Agenda and minutes

There were no declarations of interest.

Laurence Meehan, Head of Campaigns and External Communications, introduced a report setting out the key legislation affecting local government in the 2015 Queen’s Speech and providing recommendations for prioritising LGA activity.  :

Decision

The Leadership Board endorsed the suggested priority Bills for the LGA in the 2015/16 parliamentary session.

Action

As set out in the report.                                     

The Leadership Board received a paper setting out the revised proportionality for 2015/16 and its implications for the distribution of seats amongst the political groups.

Decision

The Leadership Board

·         noted the proportionality figures for 2015/16, as the basis for negotiating the allocation of chairs and vice-chairs and populating all member structures;

·         agreed one additional seat per political group on LGA Leadership Board, bringing the total to 16 seats (Cons 6, Lab 6, Ind 2, Lib Dem 2; and

·         agreed one additional seat for the Independent group on People & Places Board, bringing the total to 23 seats (Cons 12, Lab 4, Ind 4, Lib Dem 3)

Action

Political Groups to agree the allocation of places across all LGA structures.

The Leadership Board received a report setting out the proposed format and a draft agenda for the Annual Meeting of the General Assembly.

Decision

The LGA Leadership Board endorsed the proposed format and agenda for this year’s General Assembly.

Action

Officers to progress the arrangements for the General Assembly.

Members received a report setting out those Members of the House of Commons, House of Lords and European Parliament that the LGA Political Groups had invited to be Vice-Presidents for 2015/16, and who the Groups hope to formally appoint following their agreement.

Decision

The Leadership Board noted the appointments made by the Political Groups.

Action

Agreed appointments to be formally reported at the LGA General Assembly.

Claire Holloway introduced a report summarising the purpose of two Ombudsman consultations – A Public Service Ombudsman (Cabinet Office consultation) and Strengthening Parish and Town Council Accountability (DCLG consultation) and setting a draft out a draft response.

In the discussion that followed, Members welcomed the proposals to create a single Public Service Ombudsman but emphasised that, in addition to covering health, housing and local government, the proposals should also cover other publicly funded services such as schools (including academies). They also queried the need for an arbitrary cap on the size of town and parish councils to be covered by the Ombudsman, but emphasised the importance of local resolution wherever possible.

Decision

The Leadership Board endorsed the proposed responses set out in the report, subject to their views.

Action

Revised responses, incorporating Leadership Board’s comments to be submitted to the respective departments.

A representative from the LGA’s external auditors PKF Littlejohn attended for this item.

Stephen Hughes, Executive Director, introduced the report which provided commentary on the accounts and the LGA’s overall performance for the year.  

A briefing note summarising the movements between the Pension Fund Balances for the LGA and IDeA since the last Triennial valuation at March 2013, together with the key reasons for the increase in net liabilities shown in the 2014/15 Financial Accounts, was tabled at the meeting.  In addition the note summarised the key actions being taken to reduce the overall level of deficit. 

In the discussion that followed, members sought further information on the performance of the LGA’s pension fund, invested in the Merseyside and Camden schemes.

Decision

The Leadership Board

·         agreed the LGA’s consolidated accounts for 2014/15;and

·         requested a detailed report to the next meeting on the management of the LGA’s pension funds;

Action

Officers to submit a report on the LGA’s pension funds to the next meeting.

The Leadership Board received a report providing an overview of areas reviewed and work undertaken by the LGA’s Audit Committee in 2014/15.

Decision

The Leadership Board noted the report.

The Board considered the Forward Plan of the Leadership Board, LGA Executive and Councillors’ Forum and requested the addition of the following items:

Leadership Board (July 2015)

Emergency Budget update

LGA Executive (September 2015)

European Funding Distribution (invite Lord Ahmed to attend).

Spending Review

Summary of Devolution Deals

Action

Officers to amend the Forward Plan.

Decision

The Leadership Board agreed the note of the last meeting.

Discussed in private session.