Agenda and minutes

245 authorities in full membership and 12 authorities in corporate membership were represented at the meeting.

Mark Lloyd (Chief Executive) welcomed representatives to the meeting and 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 to help all member councils and the communities they represented.

Mark Lloyd invited nominations for the positon of President of the Association for 2018/19.

 

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 fourth address to the General Assembly as President of the LGA. He commented on the honour of being re-elected to the role and the work of the LGA over the previous year. He provided reflections from his work 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 to come over the next year, 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.

The President invited nominations for the position of Chairman of the Association for 2018/19.

 

Cllr James Jamieson (Central Bedfordshire Council) 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.

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 office holders of the Association who no longer held their positons. He thanked them warmly for their service and significant contribution to the LGA and the sector as a whole.

 

The Chairman closed his address with 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 2018/19.

 

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

 

·         Cllr Nick Forbes, Newcastle City Council (Labour)

·         Cllr James Jamieson, Central Bedfordshire Council (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, Jamison, Sykes and Overton were elected as Vice-Chairs of the Association until the next Annual Meeting.

 

Cllr Nick Forbes, Senior Vice-Chair of the LGA, took the Chair for the remainder of the meeting.

The Chairman invited nominations for ten Deputy-Charis for 2018/19.

 

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

 

Conservative

·         Cllr Izzi Seccombe OBE, Warwickshire County Council

·         Cllr Paul Carter CBE, Kent County Council

·         Cllr David Simmonds CBE, Hillingdon London Borough Council

·         Cllr Robert Alden, Birmingham City Council

 

Labour

·         Cllr Lib Peck, Lambeth London Borough Council

·         Cllr Michael Payne, Gedling Borough Council

·         Cllr Anne Western CBE, Derbyshire County Council

·         Cllr Peter Box CBE, Wakefield Metropolitan District Council

 

Liberal Democrat

·         Cllr Ruth Dombey OBE, Sutton London Borough Council

 

Independent

·         Cllr Clive Woodbridge, Epsom and Ewell Borough Council

 

Decision

It was moved, seconded and agreed by the General Assembly that Councillors Seccombe, Carter, Simmonds, Alden, Peck, Payne, Western, Box, Dombey and Woodbridge 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 2018/19, 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 2018/19:

 

Conservative

 

Charles Walker MP (Broxbourne)

Bob Blackman MP (Harrow East)

Andrew Lewer MP (Northampton South)

Simon Hoare MP (North Dorset)

Edward Argar MP  (Charnwood)

Robert Goodwill MP (Scarborough and Whitby)

Helen Grant MP (Maidstone and the Weald)

Marcus Jones MP (Nuneaton)

Julia Lopez MP (Hornchurch and Upminster)

Maria Caulfield MP (Lewes)

Tim Loughton MP (East Worthing and Shoreham)

Jeremy LeFroy MP (Stafford)

Mark Pawsey MP (Rugby)

Gillian Keegan MP (Chichester)

Dr Philip Lee MP (Bracknell)

Neil O’Brien MP (Harborough)

Baroness Couttie

Lord Whitby

Lord True

Baroness Eaton

Baroness Scott of Bybrook

Baroness McIntosh of Pickering

Baroness Williams of Trafford

Robert Matthews MEP (East Midlands)

 

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)

Jim McMahon MP (Oldham West and Royton)

Jo Platt MP (Leigh)

Preet Kaur Gill MP (Birmingham, Edgbaston)

Helen Hayes MP (Dulwich and West Norwood)

Diana Johnson MP (Kingston upon Hull North)

Anna Turley MP (Redcar)

Mike Amesbury MP (Weaver Vale)

Ian Mearns MP (Gateshead)

Lord Beecham

Lord Kennedy of Southwark

Baroness Smith of Basildon

Lord Smith of Leigh

Lord Whitty

Lord Bassam of Brighton

Derek Vaughan MEP (Wales)

Rory Palmer MEP (East Midlands)

 

Liberal Democrats

 

Tim Farron MP (Westmorland and Lonsdale)

Norman Lamb MP (North Norfolk)

Layla 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)

 

Independents

 

Lord Best (crossbench)

Lord Adebowale (crossbench)

Early of Lytton (crossbench)

Baroness Howarth of Breckland (crossbench)

Baroness Greengross (crossbench)

Baroness Grey-Thompson (crossbench)

Lord Macpherson of Earl's Court (crossbench)

Lord Bichard (crossbench)

Baroness Greenfield (crossbench)

Baroness Wolf of Dulwich (crossbench)

Baroness Jones of Moulsecoomb (Green)

Bishop of St Albans

Lord Wigley (Plaid Cymru)

Earl of Listowel (crossbench)

Keith Taylor MEP (Green, South East)

Patrick O’Flynn MEP (UKIP)

Julia Reed MEP (UKIP)

Mark Lloyd moved the report, which sought the General Assembly’s agreement to begin the process of transferring staff, contracts, assets and liabilities to the new LGA company, with a view to it becoming fully operational as the membership body for the LGA from 1 April 2019. He reminded members that the previous year the General Assembly had agreed that a new incorporated LGA be set up as an unlimited company to regularise its activities and protect the interests of member councils.

 

Decision

The LGA General Assembly agreed:

 

1.    To initiate the process of transferring the staff, contracts, assets and liabilities of the unincorporated LGA to the new incorporated company with a view to the new LGA Company becoming the membership body for the LGA from 1 April 2019 and the unincorporated LGA being dissolved at such a point thereafter as the LGA Leadership Board shall determine in accordance with resolution 2; and

2.    To put to all members for decision via an electronic or postal vote and being agreed by at least two-thirds of members from full member authorities, to delegate to the LGA Leadership Board the authority to determine the date upon which the current unincorporated Association is formally closed down, once they are satisfied that the transition is complete.

 

The LGA General Assembly noted:

 

1.    The amendment to article 30 of the Articles of Association to include definitions covering the City of London Corporation; and

2.    The addition of a provision for the LGA’s Associate scheme in the Governance Framework, which included fire and rescue authorities, police and crime commissioners, combined authorities and elected mayors, town and parish councils, and others.

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 2018.

The General Assembly received an overview of areas reviewed and work undertaken by the Audit Committee in 2017/18.

 

Decision

The General Assembly noted the 2017/18 annual report of the Audit Committee.

Decision

The minutes of the Annual Meeting of the General Assembly on 4 July 2017 were agreed as correct record.

The next Annual Meeting of the General Assembly would be held on Tuesday, 2 July 2019 in Bournemouth.