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biggest headaches 
because they can't 
predict the level 
of need"
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of State for Communities and 
Local Government

Streets ahead
How will electric 
cars shape local 
transport?

health inequalities

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## Contents Future View

X
xxxx
  xxxxxx
Lord Porter is Chairman 
of the LGA

news
4 
 
Roads funding
 
Finance settlement
 
errors
5 
 
Housing cap Permitted developments
 
Northern transport

## 5

   H
    ousing is a top priority 
    for councils and the 
   LGA, so it was gratifying to 
   see the Treasury Select 
   Committee endorse our 
   call for all councils to be 
   able to borrow to build 
   more homes (see p5, p24).
LGA support for councils includes its 
Housing Advisers Programme, which of
         ers 
specialist support to help you make progress 
on projects aimed at reducing homelessness 
or delivering more homes (p16).
Other LGA support featured in this 
month's f
  rst includes the national graduate 
development programme (p13), peer 
challenge (p14) and our Productivity Experts 
programme (p15). 
Looking ahead, what are the implications 
for local transport of the development of 
electric and self-driving cars? We look at the 
possible benef
    ts for residents (p10).
Our interview this month is with Andrew 
Gwynne MP
  , Shadow Secretary of State for 
Communities and Local Government, 
who talks about the f
     nancial pressures 
facing councils.
Welsh LGA Leader Cllr Debbie Wilcox 
discusses the role councils in Wales are 
playing in promoting economic growth via 
city and growth deals. And James Palmer, 
Mayor of Cambridgeshire and Peterborough, 
writes about the importance of devolving 
skills provision so that it can be tailored to 
suit the needs of local economies.
 
Lord Porter is Chairman of the LGA

## Editor Karen Thornton

Design & print CPL www.cpl.co.uk Advertising john.wheaton@cpl.co.uk Write to f rst: Local Government Association
18 Smith Square, London SW1P 3HZ
Email f rst@local.gov.uk Tel editorial 020 7664 3294 Tel advertising 01223 378 042 Photography Getty Images and iStock.com unless otherwise stated

## 12

Circulation 18,200 (January 2018)
f rst is published online at www.local.gov.uk/f rst at least two days before the magazine. To unsubscribe email f rst@oscar-research.co.uk

features
10  
Electric cars and local transport
12  
Women's suf
 rage
The inclusion of an advert or insert in f rst does not imply endorsement by the LGA of any product or service. Contributors' views are their own and do not  
necessarily ref ect the opinions or policies of the LGA.

13  
Graduate trainees
14  
Peer challenge
15  
Productivity experts
16  
Housing advisers
17  
Health inequalities
interview
18  
Andrew Gwynne MP, Shadow Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government
6 
 
Product safety database
 
Live music venues
 
Modern slavery
7 
 
Child referrals
 
Care inquiry
 
Dental health
8 
 
Regional aid
 
Environment plan
 
Devolution report

"If you are spending 
on children's 
services and adult 
social care - the two 
services that most 
council tax payers 
don't see - you're 
not spending it on 
the bread-and-butter 
issues, like the bins"

## 8 18 26 30

comment
23  
Regional growth in Wales
24  
LGA chairman and group leaders
regulars
9 
 
Letters and sound bites
29  
Parliament - Brexit
26  
Citizenship and young people
30  
Councillor - f
 nancial 
scrutiny
27  
Mayor James Palmer, Cambridgeshire and Peterborough
31  
Local by-elections

## News Local Roads Funding 'Miles Behind'

National roads - motorways and major trunk roads - will receive 52 times more government funding per mile by 2020, compared to local roads maintained by councils.

The LGA is calling for the Government to deal with the disparity in funding, so that councils can tackle the £12 billion repair bill they face to bring our local roads up to scratch.

New LGA analysis shows the Government plans to spend £1.1 million per mile to maintain its strategic road network between 2015 and 2020, but will provide councils with just £21,000 per mile for the local roads they look after.

This is despite an increase in the number of cars travelling on local roads, average speeds falling, and local roads making up 98 per cent of the country's network.

There are now 125 cars per mile on our roads, compared  
with 101 in 2000. Councils say this is ratcheting up the pressure on local transport, causing congestion and road maintenance issues, such as potholes, wear-down of road markings, and increasing general wear and tear.

Council leaders want the Government to deliver a radical, fully-funded plan for the growing number of vehicles on the nation's roads. This should include reinvesting two pence per litre of existing fuel duty into local road maintenance, which would generate £1 billion a year for councils to spend on improving roads and f lling potholes.

Cllr Martin Tett, the LGA's Transport Spokesman, said: "It is wrong that funding for local roads is miles behind that of the strategic road network.  
Very few journeys begin and end on a motorway or trunk road. Spending 52 times more on improving our national roads will only serve to speed vehicles up between increased delays and congestion on local roads.

"Councils are f xing a pothole every 
19 seconds, despite funding pressures. They want to do more, but are trapped in an endless cycle of patching up our deteriorating network. It would already take £12 billion - and more than a decade - for councils to clear the current local roads repair backlog.

"Only long-term and consistent investment in local road maintenance can allow councils to embark on the widespread improvement of our roads that is desperately needed, to the benef t of motorists and cyclists up and down the country."

## Data Error On Councils' Allocations N

   o council should receive less funding 
   than it was planning for in 2018/19, the 
LGA has said,  
             after conf
                        rmation that f
                                      gures 
in the provisional local government f
                                      nance 
settlement were wrong.
   The errors arose in data  
                            used to calculate 
business rates tarif
                   s and top-ups, supplied 
by the Valuation Of
                     ce Agency (VOA). The 
VOA is a government agency that compiles 
and maintains lists of council tax bands for 
24 million domestic properties, a 
                                 s well as 
lists detailing the rateable value of 1.9 million 
commercial properties for business rates.
   Lord Porter, LGA Chairman, said the error 
was "hugely unhelpful". He called for urgent 
clarif
     cation of councils' funding allocations 
and for the f
             nal local government f
                                    nance 
settlement to be published.
   "The Treasury needs to use its central 
share of business rates to ensure that no 
council receives less than what they have 
been planning for in 2018/19,  
                              after the 
allocations published in the provisional 
settlement (see f
                 rst 619)," said Lord Porter.
   "Next year will  
                  be hugely challenging 
for councils as they continue to face 
unprecedented funding pressures. This 
unhelpful error by the VOA has added to 
the challenge facing councils when trying to 
set a budget for 2018/19.
   "Councils now need urgent clarif
                                     cation of 
their allocations and the f
                          nal settlement."
   He added: "Of course, none of this 
changes the fact that councils face a 
£5.8 billion funding gap by 2020, and the 
Government needs to use the f
                                nal settlement 
to provide new funding for all councils over 
the next few years so they can protect vital 
local services from further cutbacks."

## Call To Scrap Housing Cap

The inf uential cross-party Treasury Select Committee has backed the LGA's call for the Government to abolish the housing revenue account borrowing cap to boost council house building.

MPs said scrapping the limit on how much councils can borrow to build new homes was vital, and would "unleash" the potential of local authorities to help solve the housing shortage.

In the Autumn Budget, Chancellor Philip Hammond announced plans to raise the borrowing cap for councils in areas of high housing af ordability by £1 billion. The LGA 
has warned that increase did not go far enough, and gave evidence to the committee last November setting out why the cap should be lifted in all local areas. LGA Chairman Lord Porter said the committee's subsequent backing for the cap to be scrapped was "signif cant recognition" 
of the LGA's central argument about the vital role councils must play in tackling the housing crisis.

More than 217,000 new homes were built across the UK last year - well short of the Government's target of 300,000 a year. 

Lord Porter said: "Our national housing shortage is one of the most pressing issues we face and, as a nation, we have no chance of housing supply meeting demand unless councils can build again.

"When giving evidence to the committee, we were clear that if we are to get back to building 300,000 homes a year, then all areas of the country need to be able to borrow to invest so that councils can resume their role as major builders of af ordable homes.

"We now urge the Treasury to act on the committee's recommendation and use the upcoming f nal local government f nance settlement to completely scrap the cap on the amount councils can borrow to build.

"It also needs to allow councils to keep 
100 per cent of receipts from properties sold through Right to Buy to replace homes and reinvest in new housing."
rights rules allowing of
  ces to be converted into housing without planning permission should be scrapped to allow councils to ensures homes are af ordable and come with the right infrastructure in place. 

Cllr Martin Tett, the LGA's Housing Spokesman, said: "At present, permitted development rules allow developers to bypass local inf uence and convert of
  ces to f ats, and to do so without providing af ordable homes and local services such as roads and schools.

"Permitted development is detrimental to the ability of local communities to shape the area they live in. Planning is not a barrier to house building, and councils are approving nine in 10 planning applications. 

"But it is essential that councils, which are answerable to their residents, have an oversight of local developments to ensure they are good quality and help build prosperous places. The resulting loss of of
  ce space can risk hampering local plans to grow economies and attract new businesses and jobs to high streets and town centres."
'Of
  ces to f ats' warning N
early one in 10 new homes over the last two years was converted from an of
  ce and included no af ordable housing or supporting investment in infrastructure such as roads, schools and health services.

New LGA analysis found a total of 
30,575 housing units in England have been converted from of
  ces to f ats without having to go through the planning system since 2015. 

It warned this has led to the potential loss of more than 7,500 desperately-needed af ordable homes. Councils also warned of
  ce space could dry up as a result, leaving businesses and start-ups without any premises in which to base themselves.

Of
  ce to residential conversions under permitted development rules accounted for 73 per cent of new homes in Stevenage, 64 per cent in Three Rivers, and 61 per cent in Sutton during 2016/17.

In Nottingham, Basildon, Newcastleunder-Lyme, Hounslow and Harlow the number was more than half.

The LGA said permitted development 

## News In Brief Homes England

A 
new national housing agency, Homes 
England, has been launched. It is the 
successor to the Homes and Communities 
Agency and will be responsible for building 
more homes and driving forward changes set 
out in the Government's Housing White Paper. 
Cllr Martin Tett, the LGA's Housing Spokesman, 
said: "For Homes England to be a success, it 
is crucial that it works positively with local 
government to deliver the mix of homes, 
infrastructure and places that people want to 
see. Every local housing market is dif
         erent and 
councils must be able to combine and use 
Homes England funding f
       exibly to meet local 
need and take local opportunities."

## Northern Transport Plan Is Published

C
ivic and business leaders have published Transport for the North's draft Strategic Transport Plan. The 30-year plan outlines how transport connections across the North of England need to be transformed by 2050 to drive growth and close the economic gap between the region and the rest of England. The plan could deliver a £100 billion economic boost and 850,000 additional jobs by 2050. John Cridland, Transport for the North Chairman, said: "This is an ambitious programme that will improve our roads and railways, and also drive a sea change in skills development."  See www. transportforthenorth.com/stp

## Social Housing Commission H

   ousing charity Shelter has launched a 
   commission into the future of social 
housing to address crucial issues highlighted 
by the Grenfell Tower f
                       re and to give social 
housing tenants a louder say in the future 
of social housing. Cllr Martin Tett, the LGA's 
Housing Spokesman, said councils supported 
any initiative aimed at improving social 
housing but needed the f
                          nancial tools to 
invest in the quality of their housing stock. 
He added: "According to the Government's 
latest English Housing Survey, 81 per cent 
of social renters were satisf
                           ed with their 
accommodation. Social housing is twice as 
likely to meet the decent homes standard as 
the private rented sector."

## New Agency To Protect Consumers

The Government is to create a new Of
                                    ce 
for Product Safety and Standards,  
                               of
                                  ering 
specialist services to support enforcement 
of trading standards laws and manage 
responses to large-scale product recalls 
and repairs.

## Increase In Victims Of Modern Slavery M

The LGA has been calling for central capacity to support local teams working on product safety, with latest f gures showing f ref ghters are attending three f res a day caused by faulty tumble dryers.

It also wants to see the setting up of a national database of  
items subject to recall. 

Consumer safety charity Electrical Safety First reports that 516 products have been recalled since 2007.

Cllr Simon Blackburn, Chair of the LGA's Safer and Stronger Communities Board, said: "These measures, including setting up a new Of
  ce for Product Safety, should go some way towards helping local trading standards teams protect our residents from faulty electrical equipment. 

"The LGA has been calling for central capacity to support local teams working on product safety and we're pleased that the Protection for live music venues P
ubs, theatres, music and concert halls will be better protected from unfair noise complaints, thanks to a campaign backed by councils.

The Agent of Change principle, which the Government announced will be included in the National Planning Policy Framework and consulted on in the spring, will ensure a person or business responsible for a change in noise conditions is held responsible for managing that change. 

The law currently states that somebody can move next door to a live music venue, for example, and ask for it to be quieter or restricted, regardless of how long  
the venue has existed or if there is any  
history of the same noise being a nuisance.

Under the strengthened planning rules, anybody who chooses to move next door to a music venue would be assessed as having made that decision understanding there is going to be some music noise. Equally, a music venue that buys a new public address system would be expected to carry out tests to ensure its noise emissions don't increase.

Cllr Gerald Vernon-Jackson, Chair of the LGA's Culture, Tourism and Sport Board, said: 
"Councils want to protect and maintain the live music venues in their communities, and this much-needed update to the planning rules will help achieve a fair and balanced solution between the obligations of housing developers and protecting our vital grassroots music scene.

"Increasing demand for housing in town and city centres means councils have a duty to help meet this need while also wanting to safeguard what makes our local areas distinctive and attractive - including live performance venues." 

     embers of the public are the 'f
                                    rst line of 
     defence' in the battle against modern 
slavery, the LGA has said, amid a 47 per cent 
rise in victims 
             .
    Last July to September, 1,322 victims of 
modern slavery were  
                     directed to the National 
Referral Mechanism, the UK's framework for 
supporting victims, compared with 901 over the 
same period in 2016.
    Overall, government f
                          gures suggest that 
there are between 10,000 and 13,000 victims of 
slavery in the UK.
    The LGA has urged people to be on the 
lookout for tell-tale signs of victims, including: 
large numbers of people being transported in 
vans or minibuses; people who seem to have 
been deprived of food, water, medical care or 
sleep; or people who are being coached by 
someone else. 
    Cllr Simon Blackburn, Chair of the LGA's Safer 
and Stronger Communities Board, said: "A simple 
phone call could make a world of dif
                                     erence 
to people living wretched lives at the hands of 
heartless gangmasters. Councils will not tolerate 
the exploitation of people in their communities 
and are committed to protecting the most 
vulnerable in society.
    "Modern slavery can be hidden, often 
in plain sight; on our high streets, in local 
businesses and even in suburban streets. Our 
residents may be unwittingly using victims of 
modern slavery to wash their cars, paint their 
nails or lay their drives, unaware of the hell they 
are living through."
    The LGA is calling for a "coherent, cross-
sector" approach to tackling modern slavery, 
and is hosting a series of regional events for 
councils, designed to equip them to be as 
ef
  ective as possible in tackling this issue. 
    The next event is on 27 February in Bristol 
(see www.local.gov.uk/events). The LGA and 
the Independent Anti-Slavery Commissioner 
have also published advice for councils in 
'Tackling modern slavery: a council guide' (see 
www.local.gov.uk/publications).

Government has committed to creating this.

"We're also pleased that one of the f rst tasks for the new Of
  ce for Product Safety will be to improve the information available to consumers. The consequences of faulty electrical goods catching f re are devastating, damaging property and, in some cases, causing loss of life.

"That's why councils and f re chiefs have called for a national database of recalled products, so that people can review information about recalls. Moving quickly to create an easily accessible, comprehensive database will be an essential task for the of
  ce as it works with trading standards teams in their mission to protect residents.  
"Trading standards teams also need adequate funding to make sure they can get faulty appliances of
  the shelves and out of our residents' homes." 
He added: "These measures can only work if the public are aware of them, which is why this database and agency should be backed up by a major publicity campaign to help f ag it up to consumers as a trusted onestop site to check all electrical goods."

## 'One Referral Every 49 Seconds To Child Services'

Referrals to local authority children's 
services are up 4 per cent, with one made 
every 49 seconds last year, according to 
LGA analysis 
             .

   Overall, there were 646,120 referrals to 
councils' children's services in the year to 
March 2017 - the equivalent of 1,770 every 
day. The f
          gures are up 4 per cent, from 
621,470 in 2016.
   Section 47 of the 1989 Children Act 
requires local authorities to investigate any 
circumstances where they have reasonable 
cause to suspect that a child who lives or is 
found in their area is suf
                          ering, or is likely to 
suf
    er, signif
             cant harm.
   Social workers are continuing to 
work hard to investigate concerns and, if 
necessary, put in place immediate measures 
to help keep children safe and out of harm. 
   But the LGA warned that children's 
services are facing a £2 billion funding gap 
by 2020 and are struggling to cope with 
rising demand for support. 
   On average, more than 500 child 
protection investigations were started each 

day in 2016/17, compared  
                         with 200 a day a 
decade ago. 
   Cllr Richard Watts, Chair of the LGA's 
Children and Young People Board, said: 
"The £2 billion funding gap must be 
addressed in the f
                  nal local government 
f
 nance settlement, to ensure the support 
that families need from council child 
protection services is there now and in years 
to come.
   "Unless there is an injection of funding 
to support crucial early intervention, many 
more vulnerable children remain at risk."
   He added: "We will always encourage 
people to refer any concerns about children 
to their local authority as soon as possible, 
so that the situation can be investigated and 
support or immediate protection put in place 
where necessary. 
   "But while these f
                     gures are encouraging 
as a ref
       ection of heightened awareness 
and identif
           cation of child abuse, they 
also highlight the staggering scale of the 
pressures that have been building on 
children's services for a number of years. 
                                      "

## Social Care Inquiry Launched M

providers going out of business, contracts 
being handed back to councils, care workers 
losing their jobs and less investment in 
prevention, which is  
                    hindering the ability 
of social care to help mitigate increasing 
pressures on the NHS.
     
    "An essential foundation for long-term 
reform is greater awareness among the 
public of why adult social care matters in its 
own right. Similarly, progress is only likely 
if there is cross-party consensus on a way 
forward. The LGA stands ready to help build 
that consensus."
    But she added: "W 
                      e must not lose 
sight of the perilous state of social care 
funding today. Social care needs to be 
put on an equal footing with the NHS and 
government needs to use the upcoming 
f
 nal local government f
                         nance settlement to 
 
address both the immediate sector pressures 
and the £2.3 billion funding gap facing social 
care by 2020."

     Ps have launched an inquiry into the 
     long-term funding and provision of adult 
social care, ahead of a government Green 
Paper expected in the summer.
   The Communities and Local Government 
and Health Select Committees want to 
identify funding reforms that will command 
"broad consensus", to allow progress in 
ensuring the long-term sustainability of  
                                        the 
health and care systems.
   Cllr Izzi Seccombe, Chairman of the 
LGA's Community Wellbeing Board, said: 
"The committees are absolutely right to 
focus on long-term funding solutions and 
how to build political and public support 
for them. 
   "We do not need a major overhaul of 
our care and support system; the Care Act 
provided that. What we need is consensus 
on funding solutions so the Care Act vision 
can be realised. Long-lasting reforms cannot 
come soon enough to prevent more care 

## News In Brief Rotten Teeth N

   ew f
       gures show there were nearly 43,000 
   hospital operations to remove teeth in 
teenagers and children last year - equating to 
170 a day, up a f
              fth in four years. The LGA said 
the worrying f
            gures are, in most cases, likely 
to ref
     ect the excessive consumption of sugary 
food and drinks, as well as poor oral hygiene. 
It has long called for the Government to 
implement measures to reduce people's sugar 
intake, such as reducing the amount in soft 
drinks and introducing teaspoon labelling on 
food packaging. It also wants councils to have 
a say in deciding where the revenue from the 
soft drinks levy - due to come into ef
                               ect from 
April - is spent.

## Child Health

T
he LGA has reiterated its call for proper funding of public health services,  
after a report from the Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health found that child health in the UK is falling behind that in other European countries. Cllr Izzi Seccombe, Chairman of the LGA's Community Wellbeing Board, said: "Evidence shows that intervening in the f rst 1,000 days of a child's life can make a dif erence across their life time. But  
council s' public health grant funding being cut by £531 million between 2015/16 and 2019/2020, and councils facing a £2 billion funding gap to children's services by 2020,  
is making that task harder."

## Looked-After Boarders A

   new Department for Education scheme 
   to give more vulnerable children the 
chance to attend independent and state 
boarding schools "provides another option for 
social workers considering what would work 
best for individual children and families", the 
LGA has said. Cllr Richard Watts, Chair of the 
LGA's Children and Young People Board, said: 
"While a boarding school placement will not be 
right for every child, making this opportunity 
available for those who would benef
                                t is a 
positive move. But it is vital that the Government 
supplements these specif
                       c initiatives by 
providing the additional funding that councils 
need to ensure that all children can have the 
bright futures they deserve."

## News In Brief Devolution Report Clarity Needed On Post- Brexit Regional Aid Funding T

The Government is to safeguard subsidies 
for farmers beyond 2020 - prompting calls 
from the LGA for a similar commitment to 
local areas in respect of EU regeneration 
funding.

he LGA has warned that areas without devolution deals may be left behind, after the Government's recently published annual devolution report conf rmed no new deals were agreed in 2016/17. Cllr Mark Hawthorne, Chairman of the LGA's People and Places Board, said: "The devolution deals announced in the Autumn Budget were a step in the right direction. Taking decisions closer to where people live is key to improving public services and unlocking inclusive growth. We urge the Government to jump-start the devolution debate, by providing further detail on the manifesto commitment to a 'common devolution framework' as soon as possible."

## Malnutrition In Older People

Environment Secretary Michael Gove has announced that farmers will receive payment for "public goods"
, such as providing access to the countryside and planting meadows, after Brexit. Farming subsidies would be guaranteed until the 2022 General Election, with a transitional period to follow in England. But, while ministers have said that local communities will continue to benef t from £8.4 billion of EU regeneration funds until the end of the current programmes in 2020, they have not committed to fully replacing the funding from 2021.

Cllr Kevin Bentley, Chairman of the LGA's Brexit Task and Finish Group, said: "The Government is right to be working up plans for how to replace EU funding for farming. But local areas will also need £8.4 billion of EU regional funding replaced after Brexit and the clock is ticking for the Government to similarly set out a f rm plan to replace this funding into the next decade and beyond.

"Brexit cannot leave local areas facing huge f nancial funding uncertainty as a result of lost regional aid funding. This money M
ore than one million older people are at risk of "withering away in their own homes" because of malnutrition caused by social isolation and cuts to public services, according to a report from the All-Party Parliamentary Group on Hunger. Cllr Izzi Seccombe, Chairman of the LGA's Community Wellbeing Board, said: "Councils and providers are doing all they can to provide good care and support, including nutritious meals. However, any proposed duty to provide a hot meal every day will lead to increased costs and exacerbate signif cant current pressures on providers. Our social care system already faces a £2.3 billion funding gap by 2020.Government needs to address this in the forthcoming f nal local government f nance settlement."

## Illegal Waste T

Recyclable packaging 'key to cutting plastics pollution'
T
he Prime Minister has outlined the Government's 25-year plan to improve the environment, with a strategy designed to reduce landf ll, tackle plastic waste and encourage recycling. The measures include: encouraging supermarkets to develop 'plastic-free' aisles in an attempt to increase recyclable packag ing; extending the charge for plastic carrier bags to smaller retailers; a consultation on plans for a statutory environmental watchdog; a target to eradicate unnecessary plastic waste by 2042; and a fund to encourage plastic innovation.

Last month, the Environmental Audit Committee called for a 25p charge to be introduced on cof ee cups to increase recycling and crack down on the use of unrecyclable materials in cups. The Government announced a consultation on charging a levy on cof ee cups and similar materials as part of the measures announced in 'A green future: our 25 year plan to improve the environment'
.  
The LGA has consistently said that attempts to cut down on waste and encourage recycling must be locally led, as councils understand their areas' recycling needs best. 

Cllr Martin Tett, the LGA's Environment Spokesman, said: "Councils have asked repeatedly for manufacturers and retailers, who both choose to produce and stock packaging which isn't easily recyclable, to get around a table with us and work together to explore solutions to this problem. What we need is packaging that is easily recyclable - this would not only make waste disposal easier for our residents, but save considerable amounts of money and energy, while protecting our environment.  
Producers need to switch to recyclable items so that plastic clogging up our environment becomes a thing of the past."

  he Government has announced new 
  powers to tackle illegal waste and f
                                 y-
tipping, including councils being able to 
apply f
      xed penalty notices to f
                           y-tippers, as 
called for by the LGA. Cllr Martin Tett, the 
LGA's Environment Spokesman, said councils 
also need a "faster and more ef
                           ective legal 
system that means f
                  y-tippers are given hard-
hitting f
       nes for more serious of
                           ences". He 
added: "Clearing up f
                  y-tipping costs councils 
more than £57 million a year - money that 
could be spent on other services, such as 
caring for the elderly, protecting children or 
tackling homelessness."

has been used by local areas to create jobs, support small and medium enterprises, deliver skills training, invest in critical transport and digital infrastructure and boost inclusive growth across the country. 

"To help ensure we have an economy f t for the future, it is essential that this funding to local areas is fully replaced as part of a locally led successor to EU regional aid."

## Sound Bites Letters Help For Rough Sleepers O

    ver the past 18 months, a huge amount of work has been taking place 
    to help people who are sleeping rough in Gloucester. The reasons 
behind each case of homelessness are often complex, so understanding the 
root causes and circumstances is vital.
   Our 'Street Aware' campaign aims to raise public awareness about how 
best to help people. By encouraging residents to refer rough sleepers to 
our P3 outreach team through StreetLink, we can link rough sleepers to the 
accommodation and support available. Getting all people of
                                                            the streets 
and into suitable, stable and safe accommodation is the ultimate goal, so we 
must consider whether giving money directly to individuals is the best way 
to support them and make a sustainable change. 
   Partnership work has found that in many cases, individuals on the streets 
are housed and/or in receipt of benef
                                    ts, but struggle with addictions that 
can lead to a chaotic lifestyle and begging. Gloucester City Council has rolled 
out a successful new service that is dedicated to working with these people 
that of
       ers safe accommodation and supports their complex needs.
   Giving money to people who beg may make life easier for them in the 
short term, but, in the worst case, could feed dependency. It takes more than 
money to turn a life around, so we must address this if we are genuine about 
working together to help people to achieve real change.
Cllr Jennie Watkins (Con), Cabinet Member for Communities and 
Neighbourhoods, Gloucester City Council

## Exempting Care Leavers From Council Tax Y

   oung people leaving the care of Carmarthenshire County Council when 
   they reach adulthood could soon be exempt from paying council tax 
until their 21st birthday, following a unanimous vote by councillors in favour 
of such a move.
   The Children's Commissioner for Wales recently reported that many care 
leavers have to survive on as little as £8 a day, with council tax their biggest 
outgoing cost after rent.
   Last year, 77 young people (aged 16 or over) left the care of the county 
council and began the transition out of care and into adulthood.
   Care leavers who were looked after by the local authority are 
among the most vulnerable groups in our community. As a part of our 

Cllr Isobel Darby (Con, Chiltern)
"Found time between meetings today for #Vote100. It's only 100 
years since all men and SOME women got the vote."
www.twitter.com/CllrDarby Cllr James Hunt (Con, Bexley)
"Great to see the @LBofBexley Street Cleaning Team out early in 
#welling this morning - keeping things #clean and #tidy in the best Borough in #London #brilliantbexley." www.twitter.com/cllrjameshunt Cllr John Edwards (Lab, Sandwell)
"30-years long service awards @WestMidsFire today for staf
  with 
900-years' experience between them. During their service around 21k people have been brought out of f res or removed from car wrecks. And they all contributed to that. #Brilliant people #Great service." www.twitter.com/JohnEdwards33

Cllr Carole Williams (Lab, Hackney)
"Sitting in audit committee at the town hall as I receive notif
                                                          cation 
that the international space station is f
                                     ying overhead. Never fails to 
be exciting no matter how many times a day it passes!"
www.twitter.com/carolewilliams

Cllr Gareth Kane (Lib Dem, Newcastle)
"The Tories invented PFI, then New Labour used it as their magic 
money tree (the debts are of
                           the books). Yes, we got lots of shiny 
new schools and hospitals, but we're really paying for them now 
#Carillion."
twitter.com/CllrGarethKane

Cllr Karen Walker (Ind, Bath and North East Somerset)
"At the Guildhall tomorrow meeting my Secretary-to-be. Going 
through the list of events I've been invited to as next year's Chair of 
BANES. Hope to dedicate a lot of my time to highlighting 
#WomensRights during my year in of
                                    ce."

twitter.com/Karenwalker3434

corporate parenting role, we believe that the council should aim to 
keep young people safe and improve their life chances. We have a duty 
to care leavers.
    We believe that we have a responsibility to ensure that, when 
young people make the transition from care to adult life, the process is 
as smooth as possible and that we should do all we can to mitigate the 
changes that often result in care leavers falling into debt as they begin to 
manage their own f
                    nances.
    Following the vote, a policy will now be written and brought back to 
full council to be formally adopted.
Cllr Glynog Davies (Plaid Cymru), Executive Board Member for 
Education and Children's Services, Carmarthenshire County Council

What do you think? Please submit letters for publication 
by emailing f
            rst@local.gov.uk. Letters may be edited and 
published online

## Features Streets Ahead

Are driverless, electric and connected cars the future of transport? If so, what are the potential risks and benefits to the public services that councils provide, and for the residents they serve?

## T

he LGA is looking at  
emerging trends that have the potential to revolutionise how we move around. We hope to scan the horizon and think about the risks and opportunities for local authorities. 

If we are not active in this conversation, we risk technologies focused on the bottom line creating more congestion in cities, while leaving rural areas ever more isolated. However, if we are able to work in partnership with business, manufacturers and regulators, this technology could be harnessed to solve some of the thorniest issues we face. 

Widespread adoption of electric vehicles could reduce emissions and clean our air; the rollout of autonomous vehicles could help isolated individuals, who are excluded from public transport, to access cheap, tailored mobility services; and vehicles that communicate with each other and the roads could have huge safety benef ts. 

I chaired a seminar  
for LGA elected members in December, whe n experts from the automotive and freight sectors 
, as well as from government, told us how they were inf uencing technological developments in transport. This raised a variety of issues for councils to think about. 

There was discussion  
about how this technology could exacerbate the existing urban-rural transport divide. The potential for prof t in a much denser, more crowded urban market means  
rural areas could continue to be left behind. But this doesn't have to be the case. 

New models of economically sustainable, demand-led, shared transport could connect new and existing communities with each other, and enable those without cars to access leisure, shopping and vital public services. The LGA will be examining how councils can help foster innovation in this area. 

Speakers mentioned the provision of electric charging points - a classic chickenand-egg situation. Many consumers do not want to make the switch without the charging network being in place. However, without increasing the number of electric vehicles to serve, it is dif
  cult to make a commercial case for the investment our charging network requires. 

The Government is providing grants to get the charging industry started and we are seeing encouraging growth in the number of charging points. But we haven't yet arrived at a model that will suit mass adoption of electric cars. How will the National Grid cope with the extra demand? How will we replace the lost fuel duty revenue? What do electric 'petrol' stations look like and where should they go? 

The industry wants  
designated council of
  cers  
to discuss the charging needs of an area with private providers. Local authorities can help by making their requirements easy to f nd on their websites. 

The distinction between a taxi and a bus is already being tested by the introduction of taxi buses with f exible routes,  
of ering on-demand services. The increased f exibility af orded by connected and autonomous vehicles that could be routed and re-routed automatically, in real time, means we will need a regulatory regime that enables, rather than constrains. Councils will be keen to work with providers to examine whether a more f exible approach to public transport could benef t residents.

We also ref ected on the risks inherent in the  
potential changes. Local councils are all too aware of the importance of cyber security, given the number of  
personal and conf dential transactions we deal with daily. This challenge will be hugely increased by automated vehicles, which could be  
hacked remotely, endangering the lives of people using them and the general public. So, security will play a key part in any changes to our transport system. The connectivity of vehicles is a huge opportunity, but a more connected network is also a more vulnerable one - we need to be ready. 

Councils invest in infrastructure for the long term 
, and investment cycles can last 
 
decades - so it is vital that these are futureproofed and able to cope with the demands of changing circumstances. Connected infrastructure that interacts with vehicles 

## "Widespread Adoption Of Electric Vehicles Could Reduce Emissions And Clean Our Air"

- 
 
electrifcation, including how we change the main type of fuel we use to power vehicles 
- 
 
automation, and whether we will get to a world where no-one needs to drive again 
- 
 
connectivity - if all vehicles can talk to each other, what will they say?

Whether we arrive at fully autonomous and electrifed vehicles by 2040 or 2050, there will be many years of transition during which old and new technologies co-exist. 

The transition presents both challenges and opportunities for councils in serving their communities, with issues such as congestion and air quality still needing to be managed. They must be aware of the upcoming changes and engage in discussions about managing future impacts. 

To help, we will be producing guidance on the developments we can expect, how innovative local authorities are getting involved in trials, and the issues that all councils will need to address in the future. This is an exciting new area of work for the LGA, and I hope what we contribute will be valuable to our members.

will require signifcant investment. Changes may also be needed in our public realm - what it looks like and its purpose. One of the biggest challenges of this agenda is simply keeping pace with it and ensuring that public investment is not rendered obsolete.

Technology that reduces driving work could also disrupt the jobs market. Currently, logistics and transport account for 1.6 million jobs in the UK. Many of these roles will be driving jobs and, in an autonomous future, they could disappear. While this will reduce transport and freight costs - making the economy as a whole more efcient - we can't ignore the impact on the individuals who will need to retrain mid-career. 

In response to this pressing problem, we need to reconsider the provision of skills and training in our country. Transport automation is yet another reason for the Government to listen to what councils and the LGA have been saying on this issue via our Work Local proposals for a modern, devolved skills system 
(see **www.local.gov.uk/work-local**).

In the coming months, we intend to look at three key trends:
If your council is developing good practice in this area, or you want to fnd out more, please email andrew.jones@local.gov.uk

## South West - Autonomous Vehicles

Bristol City Council and South 
Gloucestershire Council are at the 
heart of FLOURISH, a project looking 
to test autonomous vehicles and 
establish Bristol as a key part of the 
emerging industry. 
   FLOURISH is a multi-sector 
collaboration, helping to advance 
the successful implementation of 
connected and autonomous vehicles 
(CAVs) in the UK by developing services 
and capabilities that link user needs 
and system requirements. 
   The three-year project, worth 
£5.5 million, is part-funded by 
the Government's £100 million 
Intelligent Mobility Fund, and 
delivered by Innovate UK, the 
country's innovation agency. It seeks 
to develop products and services 
that maximise the benefts of CAVs for 
users and transport authorities. 
   By adopting a user-centred 
approach, FLOURISH will achieve 
a better understanding of consumer 
demands and expectations, including 
the implications and challenges 
of an ageing society. It will also 
engage with those who need help 
with day-to- day living needs to 
develop services.
   It will address vulnerabilities 
in the technology by focusing on 
the critical areas of cyber security 
and wireless communications, and 
model the impact of CAVs on the 
transport network.
   The project will share outcomes, 
engage with potential customers, 
communities and consumers, 
and advertise the Bristol City Region 
as a hub for the development of 
CAV technologies. 
   FLOURISH is expected to bring a 
wide range of economic and social 
benefts to the area, including new 
jobs, and securing intellectual property 
for local companies (see www.
connectingbristol.org/fourish).

## 100 Reasons To Celebrate

Funding is available to help councils mark the centenary of some women getting the vote the Liberal Women's Suf rage Union in 1913 
and became its President in 1920. In 1913, she led a pilgrimage of suf rage supporters from all over eastern England to a rally in Hyde Park. She went on to play a signif cant role as a councillor and also stood for  
Parliament. 

By sharing information about these talented pioneers, we can contribute to a better understanding of the campaign for the vote. But more important is the potential for inspiring others now. Our pioneers programme will ensure the next generation knows  
about their local heroes. That way, the legacy won't just be the history of winning the vote, but contributing to future equality.  
T
challenges they've faced, and the importance of a diverse and representative democracy. 

The campaign is  
working in partnership with organisations such as  
the youth-led movement My Life My Say,  
youth news platform Shout Out UK, and the Citizenship Foundation, to help young people gain a better understanding of local politics and to support them to consider becoming a councillor. Some of this work will focus specif cally on young women. 

The LGA has also been working with the Women's Local Government Society to seek out the pioneers who lobbied and campaigned for votes for women a century ago, and who made an impact in other ways locally.  
Leaders of local suf rage societies often became the f rst women councillors, magistrates and mayors, as well as championing a great many other civic societies. 

Nominations have been made for pioneers from all walks of life and all corners of the country 
. They include Catherine Alderton, f rst Lady Mayor of Colchester and the f rst female member of Essex County Council, who joined For more information about the suf rage pioneers,  
visit www.local.gov.uk/topics/culture-tourism-leisure-and-sport/suf rage-citizenship and www.suf rage-pioneers.net 
 
For the LGA's Be A Councillor campaign, please  
visit www.beacouncillor.co.uk his year marks the centenary of the Representation of the People Act 1918, which gave women aged over 30 the right to vote in parliamentary elections. 

The LGA aims to mark the occasion by highlighting the history of the struggle for women's place in politics, and to use th e pioneers from the past to inspire the female leaders and politicians of the future. 

Women are currently under-represented in local government. In the Census of Local Authority Councillors 2013, the most recent available, around two-thirds (67.3 per cent) of councillors were male and  
one-third were female 
.  
Only 12.3 per cent of local authority leaders in England were women in 2014, compared  
with 16.6 per cent in 2004.

While this information is outdated - the census will be refreshed this year - it gives cause for concern that councils do not fully ref ect the communities they represent.  
In recognition of this gap, the LGA's 'Be A 
Councillor' campaign is developing support aimed specif cally at  
female councillors and candidates. In October 2017,  
the campaign held a 'women in politics' event in Westminster, London, attended by around 50 delegates, and featuring a cross-party panel of councillors 
, plus MPs who were previously councillors. Panel members spoke about their own political journeys and motivations, the 

## Funding For Centenary Celebrations

The Government has announced a £5 million 
Women's Vote Centenary Grant Scheme (see 
www.womensvotecentenaryfund.co.uk). 
A small grant scheme for grassroots projects 
is now open for applications, for grants 
up to £2,000. A large grant scheme (up to 
£125,000), for projects encouraging women 
to participate in public life, will open shortly. 
Seven 'Centenary Cities' - Bolton, Bristol, Leeds, 
Leicester, London, Manchester and Nottingham 
- will host a range of projects to celebrate, 
as well as remember, those individuals who 
helped ensure votes for women.

## On The Job

Graduate trainees are helping Luton 
Council realise its potential - and 
it's not too late for other councils to 
join the LGA's programme

"We want to be challenged by our recruits"
A
These are remarkable people, and we are helping them to realise  
their own potential and the potential of our authority.

Two of our trainees have started blogs, in which they shar e their Luton experience with their peers. These are genuine and unadulterated opinions from people who are experiencing our authority f rst-hand. This is fantastic for our  
employees, but also for the wider image of the council.

The ngdp's aspiration is to grow the next generation of local government directors and chief executives. We are proud to say Luton has played its part in realising this goal - and received plenty in return.

n organisation is only as good as its people. It may seem obvious, but it's a principle  
that cannot be taken for granted. It's also  
something for which we in local government must plan, if we are to best meet the needs of the communities we serve. 

For Luton Council, it's all about securing the best talent to deliver the Luton Investment Framework - our ambitious, but achievable, plan to attract £1.5 billion of inward investment over 20 years and improve the life chances of local people.

We recruited our f rst national graduate development programme (ngdp) trainees in October 2016, and it quickly became clear the benef ts of this scheme f owed both ways. Ask any member of staf
  who has worked with them and they will agree that our talented national management trainees are already making an impact across the authority.

Securing such high-quality trainees provides an obvious benef t to the council, proving that our of er of genuine development is attractive and spreading the word to other young people. 

When they started, our recruits were a little surprised that they would have direct access to the chief executive and myself 
. But we are keen to give them real responsibility. We make sure they are making a dif erence - that's what they came into the public sector to do.

We also want to be challenged by our recruits, and have plans to involve them in a reverse coaching scheme. There are gaps in the knowledge of staf
  of all ages, throughout all organisations. This scheme is about thinking, 'we have a need, who could f ll it?'
, regardless of age or position within the authority. 

## The National Graduate Development Programme

One of the keys to providing  
                             strong 
public services that improve the lives of 
our residents is attracting and developing 
the right people to lead our council teams 
and organisations.
   Over the  
             past 20 years, the LGA has 
been bringing graduate talent into the 
sector through  
               its national graduate 
development programme (ngdp). The 
programme provides local government 
with managers and leaders who are 
ambitious, passionate and committed 
to improving public services in the best 
interests of our communities.
   The ngdp is highly regarded by 
 
councils and graduates, and is ranked in 
The Times Top 100 Graduate Employers 
and Guardian UK 300. 
   It promotes the benef
                           ts of a 
successful and rewarding career in 
local government, and has provided 
 
consistently high-calibre graduate 
trainees to more than 160 authorities, 
through 19 previous cohorts. 
   This year, the scheme has attracted 
more applications than ever before, with 
 
more than 2,700 graduates applying 
for trainee positions in local authorities 
across the country.
   There is still time to register as a host 
authority and to realise the benef
                                   ts of 
this national, but f
                   exible, programme 
within your own council. 
   Please visit www.local.gov.uk/
national-graduate-development-
programme/ngdp-information-for-
councils for more information, or email 
the ngdp team at ngdp@local.gov.uk. 
The deadline for applications is 30 March 
                                         .

## Peer Challenge

Councils should 
be exploiting the 
expertise and support 
available  
         within 
local government to 
help them improve

heart of what we call 'sector-led improvement'
                                             . 
   Peer challenge is a tried, tested and 
trusted scheme. It  
                  emerged nearly 20 years 
ago, as a way for councils to test their 
ef
  ectiveness, assess their performance, and 
learn from others.  
   The LGA  
            work 
                 s with councils to ensure the 
peer-led approach  
                  continue 
                           s to evolve, keep 
pace with the changing policy environment, 
and remain relevant and robust in light of the 
issues and challenges facing councils today. 
   In the  
          past six years, 80 per cent of 
councils have voluntarily commissioned an 
LGA Corporate Peer Challenge. This  
                                   suggests 
 
they get a lot out of the process.  
   Of course, I would be expected to say that, 
as Chairman of the LGA's Improvement and 
Innovation Board - but you don't have to take 
my word for it. 
   Over the past six months, the LGA has 
been surveying leaders and chief executives 
to understand the impact of the Corporate 
Peer Challenge programme. 
   The feedback speaks volumes: 

- 
96 per cent said that the programme had a positive impact on their council's performance.
- 
96 per cent said  
it had a positive impact 
on the delivery of council priorities.
- 
72 per cent said  
it had a positive impact 
on the f
 nancial sustainability of the 
council.
of positive benef ts and impacts, and  
of ers value for money.  
The positive impact of peer challenge has, in my opinion, never been clearer.  
For councillors of all parties, our  
priority is delivering the best possible services to our communities. It is clear to me that peer challenge is a useful tool  
in supporting this and helping achieve improved outcomes for residents.  
However, there are still some councils that are missing out on the benef ts of peer challenge. 

I strongly urge those  
authorities that have yet to engage with the programme to think hard about the reasons behind this, and to speak to their LGA regional principal advis er 
(see www.local.gov.uk/our-support/lgaprincipal-advisers). 

As councillors, we owe it to our residents to encourage our councils to  
engage in peer challenge regularly and benef t from the learning and support that fellow of
  cers and councillors from across local government can of er.  
T

- 
88 per cent said it had a positive impact on the council's external reputation.
An independent evaluation, published in February 2017, also concluded that the Corporate Peer Challenge continues to be highly regarded by councils, delivers a range 
he LGA's Corporate Peer Challenge programme continues to be one of local government's resounding success stories. It enables hundreds of council of
  cers and elected members to spend time in other  
local authorities - as 'peers' - to provide challenge and share learning. It is a proven tool to support progress, and remains at the 

"Peer challenge is 
a useful tool to help 
achieve improved 
outcomes for residents"

## What Is A Corporate Peer Challenge?

-       
It is a voluntary process commissioned by your council to support improvement and learning.
-       
It involves a small team of local government of
  cers and elected 
members, as 'peers'
, spending time 
in your council to provide challenge and share learning.
-       
It takes place at a time of your council's choosing, and focuses on standard elements - such as leadership, governance and f
 nance 
-  
as well as on specif
 c areas decided 
by the council 
. 
-       
It is fully funded by the LGA on the basis that all councils are entitled to one every four or f
 ve years.
-       
Eighty per cent of councils have commissioned one since 2011.  

## Productive Partnerships

An LGA productivity expert has helped councils in Devon develop an award-winning shared economic strategy Our focus on collaborative working is already delivering tangible outputs for our local authority areas beyond what could be achieved in isolation. For example, we were able to commission a high-quality business support service with funding from a pooled budget and we established a shared system to manage inward investment data. Additionally, this collective approach aligns with the national push for joint council working.

Support to develop our strategy was made available through the LGA's Productivity Experts programme, which provides expert support to local authorities to save and generate money. This includes the delivery of economic growth in their local areas. 

Our expert was David Howells, Managing Director of Rubicon Regeneration, who worked with the EHOD team to of er clear technical advice and guidance that was instrumental in progressing the strategy and designing a new framework for collaborative economic development across the four local authority areas.

W

## Expertise On Hand

The Productivity Experts programme 
supports councils to make savings 
and/or generate an income against a 
backdrop of decreasing funding and 
increasing demand for services. 
   The LGA grants £7,000 to councils 
who then commission an LGA-
recommended expert to provide 
direct bespoke advice and support. 
Over its lifetime, the programme has 
worked with more than 90 councils, 
contributing to over £150 million of 
savings or income generation.
   These include Allerdale Borough 
Council, which was enabled to 
renegotiate its four largest contracts 
and realised ef
               ciency savings of £2.3 
million against an initial target of £1 
million; and Wyre Forest District Council, 
which implemented systems thinking 

e cannot create jobs and wealth in isolation, but we can create the right environment for businesses to ultimately grow and f ourish.

This is the vision of our Exeter and Heart of Devon (EHOD) Shared Economic Strategy 2017-2020, which was recently awarded the accolade of 'Most Innovative Strategy' in a national awards programme run by the Institute of Economic Development.

The economic development teams across the councils of East Devon, Exeter City, Mid Devon and Teignbridge launched our strategy last year, following an already successful collaborative approach stemming back several years. 

Each local authority has taken ownership of one of four common economic development priorities: business support and transformation (led by Mid Devon); inward investment (Exeter City); strategic planning (East Devon); and employment and skills (Teignbridge).

The strategy establishes targets around increasing high-quality jobs, attracting  and retaining investment and enabling development, as well as improving productivity, skills, qualif cations and employability. 

across all services to achieve £700,000 
of savings in 2012/13. Gloucestershire 
County Council completed a diagnostic 
exercise that identif
                     ed opportunities 
to secure savings of £10.3 million in 
the council's adult social care learning 
disability services.
   The programme of
                       ers a f
                              exible 
range of support to enable councils 
to access skills and expertise in their 
chosen area. All of the recommended 
experts have a proven ability to work 
with councils and to deliver results.
   Councils can apply at any time during 
the f
     nancial year, and applications 
should be ambitious with the potential 
for signif
          cant savings or income 
generation. 
   For more information, please visit 
www.local.gov.uk/productivity-experts

## Grand Designs

The LGA is providing housing advisers to help councils find local solutions to the national crisis

## O

expert for up to 20 days, of ering bespoke support to a local authority project to deliver homes, reduce homelessness, or generate savings or revenues. 

More than 40 projects at councils across England have been allocated an adviser, and many of these are now under way and beginning to have an impact on their communities (see right). 

Cllr Martin Tett, Chairman of the LGA's Environment, Economy, Housing and Transport Board, said: "There is no substitute for central government giving local authorities the tools they need to invest in the homes, of all types and tenures, which their communities desperately need.

"However, councils need the best tools available to them to help build on the innovation in the sector. The Housing Advisers Programme is an essential aid to councils wanting expertise to innovate and improve their ef orts to help build homes, plan prosperous places and economies, and reduce homelessness."
ur housing market is broken, xing. 

Last year, around 90,000 
fewer homes were built than we need to meet our national housing shortage. Every month, councils are housing the equivalent of an extra secondary school's worth of homeless children. 

As house builders, landlords, planners, place-shapers, and agents of growth, transport and infrastructure; as guardians to the vulnerable and the homeless; and because they are democratically accountable to communities, councils are at the heart of the solution to our housing crisis. There is impressive innovation in housing emerging across the sector, and the LGA aims to harness this momentum to help councils meet their local housing need. 

One of the ways it is doing this is via the Housing Advisers Programme, launched in September 2017. Flexible and locally led, the programme provides an independent To f nd out more about the Housing Advisers Programme and follow the progress of all of the projects, please visit www.local.gov.uk/housing-advisers-programme

## Case Studies

Warwick 
Warwick District Council is using its 
adviser to develop an innovative 
Student Housing Strategy. The area 
has a growing student population that 
is having an impact on the housing 
market. This project will allow the 
council to understand expected 
population projections and establish an 
appropriate balance between purpose-
built accommodation and student 
houses in multiple occupation (HMOs). 
This will enable Warwick to manage 
the impact of student growth on the 
availability of private rented sector 
homes for the non-student population, 
and help the council meet residents' 
housing needs.

Northumberland 
In preparation for the Homelessness 
Reduction Act 2017, Northumberland 
County Council is working with its 
adviser to evaluate its current review 
and referral processes. The adviser will 
support the development of protocols 
and a pilot referral system to ensure that 
it covers all the people who the new 
homelessness duties apply to, including 
those considered 'non-priority'
                      . This 
will be rolled out across the council's 
Homelessness and Housing Options 
Service, other council departments, 
partner agencies and other statutory 
bodies. The project will strengthen 
working with institutions such as prisons 
and hospitals, to ensure that councils 
are notif
       ed in advance of prisoners and 
patients being released and are best 
prepared to prevent homelessness.

Test Valley 
Test Valley Borough Council's housing 
adviser is helping unlock a permitted 
residential development on a former 
brewery site within Romsey. It has a long 
and complex planning history dating 
back to the 1990s, and attempts to 
build housing have stalled many times. 
The adviser is exploring the options 
available to the council to bring forward 
200 much-needed homes on the site. It 
has been found that there is scope for 
unlocking other permitted residential 
development sites in neighbouring 
authorities, with potential to increase 
the number of new homes being built 
across authority lines.

## A Matter Of Justice

Councils have a key role to play in tackling health inequalities in their local areas

## I

there is much  
local government can do, by reducing harm from what we know as the 'social determinants of health' 
. Th ese are the factors in people's lives, such as having a job, friends and a safe place to live, that play the greatest part in determining how long - and with what quality of life - they will live.

When we focus on the social determinants of health, rather than the medical cause of some specif c disease, we see that local government services are health services 
. Almost every council function has an impact on health, including early years' services, education, housing, employment and welfare, social care, and 
"Local government services are health services: almost every council function has an impact on health"  
n her f fter becoming Prime Minister in 2016, Theresa May spoke of the "burning injustice that, if you're born poor, you will die on average nine years earlier than others". 

We know that those living in the most deprived communities experience poorer mental health, higher rates of smoking and greater levels of obesity than the more af
  uent. They spend more years in ill health and  
die sooner. 

Reducing health inequalities is an economic and social challenge, as well as a moral one. Since 2013, local government has been responsible for public health in England and has  
a specif c remit to tackle health inequalities,  
plus improv e the public's health overall.

Local authorities and their public health teams have been on a journey  
to understand how we can use councils' traditional functions in conjunction with our newly acquired public health expertise, to maximise our contribution to closing the unjust health inequalities gap. 

Of course, central government has to play its part in reducing poverty and breaking the link between deprivation, ill health and lower life expectancy. But environmental services, including parks and leisure facilities.

For example, children who live close to green spaces have higher levels of physical activity. Those living closer to green spaces tend to live longer than those with no green space. So something as  
simple as the proximity of people's homes to a park can make a dif erence to the length of their lives.

It is no exaggeration to say that, without local government, many adults and children would die sooner,  
live in worse conditions, lead lives that made them ill more often, and  
experience less emotional, mental and physical wellbeing than they do now. Despite overall gains in life expectancy across all socio-economic groups, however, health inequalities persist - and may even be increasing. 

The most signif cant contribution local government can make is to take a ' 
health in all policies' (HiAP) approach to  
its core functions and  
its place-based partnerships. 

HiAP is a collaborative  
way of trying to improv e the health of all people by 
 
systematically and explicitly incorporating health considerations into decision-making.

To ensure that your HiAP approach is aimed at reducing health inequalities - as well as improving the general health  
of your population - you need to understand the nature of inequalities in your area, who is af ected by them, and in what way.

The LGA has recently published guidance for councillors that focus es on these issues,  
and helps them  
develop 
 
strategies and action plans to reduce health inequalities in their local areas 
.

We hope  
this publication will serve as a useful introduction to the issues, and a vital resource for elected members in their struggle against the unacceptable inequity in health experienced by the most deprived people in our communities.

The LGA publication, 'A matter of justice: 
local government's role in tackling health inequalities', will shortly be available to download for free at www.local.gov.uk/publications. 

'Narrowing the health inequalities gap', 
an annual public health conference and 
exhibition by the LGA and Association 
of Directors of Public Health 
                             , takes place 
on 1 March in London. 
For information about the programme 
and to book your place, please visit 
www.local.gov.uk/events

## Interview On The Brink L

It's not adult social care but pressures on 
children's services that are now most likely 
to push councils over a financial cliff edge, 
warns Andrew Gwynne MP, Shadow 
Secretary of State for Communities and 
Local Government

ocal government funding may be "on the brink"
, but councils shouldn't expect any good news in the f nal f nance settlement, due out later this month 
. So says Andrew Gwynne, Shadow Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, who is predicting little will have changed from the provisional local government settlement announced before Christmas (see f rst 619).

The former Tameside councillor identif es a combination of things that have brought local government to a f nancial precipice - 
including "the fact that no government since 1991 has bitten the bullet and looked afresh at local government f nance"
, and a series of 
"sticking plasters" aimed at trying to alleviate some of the pressures on adult social care.

"Because of those sticking plasters, everybody thought it would be adult social care that pushes councils over that clif
  edge. 

I now suspect it's more likely to be children's services,"  
Mr Gwynne says.

"Speaking to councils, they're all saying the same thing - that while pressures in social care are still prevalent, it's children's services that are causing them the biggest headaches because they can't predict the level of need."
The support services that can help divert children from care - such as Sure Start, family support and domestic violence of
  cers 
 
- have been "stripped back" as a result of "devastating" funding cuts, leaving children needing specialist help or taking into care, which is expensive,  
adds Mr Gwynne.

"That then means hard choices need to be made, because if you are spending on children's services and adult social care - the two services that most council tax payers don't see - you're not spending on the bread-and-butter issues that councils are expected to deliver,  
such as the bins, the parks being maintained, the street lights being switched on and repaired, and all the things that Mrs Smith thinks  
she pays her council tax for." In its General Election manifesto last year, Labour pledged an immediate £1.5 billion for local government, plus £8 billion for adult social care and £0.5 billion for early years. In last November's Budget, Labour The LGA has long called for the housing borrowing cap to be lifted, to enable councils to resume their historic house  
building role - something that MPs on the Treasury Select Committee have recently come out in support of, and  
that Labour  
backs. 

Mr Gwynne is keen to see  
local authorities do more on housing, citing an example from his constituency 
, Denton and Reddish, in Greater Manchester 
. 

"Stockport Metropolitan Borough Council, which is  
minority Labour-controlled 
, has very bravely taken on the decision to create a property company," he says. 

"They're not just building new homes in Stockport for social and af ordable rent, they are also using it as a development vehicle to build homes across the whole of Greater Manchester - both for sale and for other housing associations and housing companies.

"That's bringing an income into the council to allow them to build more homes for Stockport residents to rent through Stockport Homes, the arm's-length management company. I think that is such a virtuous circle and a great example of Labour in local government making a big dif erence to people's lives."
Mr Gwynne agrees that central government has a lot to learn from local voted against the cutting of the bank levy by £5 billion, arguing  
for £2 billion of that to go to children's services.

"Banks can lobby, children can't," says Mr Gwynne 
, who is worried about the capacity of local government to deliver locally, after eight years of austerity. 

"We need to rebuild capacity in local government very quickly, because what we've seen is the number of specialist of
  cers - and that historic and corporate knowledge - being whittled down to the bare minimum across all local authorities," he says. 

"It's all very well us saying we've got 
£0.5 billion for early years [in our manifesto] but - in a lot of councils - Sure Start has been stripped back to the bone or removed altogether, so you've got to put that capacity back in.

"Many local education authorities are education authorities in name only, and they don't have those support of
  cers and networks they once had. We're going to have to reinvent the wheel - likewise in adult social care, children's services, and the day-to-day delivery of ordinary services."
Housing is another area  
in which Labour's plans, to build more homes, can only take of
  
if councils have the capacity - in planning departments, enforcement and so on, says Mr Gwynne. 

"We need to rebuild 
capacity because the 
number of specialist 
    officers has been 
whittled down to the 
    bare minimum"

government when it comes to joining up 
services locally for the benef
                           t of residents.
  "I think we now have to start working 
more smartly, to make sure the health and 
wellbeing of the citizen is at the centre of 
everything that government does," he says.
  "The best in local government have health 
and wellbeing strategies (HWB) that really 
direct everything they do. 
  "Some councils, it's fair to say, have created 
HWB strategies because they have to, and 
they gather dust on the bookshelf. But I've 
seen some really good examples of where 
the leader of the council is the chair of 

the HWB board. They then drive the strategy through every level of the council, whether that's planning, environment, leisure, housing, job creation, education and skills, adult social care. Everything the council does determines someone's health and wellbeing."
This smarter, joined-up approach is really paying dividends locally, he says - not least in the combined authorities, with their devolution deals.

Greater Manchester is able to marry up its economic development, skills and transport strategies, and should  
benef t from local retention of business rates because its 10 constituent councils have agreed to pool and share their rates.

While Traf ord, Manchester and Salford 
"would be massively advantaged" if they stood alone on business rates, neighbouring Tameside "would need to build another 20 IKEAs just to break even".

"By pooling and sharing, the conurbation breaks even. That then allows the combined authority and the mayor to come up with a really smart economic development strategy, because it means the 10 councils are not all chasing the same pot of gold," says Mr Gwynne. 

"They can actually grow the cake together and get a bigger slice of a bigger cake. So rather than all 10 councils chasing after the same business park, you can look at  
Greater Manchester's strengths  
and how to develop them economically.

"It might be more development around the old docks at Salford Quays and MediaCityUK. It might be Manchester city centre or the airport. The challenge then is when you get the new jobs in those areas, how do you get the kids from Tameside or Rochdale or Wigan skilled up to be able to access those jobs?  
"Then, with the money that's created from the increase in business rates, how do you get the transport networks  
and infrastructure in place so th e kids  
who are skilled up to access those jobs can physically get to them as well?

"I think that's where devolution, joint working, and pooling and sharing of resources actually allows local government to be really innovative and really smart. Greater Manchester is quite an exciting place to be at the moment, because we are at the forefront of pushing that agenda." Mr Gwynne acknowledges that the current system of devolution works well in the metropolitan areas, with their networks of single-tier authorities, but that  
it's "going to be incredibly dif
  cult to mirror that model" in two-tier areas.

"We're coming to the conclusion that there isn't a one-size-f ts-all approach [to devolution] - it's what works best, and it's down to local government to say what arrangements work," he says. 

"That might be partnerships between neighbouring counties working together with their district councils. It might be a collaboration of unitaries and counties working together within their old historic boundaries, with or without a mayor. 

"But what works  
should be the underlying principle, and let local leaders and local communities decide the best f t for their delivery of services and devolution."
There have been six Shadow Secretaries of State for Communities and Local Government since May 2015, and  
Mr Gwynne is the third to be interviewed by f rst. Does he expect to be in the job any longer than his predecessors?

 "I plan to be," he says, with a smile. "It really is my dream job, and I'm determined not only to be the Shadow Secretary of State, but also  
the next Labour Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, so that all those exciting things we have talked about - reinvesting in local public services, putting the 'local' back in local government - we're going to get on and do." Mr Gwynne adds: "I've spent equal amounts of time as a local councillor and as an MP, both for my home town - it is a huge privilege to represent my local community in the town hall and here in Westminster.

"In terms of getting things done, making a real dif erence to people's lives, making real, physical improvements to my community, most of that happened when I was a councillor - I can still point to those things as I go around my constituency. That's the real frustration of being an MP, particularly an opposition MP - you can't make a dif erence in the way a councillor can."

   "We're coming to 
 the conclusion that 
    there isn't a one-
size-fits-all approach 
  to devolution - it's 
   what works best"

## Lga Annual Culture, Tourism And Sport Conference Wednesday 7 - Thursday 8 March 2018, Hull

No one can have missed the enormous success achieved by 
Hull as UK City of Culture 2017, and we are delighted to take this 
flagship conference there in March. Delegates will be able to see 
and hear first-hand about how Hull has used culture to involve nine 
out of 10 residents in community experiences, attract more than 
£3.3 billion in investment and achieve the country's fastest reduction 
in Jobseeker's Allowance claimants.

Newly confirmed speakers: - **Ros Kerslake OBE**, Chief Executive, Heritage Lottery Fund
- Rt Hon the Lord Howarth of Newport CBE - **Rosie Millard**, Deputy CEO, Creative Industries Federation
Commercial Skills house ad revised.pdf   1   25/01/2018   16:06
To book your place visit: www.local.gov.uk/events
19.13 - LGA Annual Culture, Tourism and Sport Conference - UPDATED CONTENT.indd   1

## Commercial Skills - Masterclasses For Councillors

Councils are increasingly looking at alternative 
delivery models and innovative ways to generate 
income, in response to shrinking budgets, rising costs 
and increasing demand for services. Consequently, 
working in a commercial environment is becoming 
increasingly key to the role of the modern councillor.

masterclasses for councillors, focusing on key topics 
including strategy development, business planning, 

management, and your duties as a board member.

The sessions take place on 22 February and 16 March 
at the University of Warwick, Coventry. To book your 
place, please email Jamie Osowski on 
jamie.osowski@local.gov.uk .

## Comment Local Ambition For National Growth

Given the increasing dominance of the regional agenda in economic discussions, the oft quoted maxim that 'all politics is local' can perhaps be seen as  
more pertinent than ever.

worth of investment, with another £1.3 billion 
package  
         assembled for the neighbouring 
Swansea Bay City Region. 
    North Wales has recently submitted 
projects totalling £1.3 billion and the 
partnership in rural Mid Wales is  
                                working hard 
to secure similar investment.
    However, these important headline f
                                         gures 
form only  
          part of our ambition. Aside from 
representing multi-million pound investments 
in areas across Wales, city and growth deals 
will  
   be a catalyst for further, much-needed 
private sector investment. Indeed, the target for 

        
       It was local Welsh councils  
                                                       that took the 
initiative to form four ambitious regional 
economic partnerships.  
                                           Together, locally 
elected councillors  
                                  built these partnerships 
 
from the bottom up - and  
                                                they continue to 
drive the regional agenda forward by leading 
on collaboration with central governments, 
the private sector and other partners, such as 
further and higher education.  
       Such collaboration has  
                                                 led to invaluable 
investment in our regions, through city and 
growth deals 
                       . 
       The Cardif
                           Capital City Region,  
                                                               for which I 
am a cabinet member, has attracted  
                                                                 £1.2 billion 

"If local government is to 
fully unlock the potential 
of regional investment, 
central governments 
must hold fast  
                to their 
resolve to take bold and 
radical decisions"

the Cardif
           Capital City Region is to lever an 
additional £4 billion of private sector investment. 
One of the f
            rst high-prof
                        le projects to be 
supported is seeking to develop the compound 
semi-conductor industry in the region.
   By working together more close 
                                  ly in taking 
regional collaborative action, we can ensure 
that the job-making potential of these deals is 
fully unlocked to spur local economic growth in 
our communities. 
   Special social clauses in procurement 
contracts will lead to invaluable apprenticeships 
and training opportunities for local residents. 
Innovative and collaborative approaches to 
such investment will ensure that we deliver 
demand-led employment and skills support for 
industry and infrastructure, which will enable 
economic growth. 
   Local government has been working 
pragmatically on the city and growth deals, 
both with  
          the UK and Welsh governments. 
Closely aligning the work of the partnerships 
with the Welsh Government's Economic Action 
Plan will ensure  
               all regional economies 
contribute coherently and ef
                            ectively to 
national economic objectives. 
    
   If local government is to fully unlock the 
potential of regional investment, however, 
central governments must  
                          hold fast  
                                   to their 
resolve to take bold and radical decisions.  
   There is widespread support for a proposed 
tidal lagoon project, worth £1.3 billion,  
                                     among 
councillors and businesses in Swansea Bay - 
though they  
            await a f
                     nal decision from 
Westminster. While not part of the  
                                 city  
                                     deal, this 
catalytic  
        project would complement wider 
ef
  orts to secure development in the region - 
and there is potential for similar projects in 
South East and  
               North Wales. 
   Once-in-a-lifetime investment 
opportunities don't hang around forever; 
dithering and indecisiveness may  
                                be all it 
takes to sound the death knell for key projects 
and the transformative social benef
                                   ts that they 
would bring.
   More and more people, it seems, are 
waking up to the realisation that local, elected 
councillors are in the best position to play full 
and invaluable roles in driving the economy 
in their respective regions.  
                          What's more,  
                                       they 
are fully capable and prepared to step up to 
the plate.

## Group Leaders' Comments Public Services: Outsourcing Or In-House? "Decisions On How To Deliver Services - And Who Should Deliver Them - Should Be Led By Elected Local Councillors" T

back 'in-house', even if they chose to - as they 
have been forced into serious reductions in 
the very back of
                  ce staf
                           that are required to 
successfully design and run radical, innovative 
and cost-sensitive services.
    Any government that is committed to 
helping councils run services themselves will 
need to address the severe funding pressures 
that have seen councils lose this vital capacity.
    It is also important to recognise that many 
councils - and not just those led by Labour 
- have few services to bring back in-house 
anyway, because of conscious decisions not 
to outsource them in the f
                            rst place. Indeed, 
in my own authority, Newcastle, we are proud 
to run many key services ourselves - and 

   he catastrophic collapse of Carillion has 
   understandably dominated the headlines 
recently and caused many sleepless nights for 
councillors and of
                    cers across the country.
    As frantic work continues to ensure services 
continue and jobs are safeguarded, it has also 
sparked new life into the debate over whether 
it is appropriate for public services to be run by 
private companies.
    The ideological arguments are well-rehearsed 
over the years - and elected members of 
dif
   erent parties will continue to have sharply 
opposing views that are unlikely to be reconciled.
    But after eight years of harsh austerity, the 
debate is now on very dif
                          erent ground. Many 
councils would f
                 nd it dif
                           cult to bring services 

## Chairman'S Comment

chairman's comment

## Tackling The Housing Crisis W

   However, the LGA has repeatedly called 
for all local authorities to be given the freedom 
to borrow to build the additional af
                                   ordable 
homes that will not be delivered by the market. 
That argument has now received signif
                                      cant 
recognition from the inf
                        uential Treasury Select 
Committee, which has said that the cap should 
be abolished to "unleash" the potential of local 
authorities to build new homes.
   The borrowing cap restricts the number 
of homes that councils can deliver. So, if the 
Government really wants to achieve its ambition 
of 300,000 new homes a year, it needs to ensure 
all areas of the country can borrow to invest.
   Councils are dealing f
                         rst-hand with some 
of the consequences of the housing crisis. We 
expect homelessness will continue to increase 
as housing becomes less af
                           ordable because of 

      hat's in a name? Quite a lot, we hope, 
      when it comes to the renaming of the 
Department for Communities and Local 
Government as the Ministry for Housing, 
Communities and Local Government.
    Housing has always been an LGA 
and local government priority, and Prime 
Minister Theresa May began the new year by 
reiterating her commitment to tackling the 
housing crisis.
    Her administration has committed 
£2 billion to help build a "new generation" 
of council houses and af
                          ordable homes 
for rent, and in the Autumn Budget the 
Chancellor announced the lifting of the 
housing borrowing cap for some councils.

"The borrowing cap should be abolished to 
unleash the potential of local authorities 
to build new homes"

have shown that council-run public services 
can demonstrate at least the same level of 
innovation and cost-ef
                       ectiveness as the private 
sector claims to of
                  er, and often provide better 
job security and working conditions.
   As localists, we should continue to make 
the argument that decisions on how to deliver 
services - and who should deliver them - 
should be led by elected local councillors. There 
is no place for legislation or directives from 
Whitehall that force local decision-makers down 
a path that they don't believe is the right course 
of action for their area.
   The real test for measuring how much local 
residents rate their local services rightly remains 
the ballot box - and long may that continue.

rising rents and reduced welfare assistance. 
    It is therefore crucial that government 
adapts the implementation of welfare 
reforms to reduce homelessness. This 
should include lifting the freeze on 
Local Housing Allowance and relinking it 
with rents.
    Councils are ready and waiting to 
resume their historic role as major builders 
of af
     ordable homes. As builders, planning 
authorities and place shapers, agencies 
of growth and guardians of the most 
vulnerable and homeless, they are perfectly 
placed to lead the way and deliver a 
renaissance in house building. 
    We must be at the heart of any housing 
strategy. And we need government to give 
us the tools to get building.

## No 'One-Size-F Ts-All' Solution To Waste

Scrap the borrowing cap to build more homes

## "Eight Out Of 10 People Are Currently Happy With The Way Their Council Collects Rubbish"

"Local government 
should have the power to 
direct the use of publicly 
owned land that is being 
sold off"

## P A

   lastic has become a hot topic in recent 
   weeks. The Prime Minister recently launched 
the Government's 25 Year Environment Plan, 
and the ef
           ects of China's ban on imported 
plastic waste are already being felt. 
    I believe that the solution to tackling 
these issues is not, as has been suggested, 
to standardise waste collections across 
the country. 
    Of the many services local authorities 
provide, waste collection is one of the highest 
rated. Indeed, LGA polling shows eight out of 
10 people are currently happy with the way 
their council collects rubbish. 
    There is no one-size-f
                          ts-all solution when 
it comes to waste collection services. There are 
vast dif
        erences between how waste should be 
collected from a rural farm to how it should be 
collected from a block of f
                           ats. 
    Councils are best placed to understand 
local need, and can do so while working to 
create a greener Britain.
    On another note, I was pleased that Sajid 
Javid was reappointed as our Secretary of 
State in the recent government reshuf
                                        e, and 
would like to welcome Rishi Sunak, Heather 
Wheeler and Dominic Raab to the newly 
named Ministry of Housing, Communities 
and Local Government.
    I have already had useful meetings with the 
ministerial team, and very much look forward 
to working with them in the coming months. 

    re the tectonic plates starting to move on 
    council housing? 
    The cross-party Commons Treasury Select 
Committee has certainly seen the light and 
has released a report calling on the housing 
borrowing cap to be abolished, echoing the 
long-standing call from the LGA. 
    And, at our spring conference next month, 
thanks to a motion that is being tabled by 
Liberal Democrat councillors, the party will look 
to reaf
        rm our pledge to scrap the borrowing 
cap. 
    It is by no means the only measure 
we need to get more socially rented and 
af
  ordable housing built, but if we are to meet 
the target of 300,000 homes a year then this 
can only help. 
    We are calling for other steps - for example, 
reform of legislation over empty homes and 
compulsory purchase orders - so councils have 
more power to deal with those properties. 
We're saying that local government should 
have the power to direct the use of publicly 
owned land that is being sold of
                                   - including 
that owned by Whitehall departments - for 
socially rented or af
                    ordable housing. 
    In addition, we will pledge to reform 
the Right to Buy - giving local councils the 
option of whether or not to continue with 
the scheme.
    Only time will tell if the Government will 
listen to the calls for reform - but Liberal 
Democrats will keep up the pressure for action.

For more information about the LGA's political groups, 
see www.local.gov.uk
For more information about the LGA's political groups, 
see www.local.gov.uk
For more information about the LGA's political groups, 
see www.local.gov.uk

## Urgent Need To Tackle Plastic Pollution

"The Government's 
deadline for eliminating 
avoidable plastic waste 
may be overtaken by 
councils and private 
enterprise taking the 
initiative"

## B

   ritain has been shipping our non-recyclable 
   plastics to China. Now China will not, or 
cannot, take any more.
   Although her party was split on the Brexit 
issues, it seems the Prime Minister tempted 
voters across by taking on UKIP's policies. So, 
what will happen if the blue party goes really 
green, with its 25 Year Environment Plan?
   I have been shocked to see plastic bags 
littering even remote and beautiful African 
desert areas, and much of our plastic waste 
seems to end up in the sea, as per David 
Attenborough's Blue Planet series.
   There could be more plastic than f
                                       sh in 
the sea by 2050, so the Government's deadline 
of 2042 to eliminate avoidable plastic waste is 
not exactly stretching. Indeed, it may well be 
overtaken by councils and private enterprise 
taking the initiative. 
   What is recyclable has been partly 
governed by what is prof
                         table for our 
contractors. Some councils have combined 
their waste stream into a single contract, 
making it less confusing for residents and, 
in some cases, cheaper. Other 
                             s work with 
businesses on waste minimisation, enhancing 
their local economy at the same time. There are 
many good ideas out there.
   So, the PM is embracing the EU legislation 
that will be adopted by the UK. Thanks to our 
members for their work in developing this 
legislation and the consequent UK regulations.

## Inspiring Tomorrow'S Leaders

There's a lot of debate about the state of British democracy and values at the moment. 

within their home environments - from open 
spaces and refuse, to parking and transport. 
   We recently had 15 schools in our council 
chamber debating issues ranging from the 
challenges elderly people face to controlling 
parking outside schools (pictured right). We've 
had great success getting school councils more 
empowered to take the baton themselves and 
work to bring change in their local area. 
   We've also found that it's easier to dabble 
in more experimental areas of teaching that 
allow teachers to bring in technology and move 
away from the high-pressured curriculum focus 
of more traditional subjects. This has included 
working with schools to make a community 
video featuring students talking about how they 
feel about the future of the local area. 
   Local authorities have an important and 
exciting role to play in this and I'd encourage 
making contact with local schools and 
starting the journey together. I've found that 
teachers have been incredibly receptive, and 
working with primary and secondary students 
is wonderfully rewarding and challenging. 
The feedback and views they express are 
invaluable. 

    As Chairman of Three Rivers District Council 
Youth Council, I've enjoyed seeing f
                                     rst-hand 
how engaging young people in citizenship 
and the role of government encourages them 
to take an interest and play a more active role 
in society. 
    Working with primary schools has been 
particularly rewarding - even from the age of 
six or seven, it's really easy to draw students 
into thinking about how they can play a role in 
society from a young age. They are learning to 
be involved and inf
                    uence the world they will 
live in for decades to come. 
    Local authorities are a perfect introduction 
to governance as these are things they can see 

## Annual Public Health Conference And Exhibition Narrowing The Health Inequalities Gap London, 1 March 2018

Public health teams and their partners are striving to help people 
live healthy lives for longer with less dependence on acute health 
and care services. Councils continue to tackle persistent problems 
such as mental illness, children's health, alcohol and drug abuse, 
poverty and loneliness in old age. Join us at our most popular health 
conference to explore how serious health inequalities that still exist 
within our local communities are being addressed.
Confirmed speakers:
Steve Brine MP, Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State  
for Public Health and Primary Care 
Baroness Tanni Grey-Thompson, ukactive
Lord John Bird MBE, The Big Issue 
Alison Garnham, Child Poverty Action Group
To book your place visit www.local.gov.uk/events

hands for the future, but it is our job as leaders to get out and inspire the leaders of tomorrow.

For more information, please follow Cllr Michaels on Twitter, @MrAlexMichaels

## Devolving Skills

Last November, for the f rst time, all seven regional mayors met in London. 

pull to help tackle the productivity challenge 
in their respective areas. Therefore, it is 
unfortunate that the DfE has not been more 
enthusiastic about the opportunities that 
devolution of
              ers to enable us to put together 
a skills package far superior to the current one 
on of
      er.
   Though the devolution deals were f
                                         rm 
in their support for local skills provision, the 
experience since the elections has been 
dif
   erent. The adult education budget that 
was meant to be devolved in 2018/19 has 
been delayed by a year, while the department 
remains f
          rmly wedded to an overly 
centralised way of delivering skills.
   What's clear to me is that, as mayor, I 
have a pretty good understanding of the 
Cambridgeshire and Peterborough economy 
and the skills requirements of local businesses.
   A large amount of my time is 
spent meeting business people across 
Cambridgeshire and Peterborough as well as 
leaders from our further education colleges. 
Senior business leaders in my area make it 
clear to me the shortcomings of the system 
as it stands, and I f
                   nd it extremely frustrating 
that, as mayors, we're not able to do more in 
this f
     eld.
   It's hardly as if the centralised approach is 
working that well. 

   Though there had been many occasions 
where some of us had been together since 
our elections, this was the f
                         rst time we had all 
been in the same room.
   Despite representing often very dif
                                    erent 
areas with dif
             erent problems, many of the 
challenges we face as mayors are similar, and 
there is great value in us coming together as a 
collective and - when we can - speaking with 
one voice.
   Despite our party political dif
                              erences, 
one issue upon which we all agreed was 
disappointment at the attitude of the 
Department for Education towards the 
devolution agenda. 
   By and large, since my election, support 
from the Government has been strong 
and consistent - from the Department for 
International Trade's enthusiasm for mayors 
acting as ambassadors on the world stage 
to encourage trade and investment, to the 
Department for Transport's f
                          nancial support 
in the Budget. However, one department 
where this has not been the case is the 
Department for Education (DfE).
   Along with housing and transport, skills 
is one of the three key levers that mayors can 

"It's only right that each area has the flexibility 
to design a skills system that suits the needs of 
their economy"

   Last autumn, Ofsted gave an "inadequate" 
rating to Learndirect - an organisation 
responsible for running courses for 70,000 
trainees. Meanwhile, after encouraging trends, 
the number of new apprentices for May-July 
2017 was only 43,600, down from 113,000 
over the same period in 2016 - a 61 per cent 
drop - following the introduction of the 
apprenticeship levy. 
   As a result, I struggle to see why there 
isn't more enthusiasm within the DfE for 
a more decentralised approach to skills 
provision. It's only right that each area 
has the f
         exibility to design a skills system 
that suits the needs of its economy. 
What works in one area might not be the 
solution elsewhere. Devolution should be 
seen as the ideal opportunity to try out a 
new approach.
   Devolution of skills post-16 is not the only 
way in which we can improve skills provision 
in this country; much also needs to be done 
to reform the ways schools are assessed and 
more balanced careers advice given from an 
early age.
   However, a shift in attitude within the DfE 
- one which would lead the department to 
viewing devolution as an opportunity and not 
a threat to established power bases - would 
be most welcome.

## Know Your Patch

Have you ever wondered what proportion  
of your residents are employed or how  
many local schoolchildren are obese?  
How does that compare to other places?

LG Inform gives you and your council easy access to up-to-date published data about your local area and the performance of your council and fire and rescue service. Whether you're interested in scrutiny, a particular service area, or simply need an overview, it can help you review and compare performance with other authorities and assess whether your council is meeting your residents' needs.

In addition, we now offer LG Inform Plus 
to complement LG Inform. This subscription 
service gives users the power to drill down 
from authority wide information to much 
smaller areas. 

The service offers more detailed 
performance and contextual data helping 
you to make the right decisions about the 
services you provide to your residents.  
It provides direct support, online tools  
and a data feed to use in your corporate 
systems and external apps.  

www.local.gov.uk/lginformplus 

## Parliament Brexit Debates

Since last autumn, the EU (Withdrawal) Bill 
has been dominating parliamentary time 
and debates. What form our relationship 
takes with the EU once we leave will have 
a signif
        cant impact on our communities 
and the way that local government works 
for them. 

side of Christmas, given evidence to 
parliamentary committees, and worked with 
parliamentarians to table questions. 
   Among the latter, our Chairman, Lord 
Porter, has asked what progress has been 
made in securing a formal advisory role 
for councils in UK law-making to replace 
the one they currently have in respect of 
EU law-making through the Committee of 
the Regions. 
   This issue was addressed by 
parliamentarians during the EU (Withdrawal) 
Bill debate, with Chris Leslie MP (Lab, 
Nottingham East) noting how "many local 
authorities value the voice that they have 
through that committee into the policy-
making process at European level"
                                  .
   "The question they are asking is: will they 
still have those same consultative rights when 
those areas of policy are brought back into a 
UK context? It is a fair question and I hope that 
the LGA's points will be addressed," he added.
   The LGA and local government 
associations in Wales, Scotland and Northern 

With key issues that af ect local government still being decided upon, the work the LGA has undertaken recently in Parliament has been extremely important. We have been lobbying for the replacement of £8.4 billion of EU regional growth and other funding; pushing for a UK alternative to the Committee of Regions, so that local government retains a say on legislative changes af ecting it; and looking at some of the thousands of EU laws that af ect local government that will need to be adopted or amended.

In Parliament, we have been raising councils' concerns and aspirations for the UK, post-Brexit. We have briefed MPs ahead of parliamentary debates either Ireland continue to discuss how these rights and responsibilities can be transferred into UK law.

As reported in last month's f rst 619, the Government has conf rmed that EU regional and regeneration funding - worth £8.4 billion to local communities in the UK - will continue until the end of the current programme in 2020. The LGA is now focusing on what happens from 2021, and the development of a UK replacement scheme for EU funding.

In evidence to the Communities and Local Government Select Committee, Melanie Dawes, Permanent Secretary at the Ministry for Housing, Communities and Local Government, said the replacement for the EU Structural Fund presented opportunities to streamline the process and make it more community led. 

She also highlighted the potential for growth in local areas from the Government's Industrial Strategy in a post-Brexit landscape. And she discussed issues around the health and social care workforce, and areas of legislation that come from other departments that af ect local government and originate in the EU.

Cllr Kevin Bentley, Chairman of the LGA's Brexit Task and Finish Group, gave evidence to the same committee, and spoke about the need for the Government to develop a fully funded and locally driven successor scheme to the EU Regional Growth Fund. 

He told MPs: "More clarity is urgently needed. The very nature of local government means we are very close to the residents we serve, so this is about people, their jobs, their family, and it is hugely important."
As f rst was going to press, the EU (Withdrawal) Bill was due to have its Second Reading in the Lords, where we will work with parliamentarians and the Government to ensure that the challenges and opportunities for local government are taken into consideration as the Bill is debated and agreed.

For more information about the LGA's work in Parliament, please visit www.local.gov.uk/parliament

## Councillor Watching The Pennies

As a councillor, it is imperative that you 
operate good f
                nancial stewardship 
principles, to ensure  
                      your council spends 
its money wisely. 

one of the most challenging elements of the wider  
oversight function of a councillor. However, good f
 nancial scrutiny does not 
require a detailed understanding of columns of  
f
 gures so much as  
a willingness to seek 
clarity on the  
information that is available 
within the council, from either cabinet members or  
of
  cers. 
This work can involve:
- 
challenging how the budget has been put together before it is agreed - and before the level of council tax has been set
- 
looking at the assumptions that lie behind the executive's budget strategy and the main savings proposals
- 
carrying out budget-monitoring activity - for example, in areas where expenditure against budget looks to be well above or below forecasts, and where growth/ savings targets and revised forecasts are involved  
- 
undertaking some evaluation of performance and value for money
Being a good f nancial scrutineer does not require you to be a f nancial expert 
, but it does mean asking pertinent questions, robustly challenging the council's spending plans, and ensuring  
there are suf
  cient f nancial resources to fund  
its current and future plans. 

Given the  
need for councils to  
monitor and account for their expenditure, it is becoming increasingly important for elected members to understand how their council uses the money it receives from the many stakeholders who have a vested interest in its f nancial af airs. These include central government, partner agencies and local public auditors, as well as the various communities they serve. 

The sums of money involved in  
local authority f nance can  
be sizeable, and the task of monitoring and accounting can be 

- 
maintaining a 'big picture' view of the 
The LGA is running free masterclasses on commercial skills for councillors, on 22 February and 16 March, in Coventry. For more information and to sign up, please email Jamie Osowski on jamie.osowski@local.gov.uk 'A councillor's workbook on scrutiny of f nance' can be downloaded from www.local.gov.uk/councillor-workbook-scrutiny-f nance

## Case Study

In 2017, Bristol City Council's Overview 
and Scrutiny Management Board reviewed 
how its scrutiny was working, to try to f
                                         nd 
new and better ways of working. 
    Eleven priority topics were identif
                                        ed, 
and each piece of scrutiny w 
                             as to be 
conducted in  
              a way  
                    most appropriate 
for the topic. One of the priority areas 
 
selected was the council's Medium 
                                    -term 
Financial Plan. Because of the importance 
of this work, it was agreed that a 
 
commission would meet regularly to carry 
out this ongoing scrutiny.
    Cllr Graham Morris (Con), Chair of 
Bristol's Business Change and Resources 
Scrutiny Commission, said: "For any 
large organisation, a clear f
                             nancial 
strategy is essential. 
    "The work that is being undertaken 
will ensure a robust and rigorous 
framework for the Medium 
                            -term Financial 
Plan, which will then be reviewed on an 
annual basis. 
    "It will improve transparency, 
and ensure that all of
                        cers, residents, 
interested parties and members can have 
a single view of council f
                          nances."

   f
    nancial pressures af
                    ecting the council 
   and continuously challenging how these 
   might impact on existing budgets and 
   budget-setting in subsequent years.
The LGA has recently revised its councillor 
workbook on f
            nance scrutiny, to assist  
                              with 
this complex - and often challenging - aspect 
of their role. 
   It gives useful guidance on the principles 
and tasks involved in being an ef
                          ective 
scrutineer, as well as advice and  
                         help  
                            with the 
 
process of  
        f
         nancial scrutiny 
                     , budget setting 
and monitoring. 
   The workbook also gives some useful 
advice  
     on: the determination of medium-
term f
     nancial plans; the link between 
performance and expenditure; and how 
to develop an ef
             ective culture of scrutiny, 
based on consensual politics, robust challenge 
and accountability.

## Elections Looking Ahead To May Poll

The electoral landscape has changed signif cantly since 
2014, and with it the prospects for this year's English local elections.

With the two main parties currently neckand-neck, according to most opinion polls, there is scope for both to make gains this May.

In London, where in 2017 Labour won more than half of all votes cast at a General Election for the f rst time since the Attlee landslide of 1945, the party has its eyes on taking Barnet and even the former low poll tax f agship authority of Wandsworth directly from the Conservatives.  
In the shires, conversely, the Conservatives will be aiming to make gains in some former UKIP hot spots such as Basildon, Cannock Chase, and Great Yarmouth, where it polled a third of the vote and more in 2014. 

As always, the Liberal Democrats present more of a forecasting puzzle. Some of their local by-election victories in recent months have been spectacular; elsewhere they are f nding it hard to break out from the dire performances common during their years in coalition with the Cameron government. 

Can they bounce back in the south west London borough of Kingston upon Thames, which they lost directly to the Conservatives last time? Will the coincident mayoral and whole council contests in Watford serve to reaf
  rm their local strength there following a very distant third place at last year's General Election?

For more information on recent local by-elections, please visit www.local.gov.uk/f rst Four years ago, the locals coincided with the European Parliament contests in which UKIP topped the poll in both votes and seats. The party failed to match that feat at council level, but registered a strong third place everywhere except London and gained more than 150 seats.

Labour councillors won half the 4,000-odd seats up for grabs nationwide (and made 300 gains), with the Conservatives pegged back by more than 200 seats and losing control of 13 councils. 

The 2018 elections mainly reprise these contests with a total of nearly 4,400 vacancies across 151 local authorities. However, 17 of these councils have inaugural elections on new boundaries and 14 of them have experienced boundary changes during the past four years.  There are also mayoral elections in four London boroughs (Hackney, Lewisham, Newham, and Tower Hamlets) and in Watford.  
With the obliteration of UKIP widely expected (the party failed to retain a single seat at the 2017 local elections) recent by-elections demonstrate how both Labour and the Conservatives could benef t from the fall-out.

The Labour gain in Hertsmere in January was in a ward the party has traditionally won, but where both UKIP and the BNP have polled well in the past. It did not help either that the outgoing Conservative councillor was disqualif ed, having been found guilty of a sexual assault of ence. 

On the other hand, the Conservatives in Hulton, Bolton, appear to have benef ted directly from a further collapse in the UKIP vote in a ward that party won in 2014.  

## Local By-Elections

Bolton, Hulton
CON GAIN FROM LAB 9.4% over Lab 
Turnout 30.5%
Bournemouth, Throop and Musclif
 
IND HELD 14.1% over Con 
Turnout 24.5%
Hertsmere, Borehamwood Cowley Hill
LAB GAIN FROM CON 27.7% over Con 
Turnout 19.2%
Kent, Birchington and Rural
CON HELD 37.5% over Lab 
Turnout 17%
Lancashire, Wyre Rural Central
CON HELD 28.2% over Lab 
Turnout 29%
Milton Keynes, Newport Pagnell North and Hanslope
CON HELD 28.2% over Lab 
Turnout 32.3%
Rochford, Downhall and Rawreth
LIB DEM HELD 54% over Con 
Turnout 20.7%
Thanet, Thanet Villages
CON HELD 24.4% over Lib Dem 
Turnout 23.1%

## Annual Conference And Exhibition

3-5 JULY 2018 | INTERNATIONAL CONVENTION CENTRE, BIRMINGHAM
BOOK YOUR PLACE TODAY FOR THE LOCAL GOVERNMENT EVENT 
OF THE YEAR AT WWW.LOCAL.GOV.UK/CONFERENCE

## Lga Annual Fire Conference And Exhibition 13-14 March 2018, Hilton Hotel Newcastle Gateshead

The LGA
's Annual Fire Conference and Exhibition is a key event for senior fire officers and members of fire and rescue authorities. The terrible fire at Grenfell Tower has raised new questions about fire safety and the inspection and enforcement role of fire services. This is against a backdrop of continuing fire reform with implications for collaboration, recruitment, procurement, culture and standards, and the appointment of a new inspectorate. Join us to discuss these changes, look at good practice  
and examine how we can develop this further
.

To book your place visit: www.local.gov.uk/events Gold sponsor
#LGACONF18