Blog: Friday 30th January - Paul Turner, LLG President

Paul Turner, LLG President

Dear All

Well, that’s January done, and what a January it has been!  My phone app tells me that the weather in Essex hasn’t been as sunny as last January, but the brightness and intensity of work for LLG makes up for that.

We have launched the AMO Helpline.  We have had a few calls already and it’s great to see how it’s already starting to help people.  I am immensely grateful to everyone who has volunteered to help colleague.  Any confidential feedback we get will help AMO prioritise the production of policies etc.  Rachel McKoy and I met ADSO monitoring officers and deputy MOs yesterdays to promote AMO and tell them all the exciting things we are doing. 

We also had a planning meeting to work out how to transition LLG’s funding model  in readiness for LGR.  Fewer councils doesn’t mean fewer lawyers in local government but we do have to look at how that will all work. This isn’t about raising more money but ensuring the financial sustainability in a post LGR world.

We are also working with MHCLG to discuss the new standards world.  The new standards regime is badly needed and anything we can do to help make the new system work for councillors and councils is very important.

Back at my proper job  - though I am not sure my daughter thinks it is actually proper job - I have spent a lot of time planning for our elections. Although most of local organising is done by colleagues in borough, city and district councils there is still a huge amount of work co-ordinating and supporting the local teams, as well as planning the induction of new councillors.  It’s always hard to know where to pitch this – currently about 80% of our councillors are also district councillors but we are very conscious that all that could change. 

Have a great weekend.

Paul