LGA Governance


Agenda and minutes

Agenda and minutes

Venue: Westminster Room, 8th Floor, 18 Smith Square, London, SW1P 3HZ. View directions

Contact: Alexander Saul  Email: Alexander.Saul@local.gov.uk / 020 7664 3232

Items
No. Item

1.

Declarations of Interest

Minutes:

 

The Chairman welcomed members to the meeting. There were no declarations of interest.

 

 

 

 

2.

Local Government Preparedness for Brexit pdf icon PDF 141 KB

Minutes:

Cllr Kevin Bentley, Chairman of the LGA Brexit Taskforce, introduced the item. He updated members on the preparedness of local government for Brexit.

 

He outlined the following:

 

·         LGA members had recently attended the Housing, Communities and Local Government Select Committee, to report on councils’ preparedness for Brexit.

·         Post Brexit, the UK would cease to be a member of the Committee of the Regions.

·         Government had assured local authorities that they would have a seat at the table for any future changes to UK legislation which affected them.

 

In the discussion which followed, members made the following points:

 

·         The Welsh Local Government Association shared ambitions to see powers in funding devolved, and any discussion on further changes should involve LGAs in the devolved nations.

 

·         The European Investment Bank had been an important source of grant funding for projects in the South-West of England.

 

·         There were concerns that councils in areas of deprivation would find it difficult after Brexit, owing to lack of funding, particularly as it was felt funding would be centred on areas where match funding had been promised.

 

 

Decision:

 

Members of the Executive considered and agreed the report.

 

Action:

 

Officers to take forward work in line with the comments above.

3.

Business Rates Retention and Fair Funding Review Update pdf icon PDF 156 KB

Minutes:

 

Cllr Richard Watts, Chair of the Resources Board, introduced the item, providing an update on the Fair Funding Review and Business Rates Retention work programmes. He reported that the LGA continued to lobby MHCLG on the amount of money available for councils.

Decision:

Members of the Executive noted the report.

Action:

Officers to proceed with delivery of the LGA work programme on Further Business Rates Retention and the Fair Funding Review as directed.

 

 

4.

2019 Annual Report of the Audit Committee DOTX 133 KB

Minutes:

 

Claire Holloway, Head of Corporate Services, introduced the item. She advised members that the Audit Committee met on the 3 June 2019, highlighting the annual report (Appendix A) which provided an overview of areas reviewed and work undertaken by the committee in 2018/19.

 

 

Decision:

 

The Executive endorsed the 2019 annual report of the Audit Committee.

 

Action:

 

The annual report to be presented at the General Assembly on 2 July 2019.

5.

Local Elections and LGA Political Balance 2019/2020 pdf icon PDF 289 KB

Minutes:

 

Claire Holloway, Head of Corporate Services, introduced the item. She advised members that following the May 2019 election results, the figures for the LGA’s proportionality for 2019/20 have been confirmed. The report set out the revised proportionality and the distribution of seats amongst the political groups on the LGA’s governance structures.

 

In the discussion which followed, members asked that a mistake in Appendix A on the number of Conservative and Labour places on the City Regions Board be corrected.

 

Decision:

 

The Executive endorsed the proportionality figures for 2019/20 meeting year.

 

Actions:

 

1.    The political groups to agree the allocation of places across all LGA structures.

2.    Officers to correct the proportionality of the City Regions Board in Appendix A.

 

 

 

6.

Note of the last Leadership Board meeting - Tabled

Minutes:

 

The Executive noted the minutes of the last LGA Leadership Board.

7.

Note of last LGA Executive meeting pdf icon PDF 174 KB

Minutes:

The Executive noted and agreed the minutes of the last Executive meeting.

 

8.

2019 Spending Review - Update

Minutes:

Cllr Richard Watts, Chair of the Resources Board, introduced the item, highlighting the report provided an update on the LGA’s planned activity ahead of the 2019 Spending Review. He advised members that, while the Government’s plans for the Spending Review are currently uncertain, the LGA would continue to work on the assumption that the 2019 Spending Review will happen and cover three years, while pressing for certainty over funding regardless of what happens.

 

In the discussion which followed, members made the following points:

 

·         Members asked how many years the Spending Review would cover (this is currently unclear. The plan announced by the Chancellor in March was for the Spending Review to cover three years, but the Chief Secretary to the Treasury more recently said this was not likely).

 

·         It was emphasised that as the Adult Social Care Green Paper continued to be delayed, there needed to be further assurance on funding for social care.

 

·         As there would soon be a new Prime Minister and a new cabinet, the LGA should ensure it had a strategy to engage with both.

 

Decision:

Members of the Executive noted the report.

Action:

Officers to proceed with the LGA’s work programme on the 2019 Spending Review in accordance with the steer from Leadership Board and Executive.

 

The Chairman thanked members.

 

Cllr Marianne Overton thanked the Chairman for his work, as this was his last Executive meeting in post.