serve county areas.
CCN is a cross party organisation whose viewscarry particular weight for a large proportion ofthe country outside the big conurbations: its 37member councils, with over 2,500 Councillors,serve 25 million people or 47% of the population,over 44 thousand square miles or 86%of England.
CCN is a member led organisation, and workson an inclusive and all party basis. CCN Counciland Executive Committees include Councillorsfrom each of our member authorities.
The Liberal Democrats are represented on theCCN by a dedicated group of elected membersfrom across the country and I am currently theGroup Leader and Vice-Chair of the CCN.
In the past year the CCN has lobbied centralgovernment on a number of issues includinglocal government funding, social care, schoolsfunding and county governance.
The CCN is currently running a major campaignidentifying the importance of County Council’sand the social and economic benefits of them.
There is a dedicated website,http://www.yourcountymatters.org.uk, whichexplores this in more details and is well worthvisiting.
Part of the campaign for fairer funding forcounties highlights the discrepancy betweenfunding for Counties against Met Boroughs andLondon, with London councils receiving £550 perhead for key services, the Mets receiving £407per head and Counties receiving just £249 perhead for those same services.
If you would like to know more about the CCN orare interested in attending the CCN Council orCCN Exec meetings please do get in touch.Cllr Jon HubbardLib Dem Group Leader, [email protected] 807969
County CouncilsNetworkCllr Jon Hubbard
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The Brexit Task and Finish Group met on Friday 16June.
Government capacityThere is now a new second Permanent Secretary atthe Department for Exiting the European Union toimprove capacity. You will also have seen pressreports that hundreds of civil servants are now beingtransferred from other departments. This willobviously slow down other government activities.
Where next?The General Election certainly did not clarifymatters. It is no longer clear whether there is goingto be a hard or soft Brexit. The Government needsto get 8 bills through parliament with no majority(and questionable support from the DUP).
Business groups have been lobbying hard over thesingle market and the customs union and thenegotiating hand in Brussels is weaker than ever.Idiot noises from the likes of Davies and Johnsononly serve to muddy the waters.
The Queen’s Speech offered no real clue as to theGovernment’s intentions, on this or any other issue.
Constitutional rightsLocal government has certain constitutionalrights in relation to legislation emanating fromthe EU. In particular this is exercised by theCommittee of the Regions, which has shapedlegislation in the past. These rights arepotentially lost under Brexit and the LGA, andequivalent bodies like CoSLA and NILGA, willneed to seek new mechanisms.
One possible plus is the revival of the Board ofTrade with regional representation. But, asever with the current Government, it is unclearwhether this will really have any meaning.
The LGA’s current stanceThe issues facing local government need to beplaced in the public domain, e.g. througharticles in the Economist.
The economic role of ‘rural’ areas (for thesepurposes counties) is potentially underplayedin the UK. CCN research has provided usefulbacking for a stance which emphasises theimpact on some key but overlooked drivers ofthe economy.
A great deal needs to be done to securereplacement funding and to make sure it goesto local government rather than LEPs.
Detailed papersThe T+F group considered a raft of papers onthe impact of Brexit on certain areas, both interms of risks and opportunities. Unfortunatelythese were all crafted on the basis of a hardBrexit and a clear Conservative majority andso now have to be revisited, not least to avoidthe LGA looking as though it supported hardBrexit. So far we have been shown papers on:
� EU public procurement rules
� State Aid rules
� Transport
� Employment Law relating tolocal government
� Consumer protection
� Local government finance
� Environmental protection, wasteand planning
The group offices are to be asked to look atthese in detail.
Brexit Task andFinish Group
Cllr Chris White
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The Task & Finish group was set up in April2016 with the intention initially of holding 4meetings over the next 4 months.
The intention of the group is to inform the workthat the LGA is undertaking on 100% businessrates retention.
Meetings have continued beyond the initialperiod, although there has been a pause withthe General Election. I am the sole LiberalDemocrat on the group.
The group has considered all the key elementsof the scheme, although work on some aspectsis more advanced than on others.
This has included:* Transfer of grants and new responsibilities* Types of reset (full and/or partial)* Fair Funding review* Impact of revaluation* Business Rates appeals
One of the areas of most debate so far hasbeen the consideration of resets under thenew scheme.
There is an inbuilt tension between encouragingand rewarding business rates growth and at thesame time matching resources to need.
This has led to the compromise around partialresets – where funding is brought back to aneeds based baseline at intervals whilstallowing growing authorities to keep some oftheir growth above that baseline.
However, I argue that this is only sustainableover the long term with full needs based resetsat longer intervals.
The Fair Funding review is at an earlier stagebut fundamentally will be crucial for thedistribution of funding across authorities.
Business Rates Taskand Finsh GroupCllr Michael Headley
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The Liberal Democrat Group office provides direct support and advice to Liberal Democratcouncil groups and councillors whilst also acting as the day-to-day voice of the LiberalDemocrats within the LGA.
We currently have three full-time members of staff. Terry Stacy, the head of office, Rob Banksand Amy Haldane all have experience as Liberal Democrat Councillors.
We help the Group to achieve their political objectives within the LGA and the party, workingclosely with LGA officers, Liberal Democrat HQ, our parliamentarians in both the House ofCommons and House of Lords and with our colleagues at the Association of Liberal DemocratCouncillors with whom we organise joint events as well as sessions and fringes at both springand autumn party conferences.
In addition to supporting the LGA Liberal Democrat Group we are also the first port of call forLiberal Democrat councillors in relation to a variety of policy, governance or legal issues.
We do weekly joint emails with ALDC to all councillors and ALDC members on a range ofissues, news from the Liberal Democrats, local government news, good practice from councilgroups and councillors, highlight lobbying successes and details of events for councillors andcampaigners. We also use twitter to keep our followers up to date, follow us on@libdemlocalgov.
Terry - [email protected] - Head of the Group Office - Terry isresponsible for the operation of the LGA Liberal Democrat Group. He alsoprovides specific support on housing, welfare, fire and culture.020 7664 3295
Rob – [email protected] – Political Adviser – provides support for:environment; economy and transport; community well-being; and safercommunities0207 664 3204
Amy – [email protected] – Political Assistant – provides supportfor children and young people; culture tourism and sport in addition toimprovement /peer work and group elections/appointments.0207 664 3293
The LGA Liberal Democrat Group Office
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Published by the Liberal Democrat Group at the Local Government Association, 6th Floor, Local Government House, Smith Square, London, SW1P 3HZ.
Winning the Watford WayAs this booklet reveals, Watford’s teamhave had their highs and lows and therehave been many lessons learned.
Building healthy communitiesThis booklet is about public health.
There is so much that can be and isbeing done by every council in the country.
Stand for what you believe in:be a Liberal Democrat councillor!Lib Dem councillors have long been animportant democratic voice for the party.Our well-worn mottos of ‘working hard allyear round' and ‘success you can see'really mean something to the communitieswe represent.
Are you under 30?Could you be a
Liberal Democrat councillor?The LGA Lib Dem Group, working with the
Association of Lib Dem Councillors andLiberal Youth, have produced a booklet
for young people thinking of getting involvedas a Lib Dem Councillor.
Publications available on our website include...
www.local.gov.uk/lga-libdem-group/our-publications
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Contact Us
Liberal DemocratGroup OfficeLocal GovernmentAssociationLocal Government HouseSmith SquareLondon SW1P 3HZ
020 7664 3235
www.libdemgroup.lga.gov.uk/
@libdemlocalgov
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