LLG Welcomes New President Helen Edwards at AGM

LLG are delighted to announce Helen Edwards as the new LLG President following our AGM on 7^th April 2022. 

Paying tribute to outgoing President, Quentin Baker, Helen stressed that LLG will continue to push our Golden Triangle Campaign”, adding that whilst LLG was “delighted to see the Government committing to full statutory protection for monitoring officers and will endeavour to ensure that LLG are involved in the work the government will be undertaking to bring that into lawful effect……we remain disappointed in relation to the lack of sanctions. The government however did not completely close the door on that, committing to engage with sector representatives to “seek views on options to strengthen sanctions to address breaches of the code which fall below the bar of criminal activity and related sanctions but involve serious incidents of bullying and harassment or disruptive behaviour”. LLG will look to be actively engaged in those discussions”.

Looking ahead to her Presidential year, Helen set our her ambition for LLG over the next year stating; “One of the key themes I would like to focus on in my presential year is the opening up of access to the legal profession to really champion equality, diversity, inclusion and social mobility. We will work with other stakeholders to enable the start of what I hope will become a legacy, of supporting individuals from all backgrounds to forge a successful career in law”

Our outgoing president Quentin Baker paid tribute to the sector stating "Over the past two years it really has been a privilege to lead LLG through a period of significant change. I have felt an immense sense of pride in belonging to a profession and sector which found innovative and resilient ways to support their communities and get on with the day-to-day business of local government legal practice and governance throughout this difficult time.    

We have had some excellent wins. The Judicial Review along with ALACE On the Exit Payment Cap regulations and the government’s commitment to bring in full statutory protection for monitoring officers are the highlights for me. But we have lobbied hard on remote meeting provision and undertaken a range of work from consultation submissions, production of guidance and provision of webinars, training and zoom meetings to support you during the pandemic.  None of this would be possible without the hard work of our Branch Officers, National Leads, Regional Leads, Board Members, Working Group Members and Corporate Partners and of course the LLG Officer team.  

On behalf of LLG and our sector, I wish to extend my appreciation and thanks to all of you who helped make it happen”

Quentin will retain a position on the board for a further year as Immediate Past President.

Aneeka Sarwar, our former Membership Director was elected to the position of Deputy Vice President with Rachel McKoy, moving by succession, became the Vice Chair.

The AGM also saw the retirement of a number of key, long standing LLG Directors and thanks were given to the following for their dedication and work over the years: -

Phillip Horsfield

Stephen Taylor

Stephen Turner

Sarah Duxbury 

Zabina Bi

Nigel Snape

LLG also welcomed several new Directors to the Board as follows: -

Michelle Rowe as Branch Representative Director

Emma Harrison as the National Lead Representative Director

Rochelle Tapping as the Membership Director

Fiona Anthony as the Training Director

John Purvis as the Junior National Lead and Junior Board Advisor.

Whilst the following Directors retained their positions: -

Kieran McGaughey as Membership Director

Helen Lynch as National Lead Representative Director

The positions of Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Non-Executive Director and Welsh Board Director were adopted into the Articles. Manisha Patel and Matthew Philips hold those positions respectively.

The following individuals were noted as LLG National Leads: -

Rita Bange, Housing and Regeneration

Helen Lynch, MO & Governance

Emma Harrison, Adult Social Care & Health

Tim Briton, Litigation and Licensing

Kieran McGaughey, Partnerships and Procurement

Felicia Epstein, Employment

Rachel McKoy, Planning and Highways