Agenda and minutes

227 authorities in full membership and 4 authorities in corporate membership were represented at the meeting.

Mark Lloyd (Chief Executive) welcomed representatives to the meeting in his second General Assembly as LGA Chief Executive.  In doing so, he highlighted the role of the General Assembly in electing the political leadership team that would drive the LGA agenda on behalf of all local government over the next 12 months.  He also thanked all those members and officers that had played a part in the LGA since its creation twenty years ago, and in doing so, helped make a difference not just the LGA, but to all member councils and the communities they represent.

Address by the President of the LGA

Mark Lloyd invited nominations for the positon of President of the Association for 2017/18.

Lord Gary Porter (South Holland District Council) moved, seconded by Cllr Nick Forbes (Newcastle City Council), that Lord Bob Kerslake be elected President of the Association until the next Annual Meeting.

Decision

It was moved, seconded and agreed by the General Assembly that Lord Kerslake be elected President of the Association until the next Annual Meeting.

Lord Kerslake delivered his third address to the General Assembly as President of the LGA in which he commented on the honour of being re-elected to the role and congratulated the LGA as it celebrated its the twentieth years since its establishment.   He remarked on his first-hand experience of the work of the LGA to support positive change over the past two decades, and provided reflections from his time in the House of Lords working with the LGA to keep the voice of local government at the forefront of Parliamentary debates.  He reflected on the challenges of the past year, as well as those to come, focusing on the pivotal role of local government in reshaping local services and the need to devolve greater powers to authorities to enable them to deliver this.

Address by the Chairman of the LGA

The President invited nominations for the position of Chairman of the Association for 2017/18.

Cllr David Simmonds CBE (Hillingdon London Borough) moved, seconded by Cllr Nick Forbes (Newcastle City Council), that Lord Gary Porter (South Holland District Council) be elected Chairman of the Association until the next Annual Meeting.

Decision

It was moved, seconded and agreed by the General Assembly that Lord Porter (South Holland District Council) be elected Chairman of the Association until the next Annual Meeting.

The Chairman thanked Lord Kerslake and took the Chair for the remainder of the meeting.

Lord Porter (Chairman) thanked the General Assembly for his re-election and commented on the successes and challenges of the previous year. He paid tribute to Lord Kerslake for his support and contribution to the work of the Association as its President, as well as commending the work of LGA Vice Presidents in championing local government issues across both Houses of Parliament. 

In thanking the LGA Political Group Leaders and LGA Chief Executive for their support and contribution over the past 12 months, he made particular mention to a number of longstanding Office Holders of the Association that would no longer hold these positions: Cllr Gerald Vernon-Jackson CBE who has served six years as Liberal Democrat Group Leader and Cllr Taylor OBE, Sir Steve Bullock and Baroness Thornhill whom had all enjoyed long tenures as Deputy Chairs.  He thanked them warmly for their long service and significant contribution to the LGA and the sector as a whole.

The Chairman closed his address with a round of applause as a tribute to the hard work, time and commitment of the LGA staff.

The Chairman invited nominations and seconders for four Vice-Chairs of the Association for 2017/18.

The following nominations were moved and seconded as detailed on the overhead screen:

·         Cllr Nick Forbes, Newcastle City Council, (Labour)

·         Cllr David Simmonds CBE, Hillingdon London Borough, (Conservative)

·         Cllr Howard Sykes  MBE, Oldham Metropolitan Borough Council, (Liberal Democrat)

·         Cllr Marianne Overton MBE, Lincolnshire County Council (Independent)

Decision

It was moved, seconded and agreed by the General Assembly that Councillors Forbes, Simmonds, Sykes and Overton were elected as Vice-Chairs of the Association until the next Annual Meeting.

The Chairman invited nominations for ten Deputy-Charis for 2017/18.

The following nominations were moved and seconded as set out on the overhead screen:

Conservative

·         Cllr Sean Anstee, Trafford Metropolitan Borough Council

·         Cllr Paul Carter CBE, Kent County Council

·         Cllr Peter Fleming OBE, Sevenoaks District Council

·         Cllr Izzi Seccombe OBE, Warwickshire County Council

Labour

·         Cllr Sue Murphy CBE, Manchester City Council

·         Cllr Peter Box CBE, Wakefield Metropolitan District Council

·         Cllr Michael Payne, Gedling Borough Council

·         Cllr Lib Peck, Lambeth London Borough Council

Liberal Democrat

·         Cllr Ruth Dombey OBE, Sutton London Borough Council

Independent

·         Peter Reeve, Huntingdonshire District Council

Decision

It was moved, seconded and agreed by the General Assembly that Councillors Anstee, Carter, Fleming, Seccombe, Murphy, Box, Payne, Peck, Dombey and Reeve were elected as Deputy Chairs of the Association until the next Annual Meeting.

The General Assembly were invited to note the appointment of Vice-Presidents for 2017/18, under Article 7.2 of the Constitution.

Decision

The General Assembly noted the appointments of the following MPs, MEPs and Peers as LGA Vice-Presidents for 2017/18:

Conservative

·                       Charles Walker MP (Broxbourne)

·                       Margot James MP (Stourbridge)

·                       Andrea Jenkyns MP (Morley and Outwood)

·                       Bob Blackman MP (Harrow East)

·                       Andrew Lewer MP (Northampton South)

·                       Lord Whitby

·                       Lord True

·                       Baroness Eaton

·                       Baroness Scott of Bybrook

·                       Julie Girling MEP (South West)

Labour

·                       Clive Betts MP (Sheffield South East)

·                       Catherine McKinnell MP (Newcastle upon Tyne North)

·                       Steve Reed MP (Croydon North)

·                       Wes Streeting MP (Ilford North)

·                       Catherine West MP (Hornsey and Wood Green)

·                       John Healey MP (Wentworth and Dearne)

·                       Angela Rayner MP (Ashton-under-Lyne)

·                       Jim McMahon MP (Oldham West and Royton)

·                       Meg Hillier MP (Hackney South and Shoreditch)

·                       Lord Beecham

·                       Lord Kennedy of Southwark

·                       Baroness Smith of Basildon

·                       Lord Smith of Leigh

·                       Lord Whitty

·                       Dame Glenis Willmott      MEP (East Midlands)

·                       Derek Vaughan MEP (Wales)

Liberal Democrats

·                       Tim Farron MP (Westmorland and Lonsdale)

·                       Norman Lamb MP (North Norfolk)

·                       Layley Moran MP (Oxford West and Abingdon)

·                       WeraHobhouse MP (Bath)

·                       Lord Tope

·                       Baroness Bakewell of Hardington Mandeville

·                       Baroness Janke

·                       Baroness Maddock

·                       Baroness Scott of Needham Market

·                       Lord Shipley

·                       Baroness Pinnock

·                       Baroness Thornhill

·                       Baroness Brinton

·                       Lord Storey

·                       Lord Scriven

·                       Catherine Bearder MEP (South East England)

Independent

·                       Liz Saville-Roberts MP (Plaid Cymru, Dwyfor Meirionnydd)

·                       Caroline Lucas MP (Green, Brighton Pavillion)

·                       Lord Best (crossbench)

·                       Lord Adebowale (crossbench)

·                       Baroness Jones of Moulsecoomb (Green)

·                       Earl of Lytton (crossbench)

·                       Earl of Listowel (crossbench)

·                       Baroness Howarth of Breckland (crossbench)

·                       Baroness Greengross (crossbench)

·                       Baroness Grey-Thompson (crossbench)

·                       Lord Bichard (crossbench)

·                       Lord O’Neill of Gatley (crossbench)

·                       Lord Wigley (Plaid Cymru)

·                       Patrick O’Flynn MEP (UKIP, Eastern England)

·                       Keith Taylor MEP (Green, South East)

Mark Lloyd moved the report, which sought the General Assembly’s agreement to the incorporation of the Association and other measures to regularise its activities and protect the interests of member councils. In doing so, he summarised the background to the member review of the LGA’s company structures and the rationale for the proposed changes.  He thanked those members of the review Task Group for their hard work and recommendations. 

The report has been commended to the General Assembly by the LGA Leadership Board and LGA Executive.

Decision

The LGA General Assembly agreed, subject to the outcome of discussions with HMRC, that:

1          In the interests of its members, the LGA regularise its organisational structure as follows:

1.1     A new incorporated LGA is set up as an unlimited company to take on the activities, assets and liabilities of the existing LGA, with the Chairman and Vice- Chairs of the Association as its Board of Directors.

1.2     The existing unincorporated LGA remains in place until member councils have formally agreed to join as founding members of the new incorporated entity.

1.3     LGA Properties Ltd (LGAP) and Local Government Management Board (LGMB) are converted to unlimited companies with share capital, with the shares issued to the new Incorporated LGA.

1.4     The new Incorporated LGA forms a tax group with LGMB and LGAP and a VAT group with LGMB, LGAP and the IDeA.

2          The LGA enters into a legally enforceable guarantee agreement with IDeA to underwrite its pension deficit debts and takes steps to ensure that the value of the property assets sits between member councils and any liability for the pension deficits.

3          The Constitution is amended to enable the proposed changes to be effected.

Mark Lloyd moved the report which sought General Assembly’s agreement for a series of amendments to the LGA Constitution to strengthen it.  He thanked those members of the Constitution Task Group that had undertaken the review for their hard work and recommendations. 

The report has been commended to the General Assembly by the LGA Leadership Board.

Decision

The General Assembly agreed the amendments to the LGA Constitution as set out.

Mark Lloyd presented the annual report commending the LGA’s consolidated financial statements for 2017/18.

Decision

The General Assembly received the LGA’s Consolidated Financial Statements for the year to 31 March 2017.

The General Assembly received an overview of areas reviewed and work undertaken by the Audit Committee in 2016/17.

Decision

The General Assembly noted the 2016/17 annual report of the Audit Committee.

Decision

The minutes of the Annual Meeting of the General Assembly on 5 July 2016 were agreed as correct record.

The next Annual Meeting of the General Assembly would be held on Tuesday, 3 July 2018 in Birmingham.