LGA Governance


Agenda and minutes

Agenda and minutes

Venue: Windsor Hall, Bournemouth International Centre, Exeter Road, Bournemouth, BH2 5BH

Contact: Fatima De Abreu  020 7664 3136 / Email: Fatima.DeAbreu@local.gov.uk

Items
No. Item

Attendance

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

1.

Welcome by the Chief Executive of the LGA

Minutes:

Mark Lloyd, LGA 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.

 

He also highlighted that since the last General Assembly the LGA had transitioned to become an unlimited company, which would allow the organsiaiton to become better value for money for Member Councils, and better support commercial activities.

 

In closing Mark thanked the outgoing Chairman, Lord Porter, for all of his work over his previous four years as LGA Chairman.

2.

Address by Lord Porter of Spalding CBE, Outgoing LGA Chairman

Minutes:

Lord Porter thanked the General Assembly and the Chief Executive. He commented that his four years as LGA Chairman had been his most enjoyable as an elected member. He thanked the General Assembly and all councillors across the country who made a difference in the places they looked after. He also thanked LGA staff who had supported him in his role as LGA Chairman over the previous four years, and wished his successor well in the role.

3.

Election of LGA President pdf icon PDF 55 KB

Election followed by an address by the LGA President.

Minutes:

Mark Lloyd invited nominations for the positon of President of the Association for 2019/20.

 

Cllr James Jamieson (Central Bedfordshire Council) moved, seconded by Cllr Nick Forbes CBE (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.

4.

Address by the President of the LGA

Minutes:

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.

5.

Election of LGA Chairman pdf icon PDF 123 KB

Election followed by an address by the LGA Chairman.

Minutes:

The President invited nominations for the position of Chairman of the Association for 2019/20.

 

Cllr Izzi Seccombe OBE (Warwickshire County Council) moved, seconded by Cllr Nick Forbes CBE (Newcastle City Council), that Cllr James Jamieson (Central Bedfordshire Council) be elected Chairman of the Association until the next Annual Meeting.

 

Decision

It was moved, seconded and agreed by the General Assembly that Cllr Jamieson (Central Bedfordshire Council) be elected Chairman of the Association until the next Annual Meeting.

 

The Chairman thanked Lord Kerslake and took the Chair.

6.

Address by the Chairman of the LGA

Minutes:

Cllr Jamieson thanked the General Assembly, and all Members who served on LGA governance structures. He stated that he would represent all Members regardless of their party or council, and it was the LGA’s cross-party work which made a great difference to communities across the country. He would formally address Members again at the opening of the LGA Conference later in the afternoon.

7.

Election of LGA Vice-Chairs pdf icon PDF 64 KB

Minutes:

The Chairman invited nominations and seconders for four Vice-Chairs of the Association for 2019/20. The following nominations were moved and seconded as detailed on the overhead screen:

 

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

·         Cllr Izzi Seccombe OBE, Warwickshire County 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, Seccombe, Sykes and Overton were elected as Vice-Chairs of the Association until the next Annual Meeting.

8.

Election of LGA Deputy Chairs

Minutes:

The Chairman invited nominations for nine Deputy Chairs for 2019/20.

 

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

 

Conservative

·         Cllr John Fuller OBE, South Norfolk District Council

·         Cllr David Simmonds CBE, Hillingdon London Borough Council

·         Cllr Robert Alden, Birmingham City Council

 

Labour

·         Cllr Michael Payne, Gedling Borough Council

·         Cllr Anne Western CBE, Derbyshire County Council

·         Cllr Peter Box CBE, Wakefield Metropolitan District Council

·         Cllr Anntoinette Bramble, Hackney London Borough 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 Fuller, Simmonds, Alden, Payne, Western, Box, Bramble, Dombey and Woodbridge were elected as Deputy Chairs of the Association until the next Annual Meeting.

9.

LGA Vice-Presidents 2019/20 pdf icon PDF 188 KB

Minutes:

The General Assembly were invited to note the appointment of Vice-Presidents for 2019/20, under Article 9.2 of the LGA Articles of Association.

 

Decision

The General Assembly noted the appointments of the following Members of the House of Commons and the House of Lords as LGA Vice-Presidents for 2019/20:

 

Conservative

 

Charles Walker MP (Broxbourne);

Bob Blackman MP (Harrow East);

Andrew Lewer MP (Northampton South);

Simon Hoare MP (North Dorset);

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);

Andrew Selous (South West Bedfordshire);

Gillian Keegan MP (Chichester);

Neil O’Brien MP (Harborough);

Baroness Couttie;

Lord Whitby;

Lord True;

Baroness Eaton; and

Baroness Scott of Bybrook.

 

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 (Edgbaston, Birmingham);

Helen Hayes MP (Dulwich and West Norwood);

Diana Johnson MP (Kingston upon Hull North);

Anna Turley MP (Redcar);

Mike Amesbury MP (Weaver Vale);

Lord Beecham;

Lord Kennedy of Southwark;

Baroness Smith of Basildon;

Lord Smith of Leigh;

Lord Whitty; and

Lord Bassam of Brighton.

 

Liberal Democrats

 

Tim Farron MP (Westmorland and Lonsdale);

Sir 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;

Lord Storey; and

Lord Scriven.

 

Independents

 

Lord Best (crossbench);

Lord Adebowale (crossbench);

Earl of Lytton (crossbench);

Baroness Howarth of Breckland (crossbench);

Baroness Greengross (crossbench);

Baroness Grey-Thompson (crossbench);

Lord Bichard (crossbench);

Baroness Greenfield (crossbench);

Baroness Jones of Moulsecoomb (Green);

Bishop of St Albans  (crossbench);

Lord Wigley (Plaid Cymru);

Earl of Listowel (crossbench);

Baroness Young of Hornsey (crossbench);

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

Ben Lake MP (Plaid Cymru, Ceredigion); and

Caroline Lucas MP (Green, Brighton Pavilion).

10.

LGA Group Financial Statements for the Year to 31 March 2019 pdf icon PDF 85 KB

To follow on a supplemental agenda.

Additional documents:

Minutes:

Mark Lloyd presented the annual report commending the LGA Group Financial Statements for 2018/19.

 

Decision

The General Assembly received the LGA Group Financial Statements for the year to 31 March 2019.

11.

2019 Annual Report of the Audit Committee pdf icon PDF 101 KB

Minutes:

The General Assembly received an overview of areas reviewed and work undertaken by the Audit Committee in 2018/19.

 

Decision

The General Assembly noted the 2018/19 Annual Report of the Audit Committee.

12.

Motion: UN Sustainable Development Goals pdf icon PDF 306 KB

Minutes:

Mayor Marvin Rees (Bristol City Council) proposed a Motion on the UN Sustainable Development Goals, as follows:

 

The Association values the importance of the UN’s 17 Sustainable Development Goals(SDGs) that address the global challenges we face including poverty, inequality, climate, environmental degradation and prosperity. We welcome the work being done ahead of the upcoming Voluntary National Review (VNR) in July that will consider how the UK’s programmes and policies are contributing to achieving these Global Goals. The Association also welcomes the importance placed by HM Government that all levels of government work together and that its partnership with local government is a key component to successful domestic implementation of the SDGs.

 

Local government has a vital role to play in terms of the planning, implementation and monitoring in local areas, work that will be key in delivering the UK’s progress on meeting the ambitions of the Agenda 2030.

 

If implemented properly, each of the SDGs has the potential to be transformative in moving our areas toward a more sustainable society with many of the Goals best supported by local co-ordination and delivery through local government and its partners. Our role can also help raise awareness of these challenges by engaging our areas through local partnerships and with our citizens.

 

Whilst the Association agrees with Government that such partnerships are a vital component and members have supported work on developing models that engage local stakeholders as effectively as possible, this engagement needs sustainable funding and support in order for councils to effectively share research and engagement with our networks, partners and citizens, particularly given our sector’s continuing funding pressures.

 

The benefits of exploring SDG partnership co-ordinators would be to provide a focal point for activity in our areas and demonstrate the need for local perspectives to be embedded in the delivery of the SDGs, as well as improve the capacity for councils to deliver on the Goals.

Supporting such positions would also provide a common language and common roles across different areas, would facilitate the sharing of best practice and further enable the delivery of global and local priorities at the same time.

This Association therefore:

 

       Calls upon Her Majesty’s Government to explore supporting domestic implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals through funded partnership roles within each local authority area; and

       Encourages councils to continue their work on linking their local priorities with the overall ambitions of the SDGs.

 

Cllr Judith Blake CBE (Leeds City Council) seconded the motion.

 

Cllr Peter Box CBE (Wakefield Metropolitan Borough Council) proposed an amendment to the Motion as follows:

 

New third paragraph (after “… Agenda 2030”):

 

SDG Goal 13 calls on partners to take urgent action to combat climate change. The Association recognises that a growing number of UK local authorities have already passed 'Climate Emergency' motions with cross-party support, in recognition of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPPC) warning that urgent action is required in order to avoid runaway global warming and climate breakdown.

 

Additional third recommendation:

 

•  ...  view the full minutes text for item 12.

13.

Minutes of the General Assembly held on 3 July 2018 pdf icon PDF 198 KB

Minutes:

Decision

The minutes of the Annual Meeting of the General Assembly on 3 July 2018 were agreed as correct record.

14.

Close of the meeting

Minutes:

The Chairman closed the meeting, and Members noted that the next Annual Meeting of the General Assembly would be held on Tuesday 30 June 2019 in Harrogate.