Blog: 13 January 2023 - Deborah Evans, LLG CEO

Even in a time of great change, law and policy reform typically moves at a much slower speed. LLG prides itself on maintaining momentum and delivering real, tangible change. So, what should you expect from us in 2023? 

Filling your recruitment gap: In a profession struggling to recruit experienced lawyers, growing your own must be the solution. We will build a free recruitment hub for you to advertise all your graduate and entry level vacancies together with opportunity to participate in our hugely popular work experience week.  

Developing your leadership style: We resolve to provide opportunities for you to grow your soft skills through leadership training (LLG Inspire will launch shortly) and a dedicated conference. We will also look after your well-being with our free Wellbeing Week. 

Levelling up: The levelling up bill is in flux, with new provisions for housing and planning being added. We resolve to keep you updated with the twists and turns, to offer meaningful insight from experts, so that you can advise your local authorities accordingly. You are not in this alone. 

Virtual meetings: We resolve to maintain pressure and sustained visibility of the need for Local Authorities to be able to make decisions in hybrid meetings. We will move forward from 1972 (eventually). 

Planning: Will we see more controversial planning decisions that fly in the face of green goals? or will we see central government overriding local planning decisions against the tide of devolution? We resolve to provide forums and meetings for you to debate inconsistencies so that we can flag issues and project the national voice of planning lawyers to help shape the agenda.  

Procurement: 2023 is a big year for procurement specialists, with the Procurement Bill bringing about wholesale reform of the way Local Authorities procure goods and services. We will deliver a series of national lead meetings, training and webinars to ensure your knowledge and skills are where they need to be. 

Electoral Reform: Will the elections in May go smoothly or will new voter ID reforms derail their delivery? We resolve to deliver as many answers as we can at our Elections Conference on 24^th February to give you the best possible chance to prepare. 

Good Governance: Sanctions for poor member behaviour & the role of the MO: As this bugbear rumbles from one year to the next with no government backed solution in sight, we resolve to collaborate with others, to collate evidence, and to look at alternative solutions. 

Councils in special measures: Whilst public interest reports abound, and councils fall into special measures, many Local Authority Owned Companies (once seen as the antidote to the funding crisis) are struggling. We resolve to share learning from the reports in order that you can advise your council appropriately. We also believe that it is no coincidence that many of these reports detail lawyers not being consulted or listened to, and we resolve to continue our fight to reinstate monitoring officers at the top table, committing to evidence gathering and the presentation of a report in 2023 to stir debate. 

So, what are your resolutions for 2023? If you’d like to help us with our ambitious agenda, why not apply to join the LLG board in 2023 - our directors are welcoming, engaging, with a sound working knowledge of local government and a desire to make a difference.

Happy New Year!  

Deborah Evans

CEO 

Deborah.Evans@llg.org.uk