It was fantastic to meet so many of you at the LGA’s annual conference, with a record number of Independent Group members attending.
The Independent Group respects diversity of thought of all our members, working together to make the best decisions and to be most effective.
I had useful discussions with Local Government Minister Jim McMahon and Deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayner, which, I hope, signals a better working relationship with government.
Our members continue to have significant concerns about devolution and reorganisation, particularly that Independents and smaller parties start being included collectively.
“We continue to have significant concerns about devolution and reorganisation”
Thank you to Cllr Craig Browne for his moving and important plenary session on Citizens Advice.
Ahead of the Budget, the LGA made the case for money to fill councils’ funding gap of £2.3 billion and £1.3 billion has been put forward in core funding for next year.
There is a little more for potholes, housing, special educational needs, schools and care. But we also got an extra bill for employers’ National Insurance, rising to 15 per cent, and the National Living Wage rise to £12.21 from April 2025.
While we have clarity that staff directly employed by councils won’t be subject to the increase, there could be significant implications, as more than 90 per cent of staff delivering adult and children’s services are contracted or employed by external organisations.
