Role descriptions for LGA Chair, Vice and Deputy Chairs

2023/24 Meeting Year

Each year the LGA General Assembly elects a chair, vice and deputy chairs. The chair of the Association is elected from the largest group and the senior vice chair from the second largest group. The vice chairs are the group leaders of the LGA’s four political groups – Conservative, Labour, Liberal Democrat and Independent – and the deputy chairs are nominated by the groups in order to achieve political proportionality. Together, the chair, vice and deputy chairs make up the Board of Directors of the LGA, which is known as the LGA Board.

The Board as a whole is responsible for the management and stewardship of the LGA and for ensuring that it meets its objects, powers and functions as set out in the company Articles of Association. Letters of appointment sent each year following the General Assembly set out the specific responsibilities and liabilities under company law.

The chair, vice and deputy chairs also provide political leadership and direction to the LGA. Whilst one of the founding principles of the Association is the recognition of the right of each group to establish its own position, the role of its office holders is to seek to work to a consensus wherever possible. 

Chair of the Association

Accountabilities

• To chair meetings of the LGA Board (the Board of Directors of the LGA company), General Assembly, Executive Advisory Board and the Councillors’ Forum, ensuring that they operates in accordance with the Articles of Association and Governance Framework of the Association and the requirements of the Companies Acts where appropriate.  
• To lead the LGA Board to provide strategic direction to the Association, consulting as appropriate with the Executive Advisory Board and the chief executive and taking into account the best use of resources.
• To be the principal political spokesperson for the Association and for local government as a whole, leading debates on key public policy issues of the day, undertaking media interviews, and making speeches at appropriate events, acting in liaison with the leaders of the four political groups.
• To be the principal representative of the LGA and of local government as a whole, at meetings with ministers, parliamentarians, partner bodies and others.
• To take the lead at member level in engaging with member authorities, including undertaking an annual programme of visits on behalf of the Association to member councils and partner bodies.
• To undertake a range of activities including hosting events and delegations, making visits, writing articles, participating in peer challenges and making presentations, ensuring that the role is visible and recognised across the sector, with government, with partners and in the media.
• To manage, in conjunction with the chief executive and the company secretary of the LGA, any issues arising as a consequence of directors failing to meet their obligations under company law, including conflicts of interest, non-attendance at board meetings or sharing of confidential information.

Travel and expenses

The role will require attendance at meetings in London and in other parts of the country.

Reasonable travel and subsistence costs incurred in the discharge of the Chair’s duties will be paid by the LGA.

Remuneration

Given the demands of the Chair’s role, he/she may opt to increase his/her days from the minimum required 24.5 hours per week to 31.5 hours per week. In this instance, the basic Chair’s Responsibility Allowance will be increased pro rata, subject to the prior approval of the Chair of the Independent Remuneration Panel. The Chair may not undertake other remunerated work with the LGA. The Chair is required to complete a Register of Interest form and to update it annually, or when his/her circumstances change.

Chair of the LGA: £64,317 / £82,151

Expected time: 24.5 hours per week / 31.5 hours per week

Vice Chairs of the Association

Accountabilities

• As a director on the LGA Board, to contribute to the development of the strategic direction of the LGA in consultation with the Executive Advisory Board and the chief executive, taking into account the best use of resources.
• To attend and contribute at meetings of the General Assembly, LGA Board, Executive Advisory Board and the Councillors’ Forum.
• To work with, and if appropriate deputise for, the Chair, as principal representative of the LGA.
• As a director of the Association, to be active in advancing the interests and policies of the Association through public comment, debate and participation in meetings, conferences and other events.
• To lead political engagement with member councils under the control of the group to ensure that they understand the benefits of, and remain in, membership.
• To clear and comment on draft positions, papers and media releases within often demanding timescales or to arrange alternative clearance procedures when not personally available.
• To develop and maintain effective relations with the political party at national, regional and member authority level.
• To provide leadership to the political group and be responsible for progressing LGA policies within the group and for the activities of the political group office.
• To ensure positions on LGA structures and external bodies are filled in line with requirements of proportionality and timing and to liaise with the group’s appointments on those structures to ensure the proper conduct of the LGA’s affairs.
• To undertake a range of activities, including regular visits to councils and groupings of councils, writing articles and making speeches on the work of the LGA, providing peer support and mentoring to individual councillors and groups of councillors and ensuring the role is visible and recognised in the group and in the sector as a whole.
• To encourage councils in membership to undertake a peer challenge.  =

Travel and expenses

The roles will require attendance at meetings in London and in other parts of the country.

Reasonable travel and subsistence costs incurred by the Vice-Chairs of the Association in the discharge of their duties will be paid by the LGA.

Remuneration

Leader of the second largest group (Senior Vice-Chair): £45,137

Leader of the largest group (Vice-Chair): £38,952 

Leader of the third largest group (Vice-Chair): £38,952 

Leader of the smallest Group (Vice-Chair): £32,769

Expected time commitment: 14 – 21 hours per week

LGA Vice-Chairs are permitted to carry out additional paid formal peer work, up to a maximum of 10 days per year.  They are required to complete a Register of Interest form and to update it annually, or when an individual’s circumstances change.

Deputy Chairs of the Association

Accountabilities

• As a director on the LGA Board, to contribute to the development of the strategic direction of the LGA in consultation with the Executive Advisory Board and the chief executive, taking into account the best use of resources.
• To attend and contribute at meetings of the General Assembly, LGA Board, Executive Advisory Board and the Councillors’ Forum.
• As a director of the Association, to be active in advancing the interests and policies of the Association through public comment, debate and participation in meetings, conferences and other events.
• To develop and maintain effective relations with the relevant political party at national, regional and member authority level.
• To undertake a range of activities, including regular visits to councils and groupings of councils, writing articles and making speeches on the work of the LGA, participating in peer challenges and ensuring the role is visible and recognised in the group and in the sector as a whole.
• To engage with member councils under the control of the Group to ensure that they understand the benefits of, and remain in, membership.
• To encourage councils in membership to undertake a peer challenge. 

Travel and expenses

The roles will require attendance at meetings in London and in other parts of the country.

Reasonable travel and subsistence costs incurred by the Deputy-Chairs of the Association in the discharge of their duties will be paid by the LGA.

Remuneration

Deputy Chairs of the Association: £9,268 

Expected time commitment: seven hours per week

Deputy Chairs are required to complete a Register of Interest form and to update it annually, or when an individual’s circumstances change.