Group Executive - Group Leader's Comment - 25 January 2019

I asked for the £35 million set aside to assist us with preparing for Brexit to paid in advance, when it was needed, rather than afterwards, and an announcement is expected on Monday. I also raised the issue of bureaucratic arrangements for temporary migrant workers, who are critical to the picking and processing of our food. In answer to a question from Councillor Wayne Davies, Kwasi Kwarting made clear his intention to put a deal to the House, with a solution on the backstop deal about the Irish border.

The Group Executive looks at each Board in turn and this time it was Councillor Bob Jennings who gave an excellent review of his work on the People and Places Board, including directly connecting with the wider membership through his think tank. Councillor Clarence Barrett was representing us on the Brexit Board and his written submission on the work of the complementary City Regions Board was tabled. The work is really interesting and gives you a chance to directly influence what goes on in the LGA and Government. Depending on your council, you may want to join the City Regions or People and Places Think Tank.

As you know, funding from Government grants is being phased out and replaced in part by us being able to keep our own business rates, but shared out between councils. The discussion of what would be a fair way of sharing it out is in full swing now and you can read the LGA response to the Government consultation. Discussion has centred on what criteria to include in the foundation formula to demonstrate how much each council needs. See what you think about the LGA response for all member councils and you may want to check and support your own council's response as well. Please let us know what you think.

Councillor Helen-Ann Smith from Ashfield raised the issue of costs of the new waste strategy, including a weekly food collection and three bins at every property. The strategy identifies new burdens for which we require funding from central government. An update on the strategy was shared in a previous bulletin and the Environment think tank will be asked for its views on the Government’s proposals shortly, with a formal consultation due shortly.

At Leadership Board, we agreed to sign the Modern Slavery Statement which is probably on your council agenda too, and it makes a useful opportunity to encourage your council on some important issues.

At Group Executive, the responses to our consultation on the Group’s constitution were tabled and a report goes to the Executive in March, led by Councillor Alan Seldon.

Our next consultation is on how you would prefer to engage with us and is now live. Please respond to the quick consultation on how we can better support and communicate with you by 31 January and you could be the winner of an Amazon voucher.

We started the year with the priority of increasing engagement with our members, to better understand local issues and how national changes in funding or legislation can help; also to enhance effectiveness of our members making sure they are informed and equipped to contribute fully to their communities, their councils and nationally through the LGA to improve life for our residents.