Agenda item

Paper to follow.

The Chairman invited Sonika Sidhu, Principal Policy Adviser, and Hannah Berry, Head of Campaigns and Digital Communications, to introduce the report.

Sonika introduced the report which responded to Members’ requests to further understand the reach and impact of the lobbying and communications work undertaken on behalf of the Board. The report outlined the significant areas of lobbying and communications work undertaken in 2020 to support the sector’s response to COVID-19.

Sonika announced that David Holdstock had taken up a secondment role as Head of Communications at the Ministry for Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG). Hannah Berry and Lee Bruce were acting up in his substantive role.

Hannah referred to the positive work that had been undertaken recently within Digital Communications and the impact that working collaboratively with policy colleagues to directly influence funding decisions and announcements had had. In terms of next steps, the Campaigns and Digital Communications team continued to work with colleagues across the organisation to monitor activity and prioritisation of messages.

Members made the following comments:

• This is an excellent report, it’s great to see the results as well as the output. With reference to the letters that were sent to Rt Hon Oliver Dowden MP in 2020 regarding the future survival of leisure services and the recovery plan for the culture and tourism sectors, what have the responses been, if any? We need to start holding government accountable.

• Whilst it is imperative that we continue to share best practice and information, one of the key roles as a lobbying body is cross-party local government. We need to stress the challenges that we face in local government as decision-makers and we need to deploy who is speaking to ministers. We must lobby harder than we are and use the influences and connections that we’ve got.

• The report is very impressive with a great range of activities highlighted. However, there should be more information within the report with regards to impact, perhaps there is a need to undertake more work in digital. We need to work through our political channels, perhaps through shadow ministers as well as with ministers to strengthen impact and strengthen the involvement in relation to emotional and mental health and wellbeing.

• The COVID-19 pandemic, as well as cuts to funding has meant that many providers that deliver services are soon going to be wiped out, if they haven’t already. Local government is a major funder in this country, and we need to highlight the critical difficulties that are happening within our communities and then lobby everyone that we can, especially government.

• This sector has enormous importance to the future health, wellbeing, and good governance of this country. Leisure, sport and culture is going to be vital to the COVID-19 recovery phase and to tackle some of the mental health issues that are arising both in adults and children.

Both the Chairman and Sonika reassured Members that a meeting would take place in early February between the LGA’s Chairman and CTS Lead Members to discuss improving impact with the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS).

Decision:

Members noted the programme of lobbying and communications activity delivered during 2020.

Action/s:

Officers to report back to the Board once the LGA Chairman and CTS Lead Members had met to discuss improving impact with DCMS.