Local Government Association
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The Local Government Association (LGA) is the national membership body for local authorities. Its core membership is made up of 339 English councils and the 22 Welsh councils through the Welsh Local Government Association.
The LGA is politically led and cross-party. As the national voice of local government, it works on behalf of councils to give local government a strong, credible voice with national government, to promote the positive reputation of the sector and to secure funding and powers on behalf of councils and the communities they serve. Through its programme of practical peer-based support it helps councils continuously to improve and innovate and it co-ordinates collective legal actions on behalf of the sector.
The LGA also provides membership services to other organisations through an associate scheme, including fire and rescue authorities, national parks authorities, town councils, police & crime commissioners and elected mayors of combined authorities.
The Chairman of the LGA is Counsellor James Jamieson and the Chief Executive is Mark Lloyd.
History[]
On 1 April 1997, the Association of County Councils, the Association of District Councils and the Association of Metropolitan Authorities came together to form a single membership body for local government in England – the Local Government Association (LGA).
In 2010, the LGA merged with the Improvement and Development Agency (IDeA), Local Government Employers (LGE), Local Authority Co-ordinators of Regulatory Services (LACORS) and the Leadership Centre for Local Government. The IDeA, whilst wholly owned by the LGA, continues to exist as a company and the recipient of central government grant for improvement activities. The Leadership Centre is now an independent body based in North London.
In April 2019, the former unincorporated LGA was replaced by the LGA unlimited company , enabling it to hold title to its two properties – its headquarters in Smith Square, Westminster and the former IDeA headquarters in Farringdon.
The LGA’s annual meeting – the General Assembly - takes place on the first Tuesday of July each year. The 2019 Assembly passed a motion declaring a climate emergency and calling on government to explore the domestic implementation of the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) through funded partnership roles with local authority areas and encouraging councils to continue to link local priorities with the overall ambitions of the SDGs.
Chairs of the LGA[]
- Jeremy Beecham (1997–2004)
- Lord Bruce-Lockhart (2004–2007)
- Sir Simon Milton (2007–2008)
- Baroness Eaton (2008–2011)
- Sir Merrick Cockell (2011–2014)
- David Sparks (2014–2015)
- Gary Porter, Lord Porter of Spalding (2015–2019)
- James Jamieson (2019–present)
Board Directors[]
Role | Councillor | Council |
---|---|---|
Chairman[1] | James Jamieson | Central Bedfordshire Council |
Vice chairs | Nick Forbes CBE | Newcastle City Council |
Deputy chairs | John Fuller OBE | South Norfolk District Council |
Director | Izzi Seccombe OBE | Warwickshire County Council |
Director | Joe Harris | Cotswold District Council |
Director | Marianne Overton MBE | Lincolnshire County Council |
Director | David Simmonds CBE | Hillingdon London Borough Council |
Director | Robert Alden | Birmingham City Council |
Director | Michael Payne | Gedling Borough Council |
Director | Anne Western CBE | Derbyshire County Council |
Director | Peter Box CBE | Wakefield Council |
Director | Anntoinette Bramble | Hackney London Borough Council |
Director | Ruth Dombey OBE | Sutton London Borough Council |
Director | Clive Woodbridge | Epsom and Ewell Borough Council |
Main priorities[]
The LGA's published business plan sets out the Association's main lobbying priorities for 2019-22. They are:
- Funding for local government
- Adult social care, health and wellbeing
- Children, education and schools
- Places to live and work
- Strong local democracy
- Sustainability and climate action
Associated companies[]
The LGA has a number of associated companies.
- GeoPlace is a joint venture between the LGA and Ordnance Survey
- LGA (Digital Services) is a partnership between the LGA and Brent Council
- Public Sector Audit Appointments Ltd is wholly owned by the LGA through the IDeA company
- LGA Commercial Services Ltd is wholly owned by the LGA
- The LGA is also a founder member of the Local Government Mutual (LGM) and a shareholder in the UK Municipal Bonds Agency (UKMBA).
- Local Partnerships is a joint venture between the LGA, HM Treasury and the Welsh Government
See also[]
- Australian Local Government Association
- Convention of Scottish Local Authorities
- Joint Contracts Tribunal
- Local Councils Association of the Punjab
References[]
- ^ "Our meetings and Leadership | Local Government Association". www.local.gov.uk. Retrieved 27 November 2020.
External links[]
- Official website
- The Welsh Local Government Association (Cymdeithas Llywodraeth Leol Cymru)
- The Local Government Chronicle — The leading site for local government news
- LocalGov.co.uk — News updates on UK local government
- Local Government Careers
- Local Government Channel
- Local Government Association
- 1997 establishments in England
- 1997 establishments in Wales
- Government agencies established in 1997
- Local government in England
- Local government in Wales
- Organisations based in the City of Westminster
- Local government organizations
- Council of European Municipalities and Regions