16 Aug 2024

Blog: Friday 16th August 2024

Share this:

LLG have been in contact with the new Government and have already received encouraging news from Minster – Jim McMahon on their commitment to community engagement and openness to evidenced based discussions on remote meeting provision. We will continue to make the case along with ADSO and our partners and will not stop until we have game changing provision which provides the flexibility for engagement and agility within the local government sector.

In other news, The Local Government Association has published new guidance aimed at helping members gain assurance about the performance of their authority's services and corporate governance. This is the “Councillor's guide: Improvement and assurance framework for local government” which is applicable to unitary, county, district and borough councils in England, and to English authorities with all types of governance system. Whilst Combined Authorities are covered by the English Devolution Assurance Framework – the principles in this framework still apply.

The framework aims to:

-support councils to understand how to use the components within the framework and how they fit together
-increase the effectiveness of assurance in the sector. While it cannot itself prevent failures, its use may reduce the risk – and costs - of statutory or non-statutory intervention, whether by Oflog, central government or other regulators
-make it easier for local residents and businesses to understand how to hold their local authority to account.

The LGA make that point that “..assurance may sometimes be seen as a dry topic, and accountability may, wrongly, be feared. However, the management and routine operation of internal controls and risk management support councils to manage the future constructively and safely. As one council leader said, ‘it’s what helps me to sleep at night’..”

Finally, it is with much sadness that we learnt of the sudden passing of Vicky Green from Capsticks (formerly Staffordshire County Council). You might have had the pleasure of meeting Vicky at the LLG Spring Conference this year. She was not only professional, but warm, exuberant and full of joy. Vicky was the epitome of those who belong to the family of local government lawyers and the values we all hold dear. Our thoughts remain with those closest to her.