It’s been a whirlwind of change since the general election – at the LGA, locally, and nationally.
It has been a great honour and privilege to become Chair of the LGA, after my predecessor, Cllr Shaun Davies, stepped down on being elected MP for Telford.
During the election campaign, the LGA was ably and professionally led by our Senior Vice-Chairman, Cllr Kevin Bentley. I would like to thank him and Cllr Davies for their long-standing service and commitment to local government and the LGA. I look forward to continuing to work with Cllr Bentley and the LGA’s other political group leaders – Cllr Bev Craig, Cllr Joe Harris and Cllr Marianne Overton – as we develop the LGA’s relationship with the new Government, and set out local solutions to the national challenges we all face.
You will already have read elsewhere in first about some of our early work in this respect, on special needs education, five-year local housing plans, and employment and skills.
I wrote to Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer immediately after the general election to congratulate him on his appointment, and to set out our sector’s ‘asks’ and its ‘offer’ to help deliver on our shared ambitions.
We were delighted to hear from Deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayner and Jim McMahon, Minister of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, at last week’s meeting of the LGA’s Councillors’ Forum.
The LGA will continue to meet with new ministers over the coming weeks, to evolve and develop our Local Government White Paper proposals to reflect government priorities, and to influence the many new bills coming before Parliament that will impact on the work of councils.
What won’t change is the LGA’s commitment to supporting you, our member councils, as – day in and day out – you continue to deliver the vital local services on which your residents rely.
I look forward to meeting you on my visits to councils and at the LGA’s annual conference in Harrogate on 22-24 October.