Workforce

The local government workforce is changing. The number of staff directly employed by councils is likely to decline. There will be more joint working and the skills required will change. Councils will need to manage and motivate their workforce to increase productivity and transform local public services.

We work with councils and their partners to help create a workforce able to respond to major changes within the public sector. Our support is designed to:

• help councils develop a flexible and productive workforce
• ensure an affordable and flexible pay, reward and conditions system for local government
• work with different public sector employers to address the challenges and opportunities in the local workforce.

We have a key role in providing the main interface between employers and trade unions for consultation and negotiations on:

• pay
• pensions
• workforce issues and advice; and
• social partnership.

The employment groups within our remit include:

• local government staff
• teachers
• firefighters
• police and police support staff.

What we do

Working in consultation with, and on behalf of local authorities, regional employers and other stakeholders, we:

• represent local government employer interests on pay, pensions and employment issues to central government, government agencies, trades unions, and European institutions
• support the employers' sides of the national negotiating bodies
• provide advice and support for councils implementing national pay and conditions agreements
• offer technical advice, information and training on the Local Government Pension Scheme and related matters
• deliver guidance and advice on employment issues including: employment law, sickness absence management, reward systems and structures, health and safety, age discrimination and the workforce implications of procurement

Further information can be found on the Local Government Employers (LGE) website.

LGE website

Latest news

2012 Games

We've published the 'LGA 2012 Games guidance for employers' and the 'London Councils' employers' guide to the Games' in the Culture, Toursim and Sport section of our website.

Alongside this we've also published the Local Government Employee Fitness Challenge – for those looking to the Olympic and Paralympic games as an incentive to get fit.

Workforce guidance on the 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games

Public health workforce issues: Local government transition

This transition guidance has been developed by the LGA in consultation with:

• The Local Government Trade Unions (Unison, Unite and GMB)
• NHS Trade Unions and representative groups including BMA and RCN
• A steering group of local authority representatives
• The Department of Health/NHS Employers.

The principles set out in this guidance are designed to be fully in the spirit of the Public Health Human Resources Concordat (which is published below) and sets out the requirements for conduct of the transfer.

Public Health workforce issues: Local government transition (PDF, 36 pages, 197KB)

Public Health Human Resources Concordat

The Public Health Human Resources Concordat has been published. The Concordat has been developed by the Department of Health with NHS Employers and the Local Government Association in partnership with NHS and local government trade unions. It sets out a range of principles and HR standards, for managing the processes involved in the transfer of staff from the NHS to local government and clarifies the agreed arrangement for NHS and local government employers and trades unions in managing this important change.

As the covering letter sets out, the Concordat will be followed by more detailed HR transition guidance for councils, which is being developed by the LGA, councils and trade unions and which will be available in January 2012. Together with communications developed locally by individual PCTs and councils over the coming months, these documents will provide the necessary information, guidance and support for both employers and staff involved. It will help them determine local arrangements which ensure the best possible service to local people.

The Public Health Human Resources Concordat (PDF, 21 pages, 154KB)

The Public Health Human Resources Concordat cover letter (PDF, 2 pages, 63KB)