Helping councils innovate for the future
I am incredibly excited to be welcoming many of you to my first LGA annual conference as Chair, in Harrogate.
With the new Government’s Budget a little more than a week ahead, there couldn’t be a more important time to be meeting to discuss the many challenges and opportunities local government faces.
At last year’s event in Bournemouth, my predecessor, Cllr Shaun Davies, announced our plans for a Local Government White Paper, which we launched in June, ahead of the general election. This set out how public services could be delivered faster, better and more efficiently locally, by empowering councils to deliver for their residents. It also called for a new central-local partnership, in which local government can work to its full potential for our people, places and planet.
Since July’s general election, the LGA has been working tirelessly to ensure local government remains at the forefront of the national agenda and to support, promote and improve your work in line with the White Paper’s proposals.
However, the financial pressures facing councils continue to occupy our attention as local leaders, particularly in respect of children’s and adults’ social care, temporary accommodation, and provision for children with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND).
I am proud and humbled by how you, the LGA’s members, have striven to carry out your important responsibilities and services in the face of ever-reducing budgets, higher and more complex demands, and higher costs.
Last week, with the District Councils’ Network, County Councils Network, the Special Interest Group of Municipal Authorities, Core Cities, Key Cities, and London Councils, we wrote to Chancellor Rachel Reeves, warning of the disastrous effect further cuts in council funding would have. In our joint cross-party letter, we emphasised how stabilising the local government sector financially will not only protect vital local services, but will also be critical to the realisation of the Government’s ambitions for economic growth, housing, planning and infrastructure.
While the LGA will continue to press for a better and long-term settlement for councils up to and beyond Budget day on 30 October, I remain optimistic and upbeat about the sector’s ability to continue to deliver for residents, be innovative, and make a difference.
“I remain optimistic and upbeat about the sector’s ability to continue to deliver for residents”
The breadth and depth of what councils already do every day is represented in the many sessions at the LGA’s annual conference and in its Innovation Zone, our ‘ideas hub’ for councils.
How to hit net zero, deliver inclusive growth, tackle anti-social behaviour, improve support for care leavers, facilitate community cohesion, address the digital divide, develop an effective and financially sustainable approach to SEND, tackle health inequalities, build a place-based approach to asylum and resettlement, attract new talent into the local government workforce, prepare for adult social care inspections, address temporary accommodation, reform homicide reviews, secure healthy homes, and tackle fraud, are some of the questions that will be discussed on just the first day!
I hope every delegate will find something of value to take back to their local authority to help continue their improvement journeys, and to better support their people and places.
The LGA will also be using conference to shine a light on the range of work we do on behalf of local government, and the support we provide to the sector.
For example, we will be highlighting our new, centrally funded, national recruitment campaign – developed with councils, the Society of Local Authority Chief Executives and Senior Managers (Solace), and regional employers’ organisations – following a successful trial in the North East. With councils across the UK facing major workforce recruitment and retention issues, ‘Make a difference’ will showcase the wide variety of rewarding careers in local government.
I’m also looking forward to promoting our new assurance framework – an example of how we can lead sector-led improvement ourselves. We have also reached out to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG) to co-create a system of improvement and assurance that places a greater emphasis on sector-led improvement and support, and therefore less need for intervention from government or other bodies.
Local government’s focus on prevention and its innovative use of current funding show that we are proactive problem solvers, delivering better outcomes without always asking for more money, and creating thriving communities and places while supporting the most vulnerable people in society. I look forward to discussing these and many more issues with you in Harrogate.
See you in Harrogate…
The LGA’s Annual Conference and Exhibition 2024 takes place in Harrogate from 22-24 October.
We will be debating the issues that matter to local government, with a host of speakers from across local and national government, other public services, business, media and the third sector.
It’s not too late to book your place. You can also download the conference app via the App Store or Google Play (search for ‘LGA events’). If you are unable to join us, you can follow events on X using #LGAconf24, or online by visiting our website.
In addition to councillors, elected mayors, chief executives and officers from across local government, this year’s conference speakers include:
- Angela Rayner MP, Deputy Prime Minister and Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government
- Richard Fuller CBE MP, Chairman, Conservative Party
- Cllr Vikki Slade MP, Liberal Democrat Spokesperson for Housing, Communities and Local Government
- Fatima Whitbread MBE, retired British Olympian and Ambassador for Action for Children
- Jim McMahon OBE MP, Minister for Local Government and English Devolution
- Kevin Richardson, Mayor, Lake Barrington, Illinois, USA
- Baroness Tanni Grey-Thompson DBE, LGA President
- James Bullion, Interim Chief Inspector of Adult Social Care and Integrated Care, Care Quality Commission
- Nicole Jacobs, Domestic Abuse Commissioner (virtual speaker)
- Ravi Gurumurthy, Chief Executive, Nesta
- Alex Norris MP, Minister for Democracy and Local Growth
- Dame Angela Eagle MP, Minister of State, Home Office
- Baroness Taylor of Stevenage, Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for Housing and Local Government
- Matthew Taylor, Chief Executive, NHS Confederation
- Sally Warren, Director General 10-year health plan, DHSC
- Tony McArdle OBE, Commissioner, MHCLG
- Sarah Calkin, Editor, Local Government Chronicle
- Fiona Howie, Chief Executive, Town and County Planning
- Association
- Leigh Middleton, Chief Executive Officer, National Youth Agency
- Natalie Turner, Deputy Director, Centre for Ageing Better
- Rob Young, Award-winning writer and artist
- Owen Mapley, Chief Executive, CIPFA
- Lord Khan of Burnley, Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, MHCLG (virtual speaker)
- Megan MacLeod, Director, Office of Care Leaver Advocacy
- Sarah Clarke, Co-Chair, National Network of Parent Carer Forums
- Anne Longfield CBE, Founder, Centre for Young Lives
- Emma Richards, Head of Project Development, Carbon Literacy Project
- Jess McGregor, Vice President, Association of Directors of Adult Social Services
- Vicky Davis, Director, Local Government Value for Money, National Audit Office
- Julie Bass, Chief Executive, Turning Point
- Fran Hegyi OBE, Deputy Chair, and Executive Director, Creative Industries Council and Edinburgh International Festival
- Richard Clark MSc BA(Hons), Senior Fire Engineer, Protection, National Fire Chiefs Council
- Graham Vidler, Chief Executive Officer, Passenger Transport UK
- Mark De-Lisser, Founder at Singology Choir, ACM Gospel Choir, The World Choir.
- Please visit our website to join us in Harrogate for the local government event of the year. If you can’t make it, you can follow the conference on social media at #LGAConf24 or online via our website.