No.629 November 2018 www.local.gov.uk

the magazine for local government

“It’s great that government has listened to us and scrapped the cap” Lord Porter, LGA Chairman 24

1013 12-1314 23 17 Autumn Budget Municipal bonds Sharing services LGA calls for Councils urged Connecting investment in to sign up to councils to local services new scheme drive e ciency

LGA FIRST 629 Nov18 pp01.indd 1 19/10/2018 15:43 Fast, fair and effective enforcement

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HCE_Adverts_A4.inddLGA FIRST 629 Nov18 3 pp02-03 Contents.indd 2 19/10/201819/04/2018 14:5913:39 Housing win was delighted to hear the IPrime Minister announce contents plansxxxx to remove the cap Xon councils’xxxxxx housing borrowing,Lord Porter which is Chairman will free usof the LGA to build more news of the homes our communities need. 4 Housing borrowing 6 Cladding 8 Music teacher pay The announcement was the high cap Underage Food hygiene Winter pressures knife sales point of what was a very successful party Apprenticeship levy conference season for local government, 5 Local government Taxi licensing and you can  nd out more about the LGA’s funding 7 China waste work at these events in our Parliament EU social fund section (p29). Children’s mental Fast, fair and effective Elsewhere in this month’s magazine, health you can read about our submission to Loneliness strategy the Budget, ahead of the Chancellor’s statement on 29 October (p13), and we enforcement take a look at the Government’s contingency plans in case of a ‘no deal’ Brexit (p12). FAST. 48 hour average judgment transfer and very We are also launching a Skills Taskforce, to press the case for the localisation and prompt attendance after notice expiry. integration of employment and skills services and ensure we have the right 8 FAIR. Robust vulnerability policies and nationally people with the right skills to help promote local economic growth (p10). 5 accredited training for all our teams. Finally, I hope you can  nd the time to take part in #OurDay, the LGA’s annual tweetathon, on 20 November (p15). This EFFECTIVE. The largest team of authorised HCEOs and is our chance to let the world know about all the wonderful work going on in highly trained enforcement agents. councils and other public services, day in, day out, to help our residents and improve With our impressive industry leading recovery rates, our local areas. 6 Lord Porter is Chairman of the LGA nationwide coverage and dedicated Client Services team, you can trust HCE Group to collect more for you and Editor Karen Thornton Design & print CPL www.cpl.co.uk 29 your clients. 10 Advertising [email protected] features Write to rst: Local Government Association 18 Smith Square, 10 Workforce skills London SW1P 3HZ 11 Careers Email [email protected] 12 Brexit Tel editorial 020 7664 3294 Tel advertising 01223 378 042 13 LGA Budget Instruct us for Photography Getty Images and iStock.com submission unless otherwise stated. Cover – Chris Sharp 14 UK Municipal Bonds Enforcement of judgments and tribunal awards Circulation 18,200 (October 2018) Agency 26 rst is published online at www.local.gov.uk/ rst at least two days before the magazine. To unsubscribe 15 #OurDay comment email [email protected] Productivity Experts Eviction of activists, squatters and travellers The inclusion of an advert or insert in rst does 16 23 Social integration not imply endorsement by the LGA of any product programme 28 LGA Chairman and or service. Contributors’ views are their own 24 Eviction of commercial and residential tenants and do not necessarily re ect the opinions 17 Sharing services group leaders regulars or policies of the LGA. 18 Local Government 26 Early intervention 29 Parliament – party Mutual conference wins Commercial landlord services To find out more or instruct us 28 Sandhurst: respect 19 Digital Transformation and responsibility 30 Councillor – Tracing and process serving Programme Home improvement Scrutinising budgets 08450 999 666 20 Public health services 31 Local elections Vehicle recovery and enquiry www.hcegroup.co.uk November 2018 first contents | 3

HCE_Adverts_A4.indd 3 19/04/2018 13:39 LGA FIRST 629 Nov18 pp02-03 Contents.indd 3 19/10/2018 15:46 Social care funding for winter pressures

he Government has announced it will give Tan additional £240 million for the adult social care system to tackle winter pressures. It says the investment will help councils reduce pressures on the NHS by getting news patients home quicker and freeing up hospital beds across England. The money, which was announced at the Conservative Party Conference, is enough LGA secures housing win to provide 71,500 domestic care packages or 86,500 ‘re-ablement’ packages, although councils also have the option to spend it on with lifting of borrowing cap adapting housing. Cllr Ian Hudspeth, Chairman of the LGA’s The LGA secured a huge political win this homes and infrastructure that everyone in our Community Wellbeing Board, said: “The month, when the Prime Minister announced communities need. LGA has been at the forefront of e orts to the full lifting of the Housing Revenue “Our national housing shortage is one of highlight the signi cant pressures facing adult Account Borrowing Cap at the Conservative the most pressing issues we face and it is clear social care and secure funding for the system. Party Conference. The move is one the LGA that only an increase of all types of housing “We are pleased that the Government has long campaigned for – Chairman Lord – including those for a ordable or social rent has acted by providing an injection of Porter has spent 15 years calling for it. – will solve the housing crisis. The last time this desperately needed funding to help tackle It has been met with widespread acclaim country built homes at the scale that we need winter pressures. across the housing sector, alongside cross- now was in the 1970s when councils built more “Councils and providers cannot simply sector praise for the e orts of the LGA and Lord than 40 per cent of them. turn services on and o as funding ebbs Porter in getting the move to happen. “Councils were trusted to get on and build and  ows. Putting in place the right services Delighted Lord Porter was in the hall for homes that their communities needed, and and workforce requires forward planning the PM’s speech. He said: “Today’s speech they delivered, and it is great that they are and longer-term contracts. Adult social care by the Prime Minister shows that the being given the chance to do so again.” services still face a £3.5bn funding gap by 2025, Government has heard our argument that Councils are determined to ensure the just to maintain existing standards of care.” councils must be part of the solution to our promises become detail in the Chancellor’s The Secretary of State for Health and chronic housing shortage. Budget as soon as possible. The LGA will be Social Care, Matt Hancock, said: “We will use “It is fantastic that the Government has campaigning over coming weeks to ensure that this money to get people who don’t need to accepted our long-standing call to scrap the local authorities are able to borrow to build, free be in hospital, but do need care, back home, housing borrowing cap. We look forward to from restrictions, so the renaissance in council back into their communities, so we can free up working with councils and the Government house building we need becomes a reality.” those vital hospital beds, and help people who to build those good quality, a ordable new ● Read Lord Porter’s comment piece on p24. really need it, get the hospital care they need.” Growing ‘care injustice’ warning

he Care Quality Commission’s annual State of Care report shows that most people are still T getting good care – when they can access it. However, it warns of growing “care injustice”, with access increasingly dependent on how well local systems work together. The latest report for 2017/18 says overall quality of health and social care in England has been maintained, and in some cases, improved from last year. This is despite continuing pressures around demand and funding, and the challenge of recruiting and retaining sta . But the CQC says that people’s experience of care varies depending on where they live and is often determined by how well di erent parts of local systems work together. Cllr Ian Hudspeth, Chairman of the LGA’s Community Wellbeing Board, said: “This report raises important concerns and highlights the brilliant work across the system to maintain quality of care, something that becomes harder each year as the consequences of pressures build further. It provides more evidence of a system under signi cant pressure and in desperate need of securing a long-term and sustainable solution for how, as a country, we pay for social care. “With people living longer, increases in costs and decreases in funding, adult social care is at breaking point and its potential for helping people to live the lives they want to lead is at risk. The Government must use the Budget and Spending Review to inject desperately needed funding into adult social care and use the green paper to secure the long-term sustainability of the system.”

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LGA FIRST 629 Nov18 pp4-5 News.indd 4 19/10/2018 15:01 Councils could lose £1 billion in EU funds

ocal government could lose out on up to L £1 billion if the Government does not speed up allocations of money available to councils to claim under the European Social Fund, the LGA warned this month. Just 48 per cent of the £3.1 billion that the UK has been allocated of the fund has been claimed,  ve years into the seven- year spending period. With just £1.5 billion allocated, £1.6 billion is left to spend and, if the current pace of allocation was to continue, £914.5 million risks being sent back to Brussels. Cllr Kevin Bentley, Chairman of the LGA’S Brexit Taskforce, said: “The current situation with the European Social Fund is leaving local areas facing huge  nancial shortfalls, as a result of a lack of investment. “This funding has been used by local areas to create jobs, support small and medium enterprises, deliver skills training and invest in critical transport and digital infrastructure and boost inclusive growth across the country. “To help ensure we have an economy  t for the future, we urge the Government to £1.3 billion cut will ‘tip many act urgently to ensure that local communities are getting the investment they desperately need, as well as learn from this experience in councils over the edge’ developing the UK Shared Prosperity Fund. “Without action, there is a risk that nearly Main government grant funding for local Millions of residents are living in areas a billion pounds of investment into our services will be cut by a further £1.3 billion where their council will have to consider communities will be lost and local areas and (36 per cent) in 2019/20 despite many similar measures. economies will be denied desperately councils already struggling to balance their The LGA said the nancial viability of needed funding.” books, facing overspends and having to some councils is now under threat and A spokeswoman for the Department for make in-year budget cuts, the LGA many others are increasingly unable to Work and Pensions said: “There is an agreement has warned. provide digni ed care for our elderly and that funding can continue beyond 2020 as Almost half of all councils – 168 in total – disabled, protect children, boost economic long as the application is received before will no longer receive any Revenue Support growth, ll potholes, build homes and more. then. There is a huge amount of interest in the Grant funding next year. Cllr Richard Watts, Chair of the LGA’s European Social Fund and there are more and The LGA is calling on the Chancellor Resources Board, said: “Losing a further more applications coming in. There is no issue to use the Autumn Budget to tackle £1.3 billion of central government with the ability of the department to process the immediate funding crisis for local funding at this time is going to tip many those applications.” government in 2019/20, as well as setting councils over the edge. Many local the scene for the forthcoming Spending authorities will reach the point where they Review to deliver a sustainable funding only have the funds to provide statutory settlement for local government. responsibilities and it will be our local As part of its Autumn Budget communities and economies who will submission, the LGA has mapped the su er the consequences. likely impact of a further year of central “In his Spring Statement in March, the government funding cuts and growing Chancellor said he would invest in public demand on the local services provided by services if public nances improve as recent an average upper-tier council. forecasts have suggested. It is, therefore, The ‘AnyCouncil’ modelling shows vital that the Government addresses the residents living in a council area which growing funding gaps facing councils in sits in the mid-range in relation to current 2019/20 in the Autumn Budget. funding, levels of deprivation and outlook “If the Government fails to fund local for economic growth should expect to government adequately there is a real risk see key local services further dramatically to the future nancial viability of some reduced in 2019/20. services and councils.”

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LGA FIRST 629 Nov18 pp4-5 News.indd 5 19/10/2018 15:28 Report backs LGA taxi Ban on reform plea combustible

everal LGA recommendations to improve Staxi licensing legislation have been included cladding in a report submitted to government. The report, published by the Task and Finish Group on Taxi and Private Hire Vehicle Licensing, calls for taxi and private hire vehicle (PHV) legislation to be urgently revised, with The Government has announced a ban high-rise buildings that have already been national minimum standards for drivers and on combustible materials in external clad in this type of material. However, if the journeys to start and/or end within the area cladding systems, including the type used proposals in Dame Judith Hackitt’s report that issued the relevant licence among other to refurbish Grenfell Tower, being used on are implemented, building owners will have recommendations. buildings more than 18 metres high. to satisfy regulators that their buildings are Cllr Simon Blackburn, Chair of the LGA’s It had consulted on whether changes safe and the ban will inevitably in uence the Safer and Stronger Communities Board, were needed to current regulations, which, safety criteria on which this judgement will said: “Councils have long-called for existing in the LGA’s view, lacked clarity on what be founded. outdated taxi laws to be updated and materials could or could not be used on high- The ban represents a signi cant strengthened, so we are pleased that many of rise residential buildings. victory for the LGA, which has consistently our recommendations have been supported in Speaking at the Conservative Party warned that there is increasing evidence this report. Conference, Housing Secretary James that the BS8414 test – which tests the re “Proposals to tackle out-of-area working, Brokenshire said the shock of the performance of external cladding and improve safeguarding and establish national “unimaginable horror” of the Grenfell Tower insulation systems – cannot be relied upon. minimum standards are essential to provide re, which saw 72 people die, “underlined the It had strongly urged the Government safer journeys and fairer business for drivers. need to do all that we can to see that such a to ban the use of any combustible materials “Further recommendations to set disaster cannot happen again”. – including cladding panels, insulation and minimum numbers of wheelchair accessible The ban will cover all combustible other materials – on the external walls of vehicles and install CCTV in licensed vehicles, material being used to clad new residential high-rise and high-risk buildings. while desirable, need to be considered buildings, schools, hospitals, care homes, Lord Porter, LGA Chairman, said: “The alongside necessary funding to facilitate this. and student accommodation in England and tragedy that unfolded at Grenfell Tower must “Local councils must continue to be central Wales, with a small number of exemptions never be allowed to happen again and we to the licensing process. We are pleased that (primarily materials where no alternative is must ensure that those who live, work and the report recognises the importance of available that is rated as A2 or better). visit high-rise and high-risk buildings are safe. retaining local exibility in taxi and private hire It is expected to be implemented in “It is great that James Brokenshire has vehicle licensing, and of drivers being required building regulation changes, which will listened to our calls for a ban on the use of to work in the area where they are licensed. be brought forward as soon as possible. combustible materials on complex and high- “The need for reform is now urgent. The ban will not be applied retroactively to rise buildings.” Councils are doing what they can to strengthen licensing processes, such as signing up to the new National Register of Retailers breaking law on knife sales Revocations and Refusals commissioned by the LGA, but we have always said that the best ight out of 10 retailers are breaking the to support underage purchasing tests and way to strengthen safeguarding is to update Elaw on underage knife sales in some areas, prosecutions to ensure the worst o enders legislation, which only government can do.” the LGA has found. are brought before the courts. The worrying  ndings come as latest Council leaders are also calling on o cial  gures show a 40 per cent rise in the retail industry to fund underage test recorded knife crime in England and Wales in purchasing of knives and work more the past two years – from 28,664 o ences in closely with councils to help improve 2015/16 to 40,147 in 2017/18. compliance levels. The LGA is calling for plans in the The LGA says greater  nes and tougher Government’s Serious Violence Strategy to sentences are needed for irresponsible tackle knife crime to be brought forward as retailers selling knives to anyone under the soon as possible, including the pledge to permitted aged of 18. give councils dedicated funding to support Cllr Simon Blackburn, Chair of the LGA’s trading standards prosecutions. Safer and Stronger Communities Board, said: As government has only committed “The Prosecution Fund announced in the to the Prosecution Fund for two years, and Serious Violence Strategy will help councils with trading standards budgets and sta ng prosecute retailers for blatant breaches of having been cut by around half since 2010, knife sale laws but needs to be introduced the LGA is calling for this important service as soon as possible to help tackle the knife to receive long-term and sustainable funding crime epidemic.”

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LGA FIRST 629 Nov18 pp6-7 News.indd 6 19/10/2018 16:44 Councils feeling impact news in brief of China waste ban Loneliness strategy he Government has unveiled a new cross- At least a fth (20 per cent) of councils address the longer-term impact of the Tparty strategy to tackle loneliness, described have felt a direct impact from China’s China ban in its forthcoming Resources and by the Prime Minister as “one of the greatest restrictions on imports of mixed paper and Waste Strategy. public health challenges of our time”. certain types of plastic over the last year, a Cllr Martin Tett, LGA Environment Funding will be made available for GPs to snapshot poll by the LGA has revealed. spokesman, said: “It’s clear that the ban by direct patients to a variety of activities such Some of the councils that have been China on imported waste, which could soon as cookery classes and walking clubs. Cllr Ian most impacted warned that their recycling be implemented from other countries, could Hudspeth, Chairman of the LGA’s Community costs have increased by £500,000 on have a marked impact on councils’ ability Wellbeing Board, said: “For too many people, average over the last year as a result of the to recycle. loneliness is their reality all year round. They restrictions. “Councils want manufacturers to play are often less able to look after themselves and This is due in part to increased costs their part in the battle against unnecessary are more likely to become reliant on public for processing materials for recycling. The and unrecyclable waste. services sooner. With local authorities facing a fee charged to councils to process materials “We are keen to get around the table £7.8 billion overall funding shortfall by 2025, from kerbside collections at a materials with them to reduce the amount of material investing in community care and preventative recovery facility (MRF) is said to have entering the environment that can’t public health initiatives that can support lonely increased from £15 to £22 per tonne over the be recycled. people has never been more essential.” last year. “With the markets to sell unrecyclable The fee has increased to £35 a tonne material shrinking, it is essential that this is compared with £29 a tonne for contracts tackled as soon as possible. Home adaptations signed in the past year. “It is essential that the Government takes Council leaders are calling for the opportunities of the upcoming Autumn nly seven per cent of UK homes manufacturers to contribute more towards Budget and publication of its Resources and Omeet basic national accessibility local authority costs for processing recycling Waste strategy to assess the  nancial impact requirements, a report by the Centre for and to reduce the amount of material, of these bans on councils thoroughly, and Ageing Better revealed this month. such as black plastic trays, entering the encourage manufacturers to take up more The centre argued that it was environment in the  rst place. of the responsibility for dealing with these “imperative” the Government continued to The LGA is also urging the Government to unrecyclable materials.” fund the Disabled Facilities Grant so that home adaptations could be put in place, as they are cost-e ective and reduce the pressures on the health service. Children’s mental health Cllr Ian Hudspeth, the LGA’s Community Wellbeing Board, said: referrals increase “Councils are committed to keeping people at home and independent for as long as he number of children referred to mental possible. As the report highlights, councils T health services in England has risen by a and partners are using a range of forward- quarter over ve years, according to a new report thinking initiatives to adapt and improve by the Education Policy Institute. homes, to ensure homes are accessible.” It also found that as many as one in four children referred to child and adolescent mental health services (CAMHS) were rejected. Youngsters ‘at risk’ While average waiting times for treatment have fallen, they remain twice as long as the housands of children, including infants Government’s new standard outlined in its Tunder the age of one, are at risk because of children’s mental health Green Paper. an unprecedented lack of funding for children’s The report also said that a quarter of councils services, a new report by the Children’s have phased out vital support services, including Commissioner has claimed. school-based mental health services, family The report found that more than 50,000 counselling and support for those living with children – including more than 19,000 babies domestic abuse. support they need, but with children’s services under the age of one – were living in an Cllr Anntoinette Bramble, Chair of the LGA’s facing a £3 billion funding gap by 2025, this is environment where abuse, mental health Children and Young People Board, said: “This getting increasingly di cult. issues or addiction placed them at risk. report reinforces the urgent need for a root- “As a result, many councils are being forced Cllr Anntoinette Bramble, Chair of the LGA’s and-branch overhaul of children’s mental health to cut early intervention work, including youth Children and Young People Board, said: “While services, and for the services, which helps children avoid reaching it is absolutely vital that councils are able to NHS to work with councils to develop a system crisis point, perform better at school and avoid support families and help children who are at that says yes, rather than no, to children when mental health issues in later life. risk of signi cant harm, they also need to be they ask for help. “This has been compounded by government able to intervene before problems escalate “Councils across the country work hard to cuts to councils’ public health funding, which also to that point. But, this is being put at risk by ensure children and young people can access the helps young people to get the best start in life.” signi cant nancial pressures.”

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LGA FIRST 629 Nov18 pp6-7 News.indd 7 19/10/2018 15:02 news in brief Music lessons under threat Government Councils are calling on the Government additional 1 to 2.5 per cent salary rise for to cover the cost of the teacher pay rise to CETs – estimated to be £5.5 million – for which launches FGM include music teachers, warning that music councils will not have budgeted. The LGA says awareness campaign lessons in schools could be under threat. this burden cannot fall on local authorities. The Government announced in the If councils, which face a £3.9 billion he Government has launched a campaign summer that it would fully fund the pay rise funding black hole in 2019/20, are left to T to help raise awareness of the harmful for all classroom teachers, yet it has since pick up the cost, then some would have little health consequences of female genital emerged that this will not apply to centrally choice but to reduce CET services, such as mutilation (FGM) and reinforce that the practice employed teachers (CETs), the majority of music tuition. is illegal in the UK. whom provide music tuition. There are currently 4,900 CETs in England Cllr Simon Blackburn, Chair of the Safer and The LGA is seeking assurances from the who either give direct teaching to children Stronger Communities Board at the LGA, which Government that it will meet the cost of the and young people or play key roles in runs the National FGM Centre in partnership supporting education professionals, at least with Barnardo’s, said: half of which are in music services. “Councils are determined to help stamp While the majority of these posts are out FGM from our local communities, and work within music teaching, other roles a ected alongside police, the NHS and charities to make include: support for children from black and sure we do all we can to protect women and minority ethnic backgrounds and traveller girls from this horri c form of abuse. We are heritages; supporting disabled children; pleased the Government has launched this teaching outside schools such as within campaign to raise awareness of FGM, which we secure units; and supporting schools in early urge to make use of the invaluable work of the years provision. National FGM Centre.” Cllr Anntoinette Bramble, Chair of the LGA’s Children and Young People Board, said: “The UK has a proud history of musical Apprenticeship levy excellence and many of the most well-known artists in the world over time would have he Chancellor Philip Hammond has bene ted from music lessons. For many young Tannounced a package of reforms people, it is a vital part of their education and to the apprenticeship levy, which will future life opportunities, but this could be at give businesses and employers more risk unless the Government commits to fully  exibility. An extra £90 million will funding the pay increase for all classroom enable employers to invest a quarter of teachers, including music teachers.” their apprenticeship funds on people working for businesses in their supply chain. Cllr Mark Hawthorne, Chairman of the LGA’s People and Places Board, Stop ‘dining in the dark’ in England said the announcement is “a positive sign that the Government is listening alf of businesses (51 per cent) in England do not display their food hygiene ratings in to council concerns around the need Htheir premises, councils have revealed. for  exibility to ensure the levy is The LGA is calling for all businesses serving food to customers in England, including genuinely e ective”. online food delivery outlets, to be forced to display food hygiene ratings to drive up hygiene standards and protect people from harm. It is also calling for healthy food choices to be incorporated into the food hygiene ratings system to help tackle the obesity crisis. Measures to tackle The LGA is calling for a change in legislation following the success of the mandatory serious violence display of food hygiene ratings in Wales and Northern Ireland, as well as a rise in phone ‘apps’ and online menus people are using to order takeaway food. The Government has announced new measures Council environmental health teams score food outlets from zero to  ve based on to address violent crime in the UK, including a factors such as kitchen cleanliness, cooking methods and food safety management. consultation on a new legal duty to underpin Businesses in Wales and Northern Ireland are legally required to display their rating. a public health approach to tackling serious However, in England, businesses do not have to display their rating, which means violence and a £200 million fund, aimed at customers could be unaware of food hygiene levels when choosing where to eat or buy 10 to 14-year-olds, to build the evidence for food, either at food premises or online. early intervention. Cllr Simon Blackburn, Chair of the LGA’s Safer and Stronger Communities Board, said: Cllr Simon Blackburn, Chairman of the “With more people ordering takeaways online or on their phone, it should be LGA’s Safer and Stronger Communities Board, mandatory for businesses in England to display food hygiene ratings on their menus said: “This funding is a positive step to help online and on ‘apps’, as well as in their premises. the multi-agency approach needed to identify “Making the display of hygiene ratings compulsory in England would incentivise and tackle the main drivers and risks of people food outlets to improve or maintain high hygiene standards, reduce the risk of illness for committing serious violence, such as acid customers, improve consumer con dence and save taxpayers’ money by reducing the attacks, knife and gun crime, robbery and need for – and cost of – enforcement action by councils.” ‘county lines’ drug gangs.”

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LGA FIRST 629 Nov18 pp8-9 News and Letters.indd 8 19/10/2018 15:03 sound bites

Cllr Emma Dawson (Con, Kent) “Lifting the cap to council borrowing is a big step forward, councils letters must build council houses with social rents. People need lifting out of poor housing conditions, which they are obliged to accept due to lack of homes. We must put health & wellbeing  rst.” www.twitter.com/cllrdawson

Cllr Oonagh Moulton (Con, Merton) “Great afternoon at Merton Abbey Primary School with @nigelbenbow and pupils in Year 4 discussing what we do and how the Council works for #LocalDemocracyWeek.” www.twitter.com/oonaghmoulton

Cllr Joel Charles (Con, Harlow) “Great evening celebrating everything #Harlow at the @heart4harlow #BigUpHarlow awards dinner with @HarlowTory, @halfon4harlowMP, @SimonNickCarter and the @HarlowTories team.” www.twitter.com/JoelRCharles Body cams for frontline sta Cllr Matthew Bennett (Lab, Lambeth) entral Bedfordshire Council is investing in cutting-edge technology to “Fantastic turnout last night @NationalTheatre for the launch of Chelp us serve our local communities better, and keep them – and our @lambeth_council new Creative & Digital Industries Strategy for frontline sta – safer. Growth – how we’ll support and champion creative industries and We are providing our community safety and tra c and parking o cers entrepreneurs right across the borough.” with new wearable body cameras, to help improve their evidence gathering, www.twitter.com/CllrMattBennett inspection and monitoring procedures, as well as increase their safety and wellbeing. Cllr Celia Hibbert (Lab, Wolverhampton) The cameras will be worn overtly on a lanyard or  tted to the o cer’s “Just been to inspect the prototype for Sprint Shelter; WestMids jacket, but they will only be activated when necessary. The camera has Transport Authority is certainly getting ready for 2022 Commonwealth a screen that is clearly visible to the person being spoken to, and which Games coming to our Region & I’m proud to be a part of this!” displays the live footage being taken by the camera lens. The public will also www.twitter.com/CeliaHibbert be advised by the o cer that a recording is being made. The cameras will allow frontline council o cers to gather  rst-hand video and audio evidence of an incident. They will give sta con dence Cllr Liz Green (Lib Dem, Kingston Upon Thames) when dealing with confrontational individuals, and will help to increase “Delighted to be at @KingstonCOC business awards. So many great public con dence in the way we collect evidence. businesses and voluntary organisations in @RBKingston Body cameras are increasingly used by the police and by other local #kingstoncelebrates.” authorities. They are not intended as a replacement for other methods of www.twitter.com/CllrLizGreen gathering evidence, but are an additional tool to support our investigations. Footage can help to show clearly the impact and extent of Cllr Sarah Bevan (Ind, Bath and North East Somerset) antisocial behaviour, which can otherwise be di cult to describe in a “Putting plans together with Cllr Karen Walker for our Poppy Planting written statement. Day in November. 20,000 seeds ready to be sown! #lovePeasedown.” Cllr Ian Dalgarno (Con), Executive Member for Community Services, www.twitter.com/SarahFBevan Central Bedfordshire Council

May says austerity will end after Brexit. But her own Chancellor has already People’s vote admitted that more cuts are almost certainly on the way after we leave the EU – cuts that will swell the queues at food banks and force ever more ounslow Council is set to become one of the small, but rapidly growing people to choose between heating and eating. Hnumber of councils calling for a People’s Vote on Brexit, after the council’s As local councillors, we are the most immediate champions of our 51-strong ruling Labour Group supported my motion to back a referendum residents’ wellbeing. And to watch the G overnment march us o a cli on the  nal Brexit deal. without giving those residents a choice would be a dereliction of duty. That Some might say that councillors should not be wasting their time is why I have asked our council to back a People’s Vote and why I urge all lobbying on international concerns far beyond their borough boundaries, councillors across the country to do the same. that they should be protecting vital public services and sheltering vulnerable Cllr Salman Shaheen (Lab), Hounslow Council residents su ering from almost a decade of cuts. But it is for precisely those reasons that all councillors must campaign for a People’s Vote. Brexit will be a catastrophe for the British economy, whatever What do you think? Please submit letters for publication deal Theresa May is able to cobble together. by emailing [email protected]. Letters may be Every one of our councils has already had to make heart-breaking edited and published online decisions in the face of central government slashing our budgets. Theresa

November 2018 first letters | 9

LGA FIRST 629 Nov18 pp8-9 News and Letters.indd 9 19/10/2018 15:03 features Closing the skills gap

Devolving and localising Councillor Sir Richard Leese is employment and skills Chair of the LGA’s City Regions Board and Councillor Mark services would help deliver the Hawthorne is Chairman of the Government’s Industrial Strategy LGA’s People and Places Board

ast year, we launched Work Local, an apprenticeship levy were only achieved by a This is a good start, but we have a long ambitious but practical vision for a range of stakeholders raising concerns with way to go if we are to make the current devolved and integrated employment the Department for Education. So we know national skills and employment system and skills service (see rst 614). alliances can have a powerful impact. more integrated and localised and It made a compelling case for We want stakeholders and before local government and our local Lreform to address the shortcomings of the representatives to bring their own industry economies begin to bene t from a current system – not least, the widening skills expertise to the table – for example, in devolution deal process o ering real gap in the UK workforce that threatens to construction, retail and engineering. freedom and  exibility. undermine economic growth. The taskforce roundtables taking place We estimated that the Work Local between December 2018 and March 2019 are proposals, if implemented across an average- expected to focus on the following themes: sized combined authority, could each year • Are we all pulling in the same direction to result in 8,500 more people in work and address local skills gaps and shortages? 6,000 increasing their skills, adding up to • How can we collectively develop a local £280 million of bene ts to the public purse all-age careers advice and guidance and a £420 million boost to the economy. service (see opposite page)? The LGA is now looking to create more • How are sector-speci c skills challenges waves to get Work Local on the radar of the (arising, for example, from technological Government, Opposition and a range of change or Brexit) playing out in the local in uential stakeholders. economy? As part of this work, we have set up a Our aim is that, by building alliances with a new Skills Taskforce to refocus Work Local as range of stakeholders, we can work together a way of providing placed-based solutions more collaboratively and, next summer, bring to some of the challenges and opportunities together the conclusions from taskforce arising from Brexit and the Government’s discussions, and renew and update our Work Industrial Strategy. Local recommendations. It will engage a range of stakeholders Alongside this, we are in the process on our key Work Local recommendations of developing a new relationship with through a series of roundtables, and look to government on post-16 skills for all areas, build relationships with them on key skills and have proactively engaged with Skills policy issues that we, collectively, are trying Minister Anne Milton MP on how this can to in uence. After all,  exibilities in the work on a practical level.

For more information about Work Local, please visit www.local.gov.uk/work-local. The LGA is holding a conference on ‘Skills, employment and inclusive growth: can we deliver what our local economies need?’ on 27 November in London. To nd out more and book your place, please visit www.local.gov.uk/events

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LGA FIRST 629 Nov18 pp10-11 Feature.indd 10 19/10/2018 15:04 A careers service for all

Locally commissioned careers hubs’ – groups of schools and colleges, located in the same geographic area, provision could help improve skills working with universities, education and training providers, employers and career levels and boost productivity professionals to improve careers support. The ‘careers hubs’ will cover 710 schools t’s almost a year since the Government improve productivity, and they want to help and colleges across the whole of England, published its plan for raising the quality government x the current system. but exclude nearly 3,000 schools and of careers provision in England. However, careers provision in England colleges. Councils are concerned that this ‘Careers strategy: making the most remains patchy, complex and confusing, will result in many young people who will of everyone’s skills and talents’ aims to for both young people and adults. Across simply not bene t from this initiative, and Isupport people of all ages to make the right any one local area, there are a number this is a disservice to them. choices when it comes to acquiring the of organisations and providers involved, We want to help government x the skills and quali cations needed to pursue including The Careers & Enterprise patchwork careers provision and create a rewarding career. It promotes a culture of Company, the National Careers Service, a joined-up careers oer for people of all providing the ‘right advice’ in the ‘right place’ Jobcentre Plus, councils, colleges and ages. But it can only do that by working at the ‘right time’, supported by experiences schools, plus myriad funding streams. with councils and combined authorities, and from employers. For example, The Careers & Enterprise enabling them to develop a locally coherent The LGA welcomed the Careers Company will be spending £5 million over and locally commissioned, all-age careers Strategy, but it is an ambitious plan, which two years on rolling out up to 20 ‘careers service, with requisite funding. depends on a strong partnership between government, employers, the education sector and the careers community to make it work. We believe its success is at risk because no-one is coordinating this activity and, in many areas, councils are plugging the gaps in provision (see case studies, below). Councils and combined authorities recognise the pivotal role good careers provision plays in ensuring employers can nd local people with the skills they need to

Councils and careers

Essex County Council is working in partnership with Southend-on-Sea and Thurrock councils, business and education partners to build a local skills o er that meets the needs of local employers and gives residents the tools they need to prosper. This work is driven through the Essex Employment and Skills Board (ESB, www. essexesb.co.uk), which has created an ‘Essex skills evidence base’ to help identify priority sectors, sector skills needs, and vacancies. This has helped highlight that many of the area’s priority sectors have an ‘image problem’, and that good quality and accurate localised labour market information is hard to nd. Consequently, ESB established a new careers information brand called ‘What’s Your Thing?’ (pictured) to inform young people and their parents about the amazing careers that are available, the skills needed, and the salaries that could be earned in Essex. For more information, visit www.whatsyourthing.org.uk

Somerset County Council has developed a series of ‘Talent Academy’ programmes, to support schools to engage with local employers and o er young people opportunities to learn about specic industry sectors. Each Talent Academy is designed around a key Somerset employment sector – such as manufacturing, aerospace, nursing and health. Employers are engaged to deliver workshops, and mentors help students build and develop their ‘soft’ employability skills. This year, more than 500 students will be taking part, with EDF (Hinkley Point C), Rolls Royce, Mulberry, Yeo Valley, Styles Ice Cream, Taunton Fabrications and TBM Patterns among the national and local employers involved so far. For more information, contact Julie Young at [email protected]

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LGA FIRST 629 Nov18 pp10-11 Feature.indd 11 19/10/2018 15:04 Brexit contingency planning The Government has published contingency plans Councillor Kevin Bentley is Chairman of the LGA’s for if Britain leaves the EU Brexit Taskforce without a deal

he UK’s exit from the EU will have a signi cant impact on local government, creating challenges that need to be addressed, but also opportunities toT do things dierently. Over the summer and autumn, the Government published a series of technical papers outlining the impact of a ‘no deal’ exit from the EU and how the country should prepare for such a scenario. The Government and the EU have both stressed that ‘no deal’ is the least-preferred option. However, the LGA and councils up and down the country have been taking a lead on Brexit preparations because our residents and local businesses expect us to be ready. In advance of the technical papers, the LGA produced a brie ng, ‘No deal and local government’, which aimed to advise and inuence the Government’s own preparations, and to ensure the concerns of local government are heard. So far, the Government’s technical papers have explored a wide range of extremely important issues to local government, including the European Regional Development Fund, the European Social Fund, procurement, state aid, organic food production and labelling, and the import and export of animals. Prime Minister’s statement in September. current EU system, and that the UK will Important issues such as EU nationals’ The technical papers have provided accede to the World Trade Organization’s voting rights and their right to stand in the assurances with regards to EU funding, with agreement on government procurement. 2019 local elections and beyond remain the Government committed to ensuring However, more detail is needed on unanswered. The LGA has sought clarity from there is no gap in funding for regional how to deal with ongoing procurement the Cabinet Oce on this issue. growth, and guaranteeing all European procedures in the handover period between The most urgent issue is the 2019 local Regional Development Fund and European the two systems. elections. While we are assuming that the Social Fund projects agreed before Brexit. Brexit will ultimately be judged as a tenure of EU nationals already elected will State aid rules will be transposed into success or failure by local areas: real people remain, councils need to understand the UK legislation through the European Union in real communities. The LGA will continue rules for those voting and seeking election (Withdrawal) Act 2018, with enforcement and to lobby the Government extensively on next year. The deadline for the delivery of supervision carried out by the UK’s Competition these and other issues, to ensure that nomination papers is 3 April 2019, a few days and Markets Authority from 29 March 2019. councils are as prepared as they can be for after we leave the EU. On procurement, the Government has the impact and opportunities that Brexit While we await clarity on the residency said there will be a UK replacement for the presents – whether there is a deal or ‘no deal’. and employment rights of EU nationals living in the UK under a ‘no deal’ scenario For the LGA’s ‘No deal and local government brie ng’, please visit (many of whom are in key local government www.local.gov.uk/parliament/brie ngs-and-responses/no-deal-and-local- jobs), we should assure our communities government-brie ng-august-2018 that their rights will be protected, as per the

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LGA FIRST 629 Nov18 pp12 Feature.indd 12 19/10/2018 15:06 A budget for local government The Chancellor should invest in local services to help reduce pressures on other parts of the public sector

he LGA’s submission to this year’s of central government funding cuts and Autumn Budget sets out how growing demand on the local services investment in local services, “Local government provided by an average upper-tier council. and in prevention and early has sustained The ‘AnyCouncil’ modelling shows that intervention work, can ensure residents living in a council area that sits councilsT continue to make a positive disproportionately in the mid-range in relation to current difference to their residents’ lives. large reductions in funding, levels of deprivation and outlook It will also help to reduce pressures on for economic growth should expect to the rest of the public sector, save money government funding in see key local services further dramatically for the public purse, and contribute to reduced in 2019/20. Millions of residents the wider prosperity and wellbeing of comparison with the rest are living in areas where their council will the nation. of the public sector” have to consider similar measures. The Autumn Budget, on 29 October, Based on cash and inflation figures offers a crucial opportunity for the alone, AnyCouncil will have had to Government to take urgent action to grant is due to be cut by a further £1.3 deal with funding cuts and inflationary tackle the immediate funding crisis facing billion and councils face a £3.9 billion pressures totalling more than £50 million our local services, as well as setting the funding gap. The LGA’s submission to per year, which is equivalent to about a scene for the 2019 Spending Review to the Chancellor’s 2018 Autumn Budget is quarter of its current spending. This deliver a sustainable funding settlement calling on the Government to close this £50.7 million is equivalent to £215 for for local government. gap in 2019/20, and commit to funding each resident. Unprecedented funding pressures local government fully after a complete Based on national averages, the and demand for key services are assessment of the overall needs of the services that AnyCouncil could fund each pushing councils to the limit. They have sector in the 2019 Spending Review. year with the £50.7 million it has lost would strained every sinew to play a vital role Our submission also calls on the be more than one million hours of home in supporting local economies and Government to: accelerate work on further care provision, more than 12,500 weeks of communities through a difficult few years. business rates retention and the fair care for the elderly, at least three average- Local government has sustained funding review; allow councils to keep sized libraries kept open, and more than disproportionately large reductions in 100 per cent of Right to Buy receipts from 130,000 potholes filled. central government funding over this council house sales; and provide clarity decade, in comparison with the rest of the over its plans for the UK Shared Prosperity The LGA’s full Budget submission public sector. Between 2010 and 2020, Fund, which is to replace EU regeneration can be viewed at: www.local.gov.uk/ councils will have lost 60p out of every £1 funding after Brexit. moving-conversation-lga-budget- the Government had provided for services. As part of its submission, the LGA has submission-2018 In 2019/20, councils’ revenue support mapped the likely impact of a further year

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LGA FIRST 629 Nov18 pp13 Feature.indd 13 19/10/2018 15:10 all potential borrowers and the results of this A bond worth forming will be shared with your nance director. The bond will be covered by a joint and several guarantee from borrowing councils. The United Kingdom Municipal Bonds Lastly, councils who borrow will be helping to ensure that local government is as Agency is ready to issue its first bond resilient as possible in the future. The UK Municipal Bonds Agency was and councils are being encouraged to created by local government, so we could sign up to make it a success secure our own source of borrowing. We’re now ready to issue our rst bond and, as one of the councils that signed up to borrow, I framework agreement. This is something would encourage others to join us to make that has already been done by 23 councils the rst transaction a success. and can form part of the annual treasury This is really a one-o opportunity for local Sir Steve Houghton is Leader of management strategy and policy process government to help itself and help each other. Barnsley Council and Director of that councils go through as part of the It is a win-win if you borrow from the the United Kingdom Municipal annual budget-setting process. Agency. The borrower gets a cheaper rate Bonds Agency This is an essential requirement of the and the alternative to the PWLB is bond-issuing process and we have created a in business. he LGA and more than 50 local template report to help make the process as authorities have worked hard to easy as possible for interested councils. LGA Chairman Lord Porter said: develop the idea of an alternative “We know that councils in England are borrowing agency to the Public But why should a council borrow from the borrowing between £400 million and Works Loan Board (PWLB). That Bonds Agency instead of the PWLB? £700 million a month. visionT has been turned into a reality and the First, the Agency will aim to beat the PWLB “If they can capture just a segment of United Kingdom Municipal Bonds Agency is on price. So, in times of ongoing funding this borrowing they can make a success of a ready to issue its rst bond. pressures facing all councils, every penny rst issue and gear up the bonds agency to counts to protect vital local services. be a low-cost alternative to the Public Works So, what will the bond agency be able Second, it will be as secure as it can be. Loans Board, helping councils to raise funds to o er? The Agency will carry out due diligence on to help support their local areas.” The initial bond available will be a short-length bond for 10 to 15 years at a rate competitive with the PWLB. The minimum loan for an individual council “Councils who borrow will be helping to ensure will be £1 million. that local government is as resilient as possible The intention is to go to the market early in 2019 but, in order to do this, rm in the future on housing” expressions of interest from councils will be needed within the next few months. For more information about the United Kingdom Municipal Bonds Agency, To take advantage, councils will also please email [email protected] need to formally accept the Agency’s

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LGA FIRST 629 Nov18 pp14 Feature.indd 14 19/10/2018 15:11 #OurDay is your day The LGA’s annual tweetathon will again celebrate the thousands of unsung heroes working for councils and fire services who keep our communities running

OurDay is a chance for everyone lives for the better. The list goes on and who delivers local public services on and on. to showcase the huge number of There are many ways you and your ways in which they support and council can celebrate the work of local improve the quality of life of our government and other local public services. #communities, every day. For example, you can: Last year’s event was bigger than ever, • Spread the word – tell other people with a huge national and international about #OurDay and share the date in reach: 14,000 contributors posted more a post on Facebook or Twitter. You can than 45,000 tweets, reaching more than download lots of branded assets from “It is an opportunity for councils to 31 million people. our toolkit, available at www.local.gov. highlight and shout about the amazing As a result, #OurDay trended at No 1 in uk/our-day work they do for the public and their the UK and was also  rst worldwide in the • Take part on the big day – tell the world communities. It showcases a day in the life English language – but we need your help what you and your council are doing of local government and shines a light on all to make this year’s tweetathon an even from 00.01 until 23.59 on Tuesday the di erent things that councils do over a bigger success. 20 November by using the hashtag 24-hour period. Ahead of this year’s event, on Tuesday #OurDay. Our toolkit has lots of tips and “Councils work on behalf of their 20 November, we are asking councils, advice on how to get your messages communities, providing a huge variety councillors and o cers to tell us about their out there, as well as templates and draft of services – many hidden – every day to work and why they’re proud to be part of the press releases to save you time. support people and make lives better. This local government family. Cllr Peter Fleming, Chairman of the LGA’s is a great chance for the community to go We’d love to hear about the teams who Improvement and Innovation Board, said: behind the scenes and hear the stories collect the rubbish or keep the streets clean, “#OurDay has gone from strength to strength behind the services.” come rain, wind or shine; the dog wardens in recent years, and we know we can make who go the extra mile; the councillors who this the biggest and best yet. are always there for their residents; the carers who provide compassion and dignity; the volunteers who give up their time for free; and the social workers who change young

For more information about #OurDay 2018, please visit www.local.gov.uk/our-day and keep up to date on Twitter by following @LGAComms. If you’d like to share your ideas with us or let us know what you have got planned, then email [email protected]

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LGA FIRST 629 Nov18 pp15 Feature.indd 15 19/10/2018 15:13 Our digital council An LGA project has helped fund the expertise needed for a district council to provide more of its customer services online

develop their own skills in this area, to ensure future sustainability. We bene ted from making contacts with neighbouring councils – in particular Lich eld Councillor Simon Tagg (Con) is District Council and Stoke-on-Trent City Council Leader of Newcastle-under-Lyme – which were embarking on the same path as Borough Council us, with the same product. The support of colleagues at these two igital technologies have the authorities helped us trim many hundreds of potential to transform and enhance hours o the procurement process, which, in the way services are delivered turn, resulted in a dramatic speeding up of our to residents, while generating own journey. We believe sharing in the Lich eld e ciencies and reducing pressure process secured a notional ‘o cer time’ saving Don council taxpayers. of at least £29,850. Within the complex and shifting world An informal user group with partners has of local government, my council remains now been established, with the aim of sharing committed to preserving face-to-face and lessons learned on work already undertaken, as telephone contacts for those customers who well as on future development commitments don’t nd it easy to fully engage with the to ensure there is no duplication of e ort. digital world. We identi ed our biggest customer volume However, for those who have access and service area – recycling and waste – as the rst a desire to use our services digitally – whether area for attention. that is via a mobile phone, laptop, tablet or We organised workshops with the service, computer – we are committed to making this which identi ed improvements to the online as easy, e cient and e ective as we possibly customer journey for all service requests, can, so people don’t have to come and see us in ranging from missed bin collections to ordering place, which outlines the order in which the person or ring us up. new containers to bulky waste collections. digital team is to work with services and This council prides itself on working We have learned that testing, testing and develop their online presence. with partners to achieve better outcomes testing again with users is absolutely vital if we In the current nancial year, a savings target for our residents, and the LGA’s Productivity are to make this process work for our customers of £50,000 has been included in the council’s Experts programme is a great example of that in a way that enables them to bene t from an budget. We expect to save more than approach. The funding, together with the LGA’s improved service – and the council to bene t £500,000 over the coming four years as we support and expertise, helped us at a time from e ciency savings. introduce digital end-to-end services for a when we were getting our digital journey out The council has a work programme in range of key areas. of the starting blocks. We faced a challenge to encourage greater take-up of online services while, at the same time, improving the customer journey. The council did not have the sta to carry out the technical work needed to transform back-o ce “Testing, testing and functions so that residents could deal with the testing again with council online, from start to nish of their query or transaction. users is absolutely The money we received from the vital if we are to make Productivity Experts programme paid for business analyst expertise from our customer this process work for portal provider, Jadu. It led the initial re- engineering work and trained our sta to our customers”

For more information about this project, please email Phil Jones, Head of Communications, Newcastle-under- Lyme Borough Council, at phil.jones@ newcastle-sta s.gov.uk

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LGA FIRST 629 Nov18 pp16-17 Feature.indd 16 19/10/2018 15:15 Expert advice

The Productivity Experts programme supports councils to make savings and/ or generate 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 12 days of direct, bespoke advice and support. Over its lifetime, the programme has worked with more than 100 councils, contributing to more than £130 million of savings or income generation for these councils. Councils, re and rescue services, and national parks can all apply for help from the programme, and can apply with other councils and public sector organisations at any time during the nancial year. We can help with any service, and applications should be ambitious, with the potential for signi cant savings or income generation. The recommended experts have a proven ability to work with councils and to deliver results. For more information about the LGA’s Productivity Experts programme, please email productivity@local. Sharing services gov.uk or visit www.local.gov.uk/ productivity-experts-programme. For the LGA’s full range of eciency and income-generation programmes, spin-o of the Productivity when procuring a wide range of supplies oering help and support to councils, Experts programme, the Shared and services for its councils’ use and for their please www.local.gov.uk/our-support/ Service Expert Programme can local communities. e ciency-and-income-generation help connect your council with Nearly 1,000 contracts, worth £1 others wishing to start a new billion, have been secured by the STAR Praise for the programme… Ashared service. It can also assist in enlarging Procurement team. “The programme, funded by the LGA, existing shared service arrangements Cllr Bill Fairfoull (Lab), Tameside’s Deputy empowered us to review our procurement through options appraisal, facilitation, Executive Leader, said: “STAR Procurement operations. This ranged from complying with brokerage, mediation, negotiation and shows that sharing services, expertise and regulations to developing an appropriate mentoring support. resources delivers results. We are excited business case, updating systems and For example, Tameside Metropolitan by what STAR will be able to deliver with us processes, and ensuring we consider Borough Council has joined Rochdale, and our partners.” any impact on contract management. Stockport, and Tra ord councils in Cllr Mike Cordingley (Lab), Executive With input from key stakeholders during becoming a partner in their shared Member for Finance at Tra ord Council, the programme, and set against future procurement service, STAR Procurement. and Chair of the STAR Procurement nancial challenges, we were able to take Because of the scale of change Joint Committee, said: “We are excited this fantastic opportunity to update our in bringing on a fourth partner, STAR about our future direction and the results procurement strategy.” successfully secured funding from the LGA we have produced, and will achieve, Senior Management Team member, for a shared service expert, who carried through collaboration. Pendle Borough Council out a cost-benet analysis to highlight “Procurement is so much more than the opportunities of gaining a new putting contracts in place. It’s about trying “The Investment Property Strategy approved partner. They also helped with some of the to ensure that we nd ways to boost local as a result of this work expects a gross yield practicalities of bringing them on board. economies and ask our suppliers to be of 7.5 per cent from new investments. After Established in 2014, STAR has saved socially responsible when they do business factoring in capital nancing costs and other more than £20 million of taxpayers’ money with us and for us.” costs, the indicative annual income on a property portfolio of £20 million has been For more information about the LGA’s Shared Service Expert Programme, please visit determined to be £350,000 per annum.” www.local.gov.uk/our-support/eciency-and-income-generation/shared-services/ Corporate Director Resources and shared-service-expert-programme Commercial, Harrow Council

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LGA FIRST 629 Nov18 pp16-17 Feature.indd 17 19/10/2018 15:15 What is a mutual?

A mutual is owned by its members who have control over how it is run. LG Mutual The LGM will be a hybrid discretionary mutual, which means there are two levels of protection: The launch of the • The mutual pools su cient contributions from its members Local Government to cover the cost of the low-level, expected losses. Mutual will be a cost- • A programme of insurance effective alternative to protection is arranged to protect against larger unexpected losses traditional insurance, and accumulations of losses. The mutual board can also use its governed and led by discretion to approve claims that fall outside a member’s cover if it its council members considers this to be appropriate. who will reap the financial benefits

Brian Roberts and Ian Rogers are Directors of the Local Government Mutual

e are delighted to be able to provide an update on progress “I believe the mutual will make a valuable towards the launch contribution to sector-wide efficiencies and of Local Government WMutual, which aims to o er a cost-e ective financial stability.” Cllr Richard Watts, Chair of the LGA’s Resources Board alternative to traditional insurance. We know local government is always looking for innovations that can improve The mutual is managed by LGM contribution to sector-wide e ciencies and the ways in which councils serve our Management Services Limited, a joint  nancial stability.” communities within ever tighter budgets. venture between LGA Commercial Services Cllr Andrew Western, Leader of Tra ord The LGA joined a group of innovative and Regis Mutual Management. They are Council and Founding Member of the Mutual, councils to establish the new Local now putting in place the mutual’s strategy said: “Tra ord Council is delighted to be a Government Mutual (LGM). It is drawing on and operations for handling claims, founding member of the mutual. It o ers an best practice from other mutuals and will pricing members’ contributions and have opportunity for us to be at the forefront of an o er a cost-e ective alternative to traditional initiated the procurement for the mutual’s innovation that could potentially save money insurance. It will use local government ‘wrap-around’ insurance to protect against over time and improve the way in which we capabilities and resources more e ectively additional costs. They will ensure compliance manage the complex risks inherent in local to manage and, where possible, reduce the with procurement regulations and other government business.” cost of risk while continuing to work with the legal and regulatory requirements. Cllr Matthew Lee, Leader of South insurance market to procure cost-e ective Cllr Richard Watts, Chair of the LGA’s Kesteven Council and Founding Member, said: risk transfer cover for large losses. Resources Board, said: “The LGA has “Mutuals have worked for hundreds of years LGM will be governed and led by its local been keen to support a new mutual as it all over the world. This is a sensible way to authority members, and is legally obliged o ers the prospect of a ordable, high-quality help local government take greater control to act in their best interests. It will support risk transfer and risk management through over our own risks and  nances, learning from improved risk management by using tried a mutual structure for the bene t of local experience in the UK and abroad, bringing and tested sector-led improvement methods government. I believe it will make a valuable additional choice into the market.” to help reduce the number and cost of claims, and it will be the local authority For further information please contact the Company Secretary of Local Government members themselves who reap the  nancial Mutual, [email protected] bene ts – not private shareholders.

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LGA FIRST 629 Nov18 pp18-19 Digital famalies.indd 18 19/10/2018 16:47 Councillor Sylvia Tidy (Con) Using data to support is Lead Member for Children and Families at East Sussex County Council troubled families ast Sussex County Council and An IT project has helped save its partners ran a very successful Troubled Families programme that thousands of pounds and improve attracted national attention from central government. services for vulnerable residents EOne of the issues we were keen to address in the programme’s second phase was how we could give a more comprehensive picture about the needs of families earlier to frontline workers, ideally at the point of referral. At the time, sta were handling data manually, using Excel spreadsheets, which was time consuming, and they couldn’t deal with large volumes of data. We wanted to draw together the di erent bits of information held by us and a range of partners, including police and health services, to speed up the process of matching that data to individuals and families. We recognised that this would help us better target valuable resources at those most in need, and to intervene earlier before families reached crisis point. It might also help us to identify and target families before a crisis, rather than waiting for a referral. We had some experience of developing these kinds of predictive analytics because we had previously looked at mapping the risk indicators for those young people in danger of being not in employment, education or project was delivered. But it has delivered facing lower-level issues and preventing training (NEET). That work contributed to – in multiple ways – saving an estimated those problems escalating – saving £6,090 higher-than-average participation rates in £584,762 as of April 2018. per family in avoided costs compared with education and training by 16 and 17-year- One example is that the analysis of the those dealt with by the main teams. olds in East Sussex. But it was very time data con rmed there was a substantial By using internal sta , we have also consuming, as it was done on a small scale cohort of families who could be turned improved our skills, knowledge, and without access to advanced data-matching around more quickly than the Troubled ability to carry out similar projects in the computer programs. Families’ average. This led us to establish a future – as well as saving around £45,000 in We successfully applied for funding from ‘short-term team’ focused on helping families consultants’ fees. the LGA’s Digital Transformation Programme (see right), to develop a data-matching tool and employ a part-time information analyst Digital transformation to carry out the research and maximise the tool’s use. East Sussex also carefully The Digital Transformation Programme You can nd out more at the LGA’s considered the data protection requirements was set up to help councils develop Digital Showcase conference in London of GDPR in relation to this work on matching digital solutions to support their on 22 November – see www.local.gov.uk/ data and developing predictive analytics. Our wider work on national programmes events. A full case study on East Sussex’s aim was to ensure we had all the necessary of transformation, including the project will shortly be available at www. permissions to match data from a range of integration of health and social care, local.gov.uk/our-support/e ciency- di erent sources. troubled families, welfare reform and and-income-generation/digital/digital- None of these things run smoothly, of public health. The aim is to develop tools funded-programmes-and-case-studies. course. Sta changes, and a decision by the that can be reused by other councils For more information about the Digital county council to change the system for and support wider public service Transformation Programme, please email making information about children available transformation. [email protected] to sta , a ected how the LGA-funded

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LGA FIRST 629 Nov18 pp18-19 Digital famalies.indd 19 19/10/2018 15:16 Prevention is better than cure

Both the Prime Minister and Health and The partnership approach of landmark Social Care Secretary Matt Hancock have publicly prioritised prevention in the NHS Long public health legislation, which significantly Term Plan, describing it as “mission critical”. These priorities are very encouraging and improved sanitary conditions and reduced will strike a positive chord with members disease, remains as relevant today as it did who have long argued that the current social care and health system is unsustainable. 170 years ago They say it will buckle under the weight of demand unless we re-engineer our planning and service provision to promote healthy he NHS has been celebrating its choices, protect health, prevent sickness 70th birthday, but the anniversary and intervene early to minimise the need for of an equally important event is not costly hospital treatment and social care. being marked in quite the same Local government has been unanimous Councillor Ian Hudspeth way. The Public Health Act 1848 in our support for taking leadership of public is Chairman of the LGA’s isT now 170 years old but, unlike the NHS, its Community Wellbeing Board health and working with our local partners anniversary has passed largely unnoticed. to achieve shared priorities. We really do The Act was a key piece of legislation that think we can make a di erence to the lives saw improvements in sanitation, housing cost-e ective, as it would save money in the of our local population by helping them live and water quality to help tackle the causes long term. longer, healthier and more ful lling lives, of multiple infectious diseases. It resulted in Local boards of health became but only if we do things di erently and are signi cant improvements to people’s health. responsible for removing ‘nuisances’, such as resourced appropriately. Its purpose was to promote the public’s refuse or bad paving, from the streets, and for Although our health has improved health and to ensure “more e ective drainage and water supply, as well as other immeasurably since 1848, some problems provision… for improving sanitary conditions sanitary actions. They were also empowered remain, such as poor air quality, inadequate of towns and populous places in England and to appoint o cers of health and inspectors housing, bad diet, and substance Wales”. Such clarity of purpose of nuisances – forerunners to modern-day misuse; the Act’s approach remains just is impressive. environmental health o cers. as relevant today. The catalyst for reform was the anxiety The legacy of the 1848 Act was one caused by a new cholera epidemic sweeping of enabling and encouraging partnership Europe. The background to the Act was between national and local government a remarkable piece of work on mortality in legislating, regulating, and creating the “The argument was and morbidity rates across the country. Its conditions necessary for longer, healthier lives. provisions were based on the ndings and The need for partnerships has never been economic... if the recommendations of social reformer Edwin greater – between communities, individuals, health of the poor were Chadwick in his ‘Report on the sanitary businesses and public agencies. These conditions of the labouring population of partnerships will  ourish only with ongoing improved, it would result Great Britain’. investment and through a commitment at all Chadwick’s argument was economic, as levels to developing a ‘health in all policies’ in fewer people seeking he was convinced that if the health of the approach to policy making. poor relief” poor were improved, it would result in fewer people seeking poor relief; much poor relief was given to the families of men who had For LGA information and resources on public health, please visit www.local.gov.uk/ died from infectious diseases. Money spent topics/social-care-health-and-integration/public-health on improving public health was therefore

20 | first feature www.local.gov.uk

LGA FIRST 629 Nov18 pp20-21 Public Health.indd 20 19/10/2018 15:51 Time to get the flu jab A century on from the Spanish flu, local authorities remain key to mitigating the effect of modern pandemics This is the centenary year of the Spanish u as well as keeping other essential services outbreak, when the world experienced the running – such as mortuaries, burials, greatest epidemic since the Black Death and shelters, food and water distribution, care possibly in the whole of human history. for people left without carers or children Up to 500 million people – about one- without parents. third of the world’s population – became Although the world has changed infected with the in uenza virus. As many beyond recognition in 100 years, and as 50 million died, or one out of every 30 people are stronger, better nourished human beings on the planet. The outbreak and better housed, with better-equipped claimed the lives of nearly 250,000 Britons. hospitals and drugs to  ght infection, we The  rst wave of the Spanish u struck still rely heavily on many of the measures in the spring of 1918. The majority of used in 1918 for our survival. victims were adults aged 20 to 40 – the Now, central and local government and inverse of most u seasons, when deaths the NHS have a comprehensive pandemic fall most heavily on the elderly and the u plan setting out what should happen in under- ves. terms of a national response for every stage from infection and for health workers. In many countries schools were closed, of an outbreak. Spanish u was not the  rst pandemic public gatherings banned and people The plan aims to ensure minimal and will not be the last. It is impossible to encouraged to wear face masks. Health disruption to daily society while we protect predict when the next one will hit; in the services were overwhelmed. the health of the nation. The u vaccine last 200 years, there have been an average What is often missed, though, is the programme aims to reduce the impact of three every century. One thing is certain, important role of local authorities. In some of the disease, and is recommended for the role of local authorities will be crucial in areas, they ran and owned the hospitals, individuals at risk of severe consequences planning for it.

November 2018 first feature | 21

LGA FIRST 629 Nov18 pp20-21 Public Health.indd 21 19/10/2018 15:17 FINANCE

Annual Local Government Finance Conference 2019 Moving the conversation on 8 January 2019, London As we approach the 2019 Spending Review, the implementation of greater Business Rates Retention and the Fair Funding Review in 2020, the challenges for local government finance are greater than ever. Our conference will address all these hot topics, as well as other issues that shape the broader local government finance agenda.

To find out more and to book a place please go to www.local.gov.uk/events

9.101 - Annual local government finance conference 2019 advert - First magazine_02.indd 1 12/10/2018 12:24

Independent Group Annual Conference 2018

Members of the Local Government Where: 18 Smith Square, London SW1P 3HZ Association (LGA) Independent Group are When: 23 November 2018 invited to our annual conference to debate Time: 10.30am–5.00pm for the main conference, the big issues affecting local government. followed by a drinks reception Hear from parliamentarians, policy Who: Independent councillors and those outside experts and practitioners; take part the political affiliation of the Liberal Democrats, in workshops and network with colleagues Labour and Conservative parties. from across England and Wales.

Find out more www.local.gov.uk/lga-independent/events or contact Sarah Woodhouse on [email protected] telephone 020 7664 3206

22 | first adverts www.local.gov.uk

LGA FIRST 629 Nov18 pp22-23 Lead comment.indd 22 19/10/2018 15:18 comment

launched in October, brings people together to learn about the multi-ethnic, multi-faith armies How Remembrance of 1914-18, and to understand what remembering our history can mean for identity and belonging in our shared society today. can bring communities Backed by the Royal British Legion and by a range of civic and faith voices, it connects people from communities with little contact, to together meet, learn and uncover what they have in common. Local events in Bradford, Derby, Waltham Forest and Birmingham will spark new like the Britain of 2018 than the Britain of contact and joint engagement in their day. Remembrance. We hope to expand the project British troops fought alongside soldiers from in local authorities across the UK in 2019. across the Commonwealth, including 1.5 million For an issue of such salience, it is remarkable Steve Ballinger is Director of Indian soldiers, 400,000 of them Muslims from that there has been so little strategic leadership Communications for the think present-day Pakistan. This shared history of on integration at national level. The new tank British Future service and contribution is something we can all Integrated Communities Green Paper is a remember together in Britain today. welcome rst step. Crucial to its success will be November 2018 marks not only Britain’s YouGov polling for British Future found that nding ways to put theory into practice – in the annual Remembrance Sunday, but also 80 per cent of the public feels telling this story ve pilot areas of Walsall, Peterborough, 100 years since the end of World War One, would be good for integration. And while our Bradford, Waltham Forest and Blackburn, and the culmination of four years of centenary World War One tracker survey shows an upsurge more widely across England. commemorations. in awareness of the contribution of Indian For that to succeed, integration must be an It comes at a time when our society feels soldiers, most people are still unaware that ‘ all of us’ issue that is meaningful to people from more fragmented and anxious than any of us Muslims fought for Britain in 1914-18. every background and community. Coming would want. Societal divisions revealed by the We can do much more to engage with this together to remember shared history could be EU referendum campaign have yet to heal, and shared history and the role it can play in one way to help make integration matter for reported xenophobic and faith-based prejudice integration. The Remember Together initiative, everyone in Britain today. has increased. British Future’s discussions with people across the UK for the National Conversation on Immigration, the biggest ever public consultation on immigration, underlined the importance of getting integration right. “Remembrance could, Those conversations, in 60 towns and cities should and does belong covering every nation and region, found a worrying prevalence of anti-Muslim prejudice to all of us. The armies that needs to be countered. They also showed of 1914-18 looked the importance of social contact: harmful stereotyping was much less prevalent in places more like the Britain of where people from di erent backgrounds get to meet and know each other. 2018 than the Britain Finding shared moments and spaces of their day” that can bring people together across social and political, ethnic and faith divides, is more important than ever if we are to make integration work. November o ers an opportunity to do just that. British Future is an independent, non-partisan think tank seeking to involve people There is increasing awareness that in an open conversation about identity and integration, migration and opportunity. Remembrance could, should and does belong See www.britishfuture.org to all of us. The armies of 1914-18 looked more

November 2018 first comment | 23

LGA FIRST 629 Nov18 pp22-23 Lead comment.indd 23 19/10/2018 15:18 group leaders’ comments

Scrapping the cap

Councillor James Jamieson “The housing borrowing cap has hampered is Leader of the LGA’s councils’ ability to play a leading role in Conservative Group tackling the housing shortage”

t was good to meet many colleagues at the Health Secretary Matt Hancock, of an extra announcements on the banning of the use IConservative Party Conference in October. £240 million to reduce delayed discharges. of combustible materials on a variety of The Prime Minister closed the conference This is a good  rst step – something I will buildings and the creation of a New Homes with a well-received speech that contained be urging the Government to build on. I was Ombudsman, to champion homebuyers and an unexpected, but very welcome, also pleased to hear clear recognition from hold developers to account. announcement – the scrapping of the cap on ministers of the need to focus on prevention. It was also encouraging to hear James the amount councils can borrow against their Other key announcements were the emphasise how closely he is working with Matt housing revenue account assets. creation of a £200 million fund to divert young Hancock on the Social Care Green Paper, to put It is hard to overestimate the signi cance people from crime and, noteworthy in the the system on a sustainable long-term footing of this announcement, which is something that context of the LGA’s broadband campaign, and facilitate the better integration of services. the LGA – and, in particular our Chairman, Lord the guarantee that, by 2020, everyone will Despite these positive announcements, Porter – have long lobbied for on the basis have the right to minimum speeds of 10 signi cant challenges remain. Ahead of the that it has hampered councils’ ability to play a megabits per second. Budget, my colleagues and I are highlighting leading role in tackling the housing shortage. I was delighted to be in the auditorium to these issues, and continuing to argue for local There was also recognition of the pressures hear our Secretary of State, James Brokenshire, government  nance as a whole to be put on a on social care with the announcement, by deliver his speech, which included important sustainable long-term footing.

chairman’s comment Borrowing to build

The Government also announced politicians worked hard to raise the £240 million in additional investment voice of local government in high- for adult social care, a long-awaited profile debates, discussions and ban on combustible cladding and meetings. There has been widespread insulation systems, new funding to tackle praise from all the parties for the Lord Porter serious violence, and reforms to the dedication of councillors, and support is Chairman of the LGA apprenticeship levy. for councils having the powers to At the Liberal Democrat Conference deliver for our communities. in Brighton, Sir Vince Cable and his Of course, none of this would have have spent most of my time in local team focused on the need to address been possible without the work of our I government, and in my 15 years in the funding and demand-led pressures LGA member councils and the LGA staff various roles at the LGA, campaigning facing councils. At Labour’s Conference in who supported our councillors at the for the housing borrowing cap to Brighton, Labour’s frontbench pledged new conferences, and I want to thank you all. be scrapped. So to be in the hall at powers to councils, including over school As the national voice of local the Conservative Party Conference admissions and the building of new schools. government, we will continue to shout to hear that this is finally happening Our councillors also worked to ensure our loud and clear about councils’ priorities was fantastic. voices were heard at the UKIP, Green Party on behalf of residents, in the run-up to We now need to get on with and Plaid Cymru conferences. this month’s Budget and beyond. building those good-quality, affordable Across all the conferences, our ● See p29 new homes and infrastructure that everyone in our communities needs, and are looking forward to working with you and the Government to deliver them. “Across all the conferences, our politicians worked But scrapping the cap was not the only win we secured for the sector over hard to raise the voice of local government in high- the party conference season. profile debates, discussions and meetings”

24 | first comment www.local.gov.uk

LGA FIRST 629 Nov18 pp24-25 group leader comments.indd 24 19/10/2018 15:19 group leaders’ comments

Councillor Nick Forbes Councillor Howard Sykes MBE Councillor Marianne Overton is Leader of the LGA’s is Leader of the LGA’s MBE is Leader of the LGA’s Labour Group Liberal Democrat Group Independent Group

More cuts means More homes for Inspiring speeches austerity isn’t over residents at conference

“Councils have lost “I hope council leaders “People want the 60p out of every £1 across the country are best possible council since 2010” rolling up their sleeves performance for and taking a fresh look their residents” don’t think I was alone in being somewhat at building programmes” Iconfused to hear the Prime Minister declare that ‘austerity is over’, given that he exciting buzz of conference season is the Government is still planning a further e’ve had the speech from the Prime T upon us again. UKIP, Plaid Cymru and the £1.3 billion cut to council budgets next year. WMinister – now let’s see the borrowing Green Party all saw an increase in members Tory Treasury Minister Liz Truss must have been cap gone for good. attending and we are optimistic for the similarly befuddled, as she also declared that It’s the culmination of more than a Independent Network on 10 November the Government is ‘not making cuts to local decade’s work by the LGA, campaigning for and our Independent Group conference on authorities’ – an early contender for ‘Barefaced councils to be able to borrow in order to 23 November at the LGA. Lie of the Year 2018’. build more homes for their residents, uniting Our brie ng on the work of the LGA Austerity has caused huge damage us across party lines. It was about time, and and the Independent Group, and our ‘Be a to communities across the UK, and now very welcome. Councillor’ events were popular and well many council budgets are in crisis. The Tory I now hope council leaders across the received by keen and e ective people, wanting government is entirely to blame; overall, country are rolling up their sleeves and taking the best possible council performance for councils have lost 60p out of every £1 since a fresh look at building programmes and how their residents. I was made very welcome 2010. Now, Labour councillors are saying that they take this opportunity. The Treasury needs everywhere and was pleased to listen and to enough is enough, and have launched the to ful l the Government’s promise as soon as support our members. #BreakingPoint campaign. possible ahead of the Budget – there can be They contributed well at all the More than 5,000 Labour councillors have no backtracking, and no ‘giving with one hand conferences, with inspiring speeches that already supported the Breaking Point petition. and taking away with the other’ attitude. were visionary, impassioned, thoughtful and We are calling on the Prime Minister and In celebrating this, we should not overlook backed by a substantial weight of data. the Chancellor to use the Budget to reverse the many district councils with extensive The Green Party and Plaid Cymru, both next year’s planned £1.3 billion cut to council housing potential, often with suburbs “remainers”, are calling for a “People’s Vote” on budgets, immediately invest £2 billion in surrounding the largest cities, which have whatever Brexit deal is produced, and UKIP is children’s services and a further £2 billion in transferred their own stock to registered social o ering an exit plan. Agricultural policy and adult social care to stop these vital emergency landlords. They don’t have housing revenue the environment were hot on the agenda services from collapsing, and pledge to use the accounts against which to borrow. for all three parties and important for local Spending Review to restore council funding to But the battle is not over. The Government councils, impacting our local economies and 2010 levels over the next four years. must also allow us to keep 100 per cent of environment as well as the planet as a whole. Labour in local government is speaking Right to Buy receipts, and have control over Plaid Cymru and the Green Party raised with one voice – now it is up to the what, if any, level of discount there should serious concerns about fracking, with calls to Government to listen and to act, before it’s be. We are elected by residents, and are divest in fossil fuels, also raised by Independent too late. accountable to them – unlike HM Treasury. members at our York regional conference this month. There were powerful calls to fund adult and children’s social care properly, mental health, schools and policing. There was also a clarion call for better local control of planning, where housing is for genuine local need, with services and facilities to match. For more information about the LGA’s political groups, see www.local.gov.uk

November 2018 first comment | 25

LGA FIRST 629 Nov18 pp24-25 group leader comments.indd 25 19/10/2018 15:41 Realising the potential of early intervention

families the support they need to reach their full potential and, in so doing, generate wide- ranging bene ts to society. “Early intervention has Next week, the Early Intervention to be looked at as an Dr Jo Casebourne is Chief Foundation will publish a major new report, Executive of the Early updating the case for this kind of service in essential investment” Intervention Foundation the current climate. Many local authorities and their partners have been trying to Maintaining a focus on providing early prioritise early intervention for some years Bene ts include improvements in children’s intervention or early help services can now. There have been some successes, but mental wellbeing, school achievement, feel impossible to many councils right many challenges too. Our new report sets out physical health and reductions in youth crime now. The context for this has changed some of the latest evidence on what works, for and antisocial behaviour, to name just a few. immeasurably in recent years. Funding whom and when, and suggests what needs to We know that leaving issues in pressures mean councils are inevitably happen both locally and nationally to move childhood unresolved has pervasive negative prioritising immediate needs and statutory this agenda forward. consequences for children’s outcomes later duties over discretionary services with We are hoping this will stimulate some in life, which all lead to extra costs to the longer-term bene ts. debate among councils. Early intervention public sector. While we need to be realistic Yet the need for the early intervention matters for local government. While it cannot about the likelihood of early intervention agenda is stronger than ever. We see daily solve all problems, it can substantially improve delivering short-term savings or immediate reminders of this in newspaper headlines children’s lives if it is based on good evidence, reductions in pressures on children’s social about rising levels of poor mental health delivered to a high standard and directed to care, it can have signi cant long-term bene ts among children and young people, school the children or families who need it the most. for individual children and their families, the exclusions, youth violence and child poverty. Approaches such as home visiting to support wider economy and society. Early intervention The inescapable fact is that too many children parents, school-based programmes to improve has to be looked on as an essential in England face problems or disadvantages children’s social and emotional skills, or family investment, rather than any kind of short-term that a ect their development and threaten therapy for some of the most vulnerable nancial coping strategy. their future health and happiness. Early children and their families, have all been While it may be di cult to estimate the intervention can o er these children and their shown to deliver wide-ranging improvements. scale of these bene ts with accuracy, there

26 | first comment www.local.gov.uk

LGA FIRST 629 Nov18 pp26-27 comm.indd 26 19/10/2018 15:42 is a wide body of literature that plausibly shows that the pay-o s can be signi cant. It is clear that the value of these bene ts to local communities, public services and our wider society and economy is likely to be considerably higher than the cost of intervening in the  rst place. The way ahead is not yet secure or well mapped out. If early intervention is going to achieve its potential, we need a concerted e ort and clear leadership at both national and local level. Nationally, politicians and policy- makers must commit to accelerating use of the evidence about e ective early intervention and long-term testing of its impact. This requires political leadership, The viability of early intervention rests, in part, on national infrastructure, new investment, and long-term planning beyond traditional the need for local leaders to articulate a clear vision parliamentary cycles. There is a vital role for local government evidence-based decision-making is an integral thriving local communities. This is an issue leaders here. The viability of early intervention part of the vision and culture they create in behind which we can unite across current rests, in part, on the need for local leaders to their area and at the forefront of any review of political divides. articulate a clear, long-term vision and strategy non-statutory spending. The case is clear: the long-term success of that is achievable and which mobilises The improvements in children’s lives that the country depends on us helping children partnerships. This should be realistic and not e ective early help can deliver are all crucial reaching their full potential. If anything is be founded on the promise of short-term to local government’s interest in supporting worthy of long-term planning, this is. savings or an immediate reduction in pressure on children’s social care. For more information about the Early Intervention Foundation please visit www.eif.org.uk Local leaders also need to ensure that

LGA Annual Fire Conference and Exhibition 12-13 March 2019, Hilton Brighton Metropole Hotel

The Local Government Association Annual Fire Conference and Exhibition is a key event in the conference calendar for senior fire officers and members of fire and rescue authorities. The last year has seen widespread change in the sector. There is a new inspection regime in place, a new standards approach has been announced and there have been a number of changes in governance. There have been strides to improve the diversity of the service as well as issues around finance and funding. The sector’s work on fire safety, inspection and enforcement as a result of the terrible fire at Grenfell is still evolving. This event provides an opportunity to examine these changes, consider notable practice and examine how to develop this activity further.

To book your place visit www.local.gov.uk/events

19.17 LGA annual fire conference first conf ad_01.indd 1 05/09/2018 15:17 November 2018 first comment | 27

LGA FIRST 629 Nov18 pp26-27 comm.indd 27 19/10/2018 15:20 Respect, responsibility and rights

Sandhurst is well known across the world saw local people treating each other with for its military academy. Less well known more respect, a drop in crime and anti-social is the town’s thriving community, which behaviour, and a surge in the number of continues to grow in size and diversity. Councillor Jean Bettison is people wanting to volunteer. We work on many local issues, one being Vice-Chairman of Sandhurst Town The campaign continues to go from our 3Rs campaign – Respect, Responsibility, Council’s Leisure Committee and strength to strength. We have litter picks Strategy and Policy Committee Rights – which started with children and twice a year, which are well attended by young people, but has expanded into a the local Nepali community, showing community-wide programme. and girls’ football clubs, with many willing community cohesion and displaying Schools work hard to create a safe and to get more involved to help our younger residents’ pride in the environment. inspiring place for children and young population. A working group was set up, The town council has also helped people to learn and develop their talents. But and we invited local schools to design a employ a youth worker to engage and taking responsibility for their actions should campaign logo. support the young people of Sandhurst, and not stop when they leave the school gate. If With the help of the Improvement and to encourage them to have a dream as they they are really to flourish, they need to apply Efficiency Social Enterprise (iESE), a public grow up. these skills to their everyday lives, too. sector-owned transformation organisation, People can’t expect to have rights We wanted to apply the same disciplines we won a grant of £25,000 after showcasing without earning the respect and to our wider community as in our local the difference we could make. responsibility that go with it. If our 3Rs schools. We engaged with more than 20 A year later, resident satisfaction had campaign is working for us, then it can work community groups, including the boys’ increased and, from an already high base, we for others. Sharing home improvement services

Occupational therapists from the county Many also help with making homes safe are seconded to work alongside housing sta and suitable for people to return to after a in the districts, delivering disabled facilities stay in hospital, so it’s not surprising that the grants and other adaptations, equipment and select committee recommends every area Paul Smith is Director of repairs. It all keeps more people living safe, should have its own HIA. Foundations, the national body for secure and warm in their own homes. home improvement agencies A similar HIA is operating across much of Hertfordshire, this time based in the county With local authorities across the country council. Again, this joined-up approach is facing tough decisions to balance their speeding up the home-adaptation process, budgets, shared services have been reducing the risk of falls and injury that come growing in popularity. with living in an unsuitable home. The 2018 LGA shared services map (see But it’s not just about adaptations. With www.local.gov.uk/shared-services-map) up to 80 per cent of older people still owning lists 559 such arrangements that have their home in some areas, HIAs can help delivered close to £1 billion of cumulative with cold homes, gas safety, trip hazards, e ciency savings. electrical faults and small repairs. Last year, the Commons’ Housing, Communities and Local Government Committee’s inquiry into adult social care considered the delivery of disabled facilities “Occupational grants. The select committee’s MPs found it therapists from the to be slow and cumbersome, hampered by the split in responsibility between district county are seconded to and county councils. Yet very few areas have taken the opportunity to remove this split by work alongside housing sharing these services. staff in the districts” One notable exception is the Home Environment Assessment and Response Team (HEART) in Warwickshire, a partnership Foundations is funded by the Government to help local authorities consider the between the county and district councils options and to provide support for the commissioning or reconfiguration of HIA delivering an in-house home improvement services. Find out more at www.foundations.uk.com agency (HIA) service.

28 | first comment www.local.gov.uk

LGA FIRST 629 Nov18 pp28 comment.indd 28 19/10/2018 15:21 parliament

We are encouraging the Treasury to move Key wins at party quickly to ensure current borrowing caps are removed and to con rm that councils will be able to borrow at prudential levels. Further conferences details will be con rmed in the Budget, and we continue our work in the background to The Prime Minister’s announcement that There has been widespread praise from all ensure there are no strings attached. the Government will scrap the cap on how the parties for the dedication of councillors, Other wins included an additional much councils can borrow to build new and support for councils having the powers £240 million for adult social care this winter, homes was the culmination of a successful to deliver for our communities. This was announced by Health and Social Care 2018 conference season for the LGA and demonstrated by the Government responding Secretary Matt Hancock. This will be allocated local government. to the campaigning of councils and the LGA to councils based on the adult social care Across the conferences, we helped with a series of positive announcements – not relative needs formula, and is aimed at deliver a range of events, including debates, least, on the housing borrowing cap. reducing delayed transfers of care. roundtables and receptions. Our councillors LGA Chairman Lord Porter praised the This injection of desperately needed debated topics such as economic growth, Government for ensuring councils can be funding recognises the role of councils in children’s services, housing and adult social part of the solution to tackling our chronic achieving a sustainable health and care care, ensuring councils have a strong voice in housing shortage. Given that this has been a system. However, the pressures facing social policy discussions. long-standing ask of councils, we know there care are year round and continued short-term We hosted debates on the 2019 Spending will be a huge appetite for using these new bailouts are not the answer. We continue to Review at all three main party events, and our borrowing powers to deliver the homes our push for both sustainable funding for the local government evening receptions were communities need. short term and a long-term solution through attended by Liberal Democrat Leader Sir Vince our own social care green paper (see Cable MP, Labour Leader Jeremy Corbyn www.futureofadultsocialcare.co.uk). MP, and Housing, Communities and Local Mr Brokenshire announced plans to Government Secretary James Brokenshire MP. “There has been ban the use of combustible materials for Councillors from the LGA’s Independent widespread praise all new high-rise residential buildings, Group have also been speaking up for hospitals, registered care homes and student local government at the UKIP, Green and from all the parties accommodation, and pledged to “bring about Plaid Cymru conferences, and the group a change in culture on building safety”. holds its annual conference on 23 November, for the dedication Home Secretary Sajid Javid, meanwhile, in London. of councillors” announced a new £200 million youth- endowment fund, focused on steering 10- to 14-year-olds at most risk of youth violence away from being serious o enders. There will also be a consultation on a new legal duty on councils and public sector partners to take action to prevent violent crime, and an independent review of drug misuse. While this new funding and approach is positive, we continue to push the need to address the underfunding of children’s services, for cuts to councils’ public health budgets to be reversed, and for any new statutory duties to be fully funded.

For more information about the LGA’s public a airs work, please visit www.local.gov.uk/parliament ● See also p24

November 2018 first political | 29

LGA FIRST 629 Nov18 pp29 Parl.indd 29 19/10/2018 15:23 councillor Scrutinising your budget Opposition parties have a key role to play in scrutinising councils’ budgets

by the administration. This may mean removing a saving proposal (for example, turning o street lighting) and replacing it with an alternative saving option – or proposing additional resources for, say, street sweeping, again o set by comparable savings. There may also be scope to review the composition of the capital programme to invest in schemes that may produce a revenue stream further down the line, but don’t overlook the cost of capital  nancing. However, a fundamental outcome for any alternative budget is that it needs to balance and stand up to its own scrutiny. So here are some top tips for challenging your council’s budget: • You don’t have to have a full recast of Of course, e ective scrutiny of any the budget – an alternative can be proposed budget is about delving into the one amendment or 100 (sometimes less detail of the options, and assessing risk, is more!). Councillor Clarence Barrett deliverability and impact on service delivery. • Make full use of the resources available is Group Leader of the Residents’ Too often, savings options are agreed only and work closely with the S151 o cer, Association on the London to be unachievable and to end up as an who will have to apply a robustness test Borough of Havering additional pressure in the next budget- to any alternatives – make it balance! setting round. This can often be the case • Communicate your strategy to residents; The most challenging time for any council where vague savings are agreed for future use the local media and involve is setting a balanced budget against the years, only to be totally undeliverable when community groups in the budget- twin pressures of reduced funding and the time comes. setting process. increased demand. E ective and constructive challenge can • Where there is more than one From an opposition perspective, your be usefully conducted by focusing on a set opposition group, work together to role in the budget-setting process is crucial. of initial questions. Do all the  gures  nd common ground in developing As important as setting a budget is the need stack up? Does the budget re ect the an alternative budget strategy, so any to ensure that it stands up to scrutiny, is priorities of the residents? How robust was amendments don’t end up being split transparent, and is seen to be accountable. the consultation process, or was it just a at the council’s budget meeting. In addition, it is the role of any opposition tick-box exercise? What and where are the Finally, be prepared! As Benjamin Franklin to, where possible, provide an alternative. unintended consequences? Is there scope said: “By failing to prepare, you are Given the room for manoeuvre, the to bring savings forward? Is there a clear preparing to fail.” In particular, this applies scope for change can be limited. But business case for additional funding items? to the budget-setting council meeting, limitation can spark innovative thinking For opposition groups, the budget- where robust, constructive and informed and o er an opportunity to challenge setting process also provides an presentation and debate will give the more traditional approach to budget opportunity to showcase priorities and credibility and integrity to any alternative setting, often de ned by ‘salami slicing’. objectives that are not necessarily shared budget strategy.

30 | first political www.local.gov.uk

LGA FIRST 629 Nov18 pp30-32 cllr_elec.indd 30 19/10/2018 15:24 Local by-elections

Pembrokeshire, Pembroke St Mary North IND GAIN FROM CON 18.8% over Ind Turnout 36.6% elections

East Devon, Ottery St Mary Rural IND HELD 26.3% over Con Turnout 34.7% Independents’ Day

Luton, Limbury Independents took the honours LAB HELD during this year’s party 20.7% over Con Turnout 24.6% conference season. A further three gains go Professors Colin Rallings (right) Su olk Coastal, Wenhaston & Westleton into the wins column, which and Michael Thrasher are CON HELD now stands at 18 set against Directors of Plymouth University’s 10.7% over Lib Dem Turnout 35.9% Elections Centre nine losses since the last

General Election. Winchester, Upper Meon Valley Each gain has a story to tell, beginning with Cuerdley ward, few expected that Independent CON HELD Pembroke St Mary North ward. Conservative Geo rey Fellows, a local parish councillor, 6.7% over Lib Dem Turnout 46.2% David Boswell was elected to the council by a would snatch victory just weeks later. Watson

margin of just six votes in May 2017. Months even received endorsement from Warrington Wyre Forest, Bewdley & Rock later, he was charged with child sex o ences South MP Faisal Rashid. Labour won all three CON HELD and suspended by his party. This June, he was seats in 2016 by a margin of 300 votes, ahead of 17.3% over Lab Turnout 20.7% found guilty and sentenced to 18 years in the Conservatives. The by-election attracted

prison. It was against this backdrop that eight  ve party candidates, but none could thwart Lich eld, Stowe candidates contested the by-election, including the Independent. CON HELD six Independents. It was perhaps  tting that Labour su ered two further setbacks in the 5.2% over Lab Turnout 23.4% the winner, Jon Harvey, who lost so narrowly East Midlands. Defeat by the Conservatives in Nottingham, Clifton North to Boswell, should triumph this time. The Nottingham’s Clifton North ward was followed CON GAIN FROM LAB Conservative candidate  nished sixth. a week later by a loss to the Liberal Democrats 13.9% over Lab Turnout 27% In Hartlepool’s Hart ward, it was a case in Chester eld’s Moor ward. For Roger Steel, the of battle re commencing. In 2018, one of the by-election win in Clifton North marks a return Salford, Eccles ward’s two seats was won by Independent to representing the area after his own defeat LAB HELD Thomas Cassidy, who defeated Labour’s Aileen in 2011. In Moor ward, the Liberal Democrat 30.4% over Con Turnout 20.9% Kendon. Her colleague Paul Beck then resigned victory follows on from one in Holmbrook ward his seat, leaving the way clear for Kendon to last year and suggests the party could stage a Chester eld, Moor have another go. Step forward Independent comeback. LIB DEM GAIN FROM LAB James Brewer, who contested the adjoining Four defeats for Labour does not indicate 7.7% over Lab Turnout 34.4% Rural West ward last time. Taking notes from a party preparing for government. But further Cassidy’s victory, Brewer defeated Kendon by south, there was a gain in Adur’s Southlands Cambridgeshire, Soham North & 55 votes. ward. The vacancy arose after the resignation Isleham When Kenny Watson, Chairman of of UKIP group leader Paul Graysmark. The CON HELD Warrington Momentum, was selected as ward is a microcosm of UKIP’s rapid rise and 18.8% over Lib Dem Turnout 21.2% the Labour party candidate for Penketh and swift decline in local government. Graysmark was originally elected for the Conservatives, Hambleton, Thirsk Hartlepool, Hart switched CON HELD IND GAIN FROM LAB to UKIP and then called and won a by-election 41.2% over Lab Turnout 20% 3.8% over Lab Turnout 21.2% in May 2013. The party subsequently retained the seat but, in 2018, its vote declined, and it Adur, Southlands Warrington, Penketh & Cuerdley did not contest this vacancy. Labour’s win is its LAB GAIN FROM UKIP IND GAIN FROM LAB  rst in the ward since 2004. 5.4% over Con Turnout 31% 4.3% over Lab Turnout 25.9%

Halton, Ditton West Lancashire, Tanhouse For all the latest by-election LAB HELD LAB HELD results in full, please visit 58.1% over Con Turnout 15.7% 52.2% over Ind Turnout 18.9% www.local.gov.uk/ rst

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