Lgafirst566

News and views from the Local Government Association “It is astounding that UCAS is happy to use the information it collects to sell drinks and mobile phones but will not give it to local authorities to help get young people into employment and training.”

Cllr Peter Box, Chairman of the LGA’s Economy and Transport Board, p2

P8 Ballot box views

The LGA’s political group leaders set out their thoughts ahead of this month’s council and European elections P11 Better local government Sector-led improvement works and is more sustainable than an inspection-focused approach

Fortnightly Issue 566 10 May 2014

P14 Parliament Taxi licensing changes could endanger the public

P12 You’re hired!

The 2014 Local Government Challenge is in full swing and the competition is fiercer than ever

EDITORIAL

Economic growth Although attention is currently focused on the forthcoming local and European elections, we are now less than a year away from the next general election and the largest set of local elections.

As councillors, we know that there are many issues that affect our residents but it is undoubtedly the case that the economy is a key determinant of how many people vote.

As such, it is enormously encouraging for all Conservative supporters that we are now seeing a sustained economic recovery.

Back in 2010, Shadow Chancellor Ed Balls was a prophet of doom who stated that the Government’s economic plans would lead to the disappearance of a million jobs. However, the latest statistics reveal that there are actually now 1.5 million more people in work.

Last week it was announced that the UK economy grew by 0.8 per cent in the first quarter of 2014, the fifth consecutive period of growth. The IMF expects the UK to be the best performing of the world’s largest economies in 2014 while the Bank of England predicts growth of 3.4 per cent.

Unsurprisingly, this positive news is now being reflected in opinion polling. On the crucial question of who is most trusted to run the economy, David Cameron and George Osborne currently hold a commanding 13 per cent lead over Ed Miliband and Ed Balls.

Just as the Government can be proud of its record on the economy, so can local government be proud of the way that it has responded to the challenges that have been posed.

For those of us who campaign for the Conservative Party at elections, we have a very clear message for voters: the economy is now recovering, don’t let Labour wreck it again!

Cllr Gary Porter is Chairman of the LGA’s Conservative Group Editor Karen Thornton Design Liberata Design Advertising Amanda Cowen Write to first, Local Government House, Smith

Square, London SW1P 3HZ T (editorial) 020 7664 3294 T (advertising) 020 7664 3012 email first@local.gov.uk Photography Photofusion and Ingimage

unless otherwise stated Print BGP Ltd, Bicester Circulation 18,500 (January 2014) To unsubscribe email first@oscar-research.co.uk The inclusion of an advert or insert in first does not imply endorsement by the LGA of any product or service. Contributors’ views are their own and do not necessarily reflect the opinions or policies of the LGA.

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FIRST NEWS

Data blocking ‘could stop jobs help’

Tens of thousands of school-leavers could miss out on vital help to find jobs, training or further education next year because councils are being refused access to crucial information on where to target support.

For years local authorities have been able to use details provided by the Universities and Colleges Admissions Service (UCAS) to identify and help young people who do not go to university. UCAS is now refusing to share student details directly with local authorities, despite the admissions service using similar information to make millions from marketing companies selling drinks and mobile phones.

UCAS’s refusal to cooperate leaves councils having to collect the same information from schools, by phoning and texting individual young people and knocking on doors, and using social media, at a cost of around £3.8 million – which could

instead pay for more than 140 youth workers, over 1,600 youth subsidy programmes or 2,500 apprenticeship grants to local employers.

Cllr Peter Box, Chairman of the LGA’s Economy and Transport Board said: “It is astounding that UCAS is happy to use the information it collects to help sell drinks and mobile phones but will not give it to local authorities to help get young people into employment and training.

“This information has played a vital part in council efforts to identify those young people not going to university and in need of help into training, apprenticeships and job opportunities.

“We are in real danger of being unable to help those who are being left behind. In a time of austerity we should be pulling together to provide the best opportunities for young people but this puzzling decision is pulling us in opposite directions.”

Inside this issue 05 Policy

Roadworks cycle of underfunding

06 Letters

Going unitary – Welsh example

07 Opinion

Local public accounts committees

08 first feature

Local election previews and political predictions

10 The local vote Likely winners and losers on 22 May

14 Dementia awareness

Overcoming denial

15 Last word

Supporting failing schools

Powers needed on rogue landlords Tougher powers are needed by councils to tackle rogue landlords who force tenants to live in ‘hell-hole homes’.

There are many good private landlords, who councils currently work with, according to the LGA. However, it is very difficult for local authorities to set up licensing schemes to identify and tackle the rogue landlords. The systems of regulation are out of date, not fit for purpose and need to be overhauled, argues the LGA. This is particularly an issue, both in the capital and urban areas outside London, where there is a very high demand for housing and high rent, which makes it easier for bad landlords to exploit tenants.

Selective licensing can only currently be applied where there is low demand for housing or persistent problems caused by anti-social behaviour. The LGA wants to see the Government’s criteria widened to include areas which have a high proportion of badly managed private properties and homes in a poor condition.

According to latest government statistics, almost five million homes

(22 per cent) in England are not deemed to be a decent standard.

A third of these were in the private rented sector. One private landlord from north-west London was fined after leaving his tenants without central heating or hot or cold water for 15 months.

Cllr Mike Jones, Chairman of the LGA’s Environment and Housing Board, said: “It is unacceptable for some tenants to live in dangerous conditions in the 21st century. The criminal landlords are damaging the reputation of the private rented sector.

“Councils are doing everything they can to support and protect tenants against rogue landlords, particularly at a time when everincreasing numbers of young professionals and families are renting.

“One way for councils to address this growing problem is to introduce private property licensing schemes.

However, the current system limits councils’ ability to stamp out poor quality and dangerous property conditions. This is why we are calling for it to be overhauled.”

• See www.local.gov.uk/mediareleases for examples of councilmanaged licensing schemes

Welcome return

News in brief Tougher powers on betting shops

The Government has listened to repeated council calls by announcing a consultation on placing betting shops in their own planning class to stop them taking over empty shops without planning permission. However, the LGA has warned that there is a need to ensure that changes to address the issue of betting shop clustering do not have unintended consequences for high streets, by removing councils’ controls over other types of premises. Cllr Tony Page, LGA Licensing Spokesman, said: “Communities and councils have consistently called for tougher powers to address problems caused by the proliferation of betting shops so we are pleased the Government is taking action.”

PCCs ‘on probation’

Major reforms are needed to improve public confidence in police and crime commissioners (PCCs), according to a report from the Home Affairs Select Committee. Its recommendations include strengthening and extending the role of police and crime panels (PCPs) in scrutinising the removal, resignation or retirement of a chief constable. Cllr Joanna Spicer, Vice-Chair of the LGA’s Safer and Stronger Communities Board, said: “Councils have warned that a lack of clarity about the role of panels can hinder them from fully holding their PCCs to account. We are pleased the Committee has listened to our concerns and recognised the need for further guidance and funding which will strengthen the role of PCPs.”

Taxi reforms risk

LGA Chairman Sir Merrick Cockell (left) met last week with Slough Borough Council Leader Cllr Rob Anderson (also pictured), to welcome the council back into membership of the LGA. Every council in England and Wales is now in LGA membership, bar the London Borough of Bromley and Sheffield City Council.

Relaxing rules about who can drive licensed minicabs would place the public at risk, councils have warned. The LGA is concerned that loosening the law to allow anyone to get behind the wheel of a licensed vehicle will make it impossible for councils to ensure the person actually driving the cab has been through the proper vetting process for licensed drivers, which includes checks on criminal records and medical checks. Cllr Tony Page, LGA Licensing Spokesman, said: “Councils fought hard for the reinstatement of enhanced criminal records checks for taxi and private hire drivers and these irresponsible plans threaten to undermine that progress and remove this vital protection for passengers.” See p14, Parliament.

FIRST NEWS

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LGA/RSN Annual Rural Conference 2014

Sustainability out of Austerity 9 September, Chester

The annual rural conference is the key event for rural policy and decision-makers in local government.

This well-established event provides a unique opportunity for elected members, officers and others involved in rural affairs to network and discuss how rural issues can be addressed by local authorities, and to hear from senior politicians and policy makers.

The conference is jointly organised by the LGA and Rural Services Network (RSN) See www.local.gov.uk/events

Each year the LGA’s Independent Group Executive considers applications from its members for appointments to LGA boards, panels and other governance structures.

All Independent Group members are able to apply for appointments. The deadline for submitting applications for appointment is Monday 23 June.

Annual general meeting 2014 The LGA Independent Group will hold its 2014 AGM on Tuesday 8 July between 10am and 11.30am. It will take place in the Bournemouth International Conference Centre as part of the LGA Annual Conference and Exhibition.

Further information If you would like more information or an application form for LGA appointments, or to attend the AGM, please contact Maggie Sullivan, Head of the Independent Group Office, at maggie.sullivan@local.gov.uk or telephone 020 7664 3206.

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FIRST ADS

LGA Independent Group

Appointments to LGA governance structures 2014/15

firstpolicy LGA’s Economy and Transport Board, said: “Councils continue to invest in cycling despite being hampered by deep funding cuts and will always look to introduce cycling provisions as part of new infrastructure when there is a clear need and demand.

Councils need increased and consistent investment in the widespread resurfacing we need to improve road conditions for all road users, including cyclists.”

Workforce

Transport

Roadworks survey

Councils share the frustration of motorists about the state of our roads, the LGA has said in response to a roadworks survey from LV Insurance. Cllr Peter Box, Chairman of the LGA’s Economy and Transport Board, said: “Councils always look to ensure essential work by their highway teams is carried out efficiently and to a high standard. We also work with utility firms to make sure they keep disruption to an absolute minimum and that works are coordinated and planned effectively. Despite deep funding cuts, councils fixed another two million potholes last year. Decades of underfunding have trapped councils in an endless cycle of patching up our road network. We need increased and consistent funding for the widespread resurfacing projects needed if we’re ever to see a long-term improvement.”

Productivity

Health

Shared services Around £357 million of taxpayers’ money has been saved by councils sharing services such as adult social care, special educational needs and back office support. The latest LGA shared services map shows 337 councils engaged in 383 shared arrangements, resulting in £357 million of efficiency savings – up £83 million since last year.

Cllr Peter Fleming, Chair of the LGA’s Improvement and Innovation Board, said: “The map demonstrates the range and scale of service sharing by councils. However, while savings are now worth more than a third of a billion pounds, they do not match the 40 per cent cuts to local government during the life of this Parliament.” See www.local. gov.uk/shared-services-map

Avoiding early deaths A resource for local health and wellbeing boards and the wider community sector has been published by the Department of Health, in partnership with Public Health England and NHS England. ‘Living well for longer: national support for local action to reduce premature avoidable mortality’ sets out the NHS’s response to Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt’s ‘Call to action’, published last year, that challenged England to be among the best in Europe in avoiding early deaths from the five biggest killer diseases. See www.dh.gov.uk

Schools Cash for buildings The Government has allocated £2 billion for school rebuilding and repairs between 2015 and 2021, through the Priority

School Building Programme.

Schools will be able to apply for funding for specific building projects. Cllr Nick Forbes, ViceChair of the LGA’s Children and Young People Board, said: “Extra money to repair crumbling school buildings is welcome news, but this is a highly centralised programme which could be more efficient if money was paid into a single pot in each area and councils were able to work with local schools and academies to decide priorities.”

Transport ‘Improve cycling conditions’ Fourteen Olympic and Paralympic cycling stars, including Sir Chris Hoy and Dame Sarah Storey, have called on major towns and cities to improve roads for cyclists, to encourage more people to get around by bike.

Cllr Peter Box, Chair of the

Unison strike ballot Unison has rejected this year’s 1 per cent local government pay offer, and the union is balloting for strike action. An LGA spokesman said: “In an unprecedentedly tough financial climate, councils are committing to ensuring that employees receive a pay rise and that the lowest paid receive the biggest increase. It is frustrating that Unison has failed to recognise this. We know that these have been difficult times for the local government workforce, which has worked wonders to keep vital local services running while councils are tackling the biggest cuts in living memory. In calling for strike action, Unison is further delaying the process of council employees receiving a pay increase this year.”

World war centenary Lights out A guide to engaging communities in next year’s First World War centenary programme has been published by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport. Among the activities and events suggested for involving local people and school children is Lights Out, an invitation to civic and public authorities and residents to turn off their lights from 10-11pm on 4 August 2014 to mark the 100th anniversary of the start of the war. For more information see www.dcms.gov.uk

FIRST POLICY

5

sound bites Rob Webster (Chief Executive, NHS Confederation) “Good to spend time with @ carolyndowns8 to discuss partnership working @LGANews @nhsconfed on place based leadership & reform.” www.twitter.com/NHSConfed_RobW Cllr Simon Hall (Lab, Croydon) “Inspiring speech by @Ed_Miliband at Labour London local&euro election launch at #NewAddington ACA.” www.twitter.com/CllrSimonHall Cllr Mathew Hulbert (Lib Dem, Barwell) “I’m very proud that we #LibDems in Local Government are delivering frontline services whilst keeping Council Tax low.” www.twitter.com/HulbertMathew Cllr Darshan Sunger (Con, Waltham Forest) “Spent 4hours non stop delivering our Election address! “BRING IT ON” - canvassing later on! @ HEHPCouncillors #wedelivered.” www.twitter.com/CllrSunger Cllr Mick Brown (Lab, Birmingham) “Knowing personally the problem of working & caring, agree with Alzheimers Society re a situation which sees 50k a year give up work to care.” www.twitter.com/MickBrown3 Do you have a blog or a Twitter account we should be following? Let us know. Email first@local.gov.uk

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FIRST COMMENT

letters

STAR LETTER

Welsh unitary example I could not agree more with Cllr Tom Mason’s sentiments (first 565) and his suggestion to Communities Secretary Eric Pickles to create unitary councils throughout England.

Unitary authorities were imposed on Wales in 1995 by a Conservative Government under Prime Minister John Major. It was a good change: fewer chief officers and executives, and so on.

Whether the sizes of the counties were all correct is debatable.

Now the Labour Government in the Senedd (pictured), following the Williams Commission (see first 559), wants to change again, and merge adjoining counties together

to reduce the number of councillors and chief officers, thus resulting in councillors having large wards, further from the electorate, as it used to be under the two-tier county system.

But there were local district and borough councillors closer to the electorate at that time.

Due to pressure from Conservative MPs, England was in 1995 blessed with a higgledy-piggledy array of local authorities which has been shown to be a mistake.

Cllr Meirick Lloyd Davies (Plaid Cymru) Denbighshire County Council

OPINION

Local scrutiny Problem tenants

Labour Leader Ed Miliband’s proposal for a national register of landlords will be welcomed by councils and residents because the current legislation is not fit for purpose. Many councillors, regardless of political affiliation, will have regular cases to deal with pertaining to badly managed properties and nuisance tenants.

It is frustrating when you get one badly managed house in multiple occupation (HMO), where there are persistent issues pertaining to the conduct of the tenants and a landlord who fails to deal with the issue. It is areas of high social deprivation and seaside towns where the problem is paramount because they are magnets for people who are either leaving care, dealing with issues relating to alcohol and drug addiction or indeed leaving custody. There needs to be better multi-disciplinary partnerships developed to deal with these issues.

But more importantly there needs to be more realistic policies developed to address the ongoing mismanagement of HMOs where absentee landlords are taking the money but are failing to maintain their properties and comply with the concerns of residents when there are incidents of anti-social behaviour.

Councils need to be given more robust powers to enforce landlords to control their tenants. The procedures we have in place at the moment are long-winded and take too long to address the problem.

Cllr David Whitaker (Lab) Lancaster City Council

Speed and visibility

Readers may be interested to learn that our county highway authority now feels compelled to accept reduced visibility distances when dealing with planning applications within new 20 mph speed limit areas. Is anyone in the LGA monitoring and comparing before and after statistics regarding

this controversial issue? I recently drove through Islington, welcoming me to London’s first 20 mph borough.

Can its success be measured please?

Cllr Kevin Eastham (Ratepayers) Fylde Borough Council

Welfare assistance

Many readers will be totally unaware of the Local Welfare Assistance Fund, which has proved a real godsend to people in tight financial situations without the possibility of help from other sources.

I could cite many examples of where a relatively small amount of money has made a very large difference to people who are in pretty dire circumstances. Through this fund, which has funded our own Local Assistance Network, many are back on their feet and financially independent.

It is a fine example of cost-effective early intervention.

So I was dismayed when the Government said it was withdrawing this fund, leaving councils facing a potentially difficult decision as to where to find the added costs (£1.2 million, in our case) of helping out families who find themselves in crisis situations.

While we all understand and accept the need to make savings and deliver efficiencies, this is a cut too far.

We set up exactly what the Government wanted and we know it has helped people at the most vulnerable point in their lives for whom there would have been no other options than loan sharks.

If the Government is concerned about public funds being poorly targeted, as it has claimed, then it should examine our scheme and encourage other authorities to adopt likewise.

We have joined with other councils and the LGA to lobby the Government to change its mind. This is a campaign we cannot afford to lose.

Cllr Louise Goldsmith (Con) West Sussex County Council

What do you think? You can comment on these letters online at www.local.gov.uk/first-letters or submit your own letter for publication by emailing first@local.gov.uk. Letters may be edited and published online

The Centre for Public Scrutiny’s (CfPS) proposal for local, place-based public accounts committees (PACs) is gaining traction.

We think that the principle of a single, powerful body to provide challenge to the leaders and managers of all local public services strengthens the LGA’s case for more devolution.

However, we recognise that it must demonstrate its added value.

So what could a local PAC do that existing scrutiny cannot? CfPS sees local PACs forming part of new governance arrangements in the context of greater devolution. For example, where a combined authority has responsibilities for transport, skills and work programmes, this brings together formerly separate funding streams and programmes into one powerful decision-making body. It is important that such bodies are held to account for the work they do. Otherwise they risk being opaque, unaccountable and misunderstood.

Existing democratic scrutiny arrangements hold leaders to account within their individual organisations. Collective decision-making requires collective accountability.

We also believe that local PACs would need stronger powers than existing council scrutiny committees – to enable democratically elected councillors to require attendance and information from a range of public service leaders.

We think this model is useful because it is simple and readily understood. However, local areas should be able to develop their own approach – appropriate to the degree of shared decision-making and devolved funding involved, and operating at the right level, whether that is two or three boroughs working together, the county council or a combined authority.

The challenge should be for local leaders to demonstrate that their arrangements meet core principles for effective scrutiny and accountability, such as providing ‘critical friend’ challenge, being led by independent-minded people, enabling the voice of the public, and improving public services.

In an age of austerity, scrutiny and accountability must be prioritised and ‘follow the money’. We are working with leading auditors to understand costings for resourcing local PACs. But there are opportunities for streamlining governance.

If the big decisions are made at a collective area-based level, isn’t that where scrutiny should focus, with less resource devoted to internal, single-organisation scrutiny?

Jessica Crowe is Executive Director of CfPS. A longer version of this article is at www.cfps.org.uk/blogs

FIRST COMMENT

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With local voters going to the polls in less than two weeks, the LGA’s political group leaders set out their thoughts ahead of May’s council and European elections

Ballot box views ‘Positive record of achievement’

‘The issues important to residents’

Fighting combined local and European elections poses a challenge.

While council services have far more direct impact on the average voter than decisions made in the European Parliament, press attention will inevitably focus on UKIP’s performance.

For those who normally vote Conservative but are tempted to vote UKIP, last year’s results provide a clear warning.

In my county of Lincolnshire, the UKIP group has focused on internal feuding rather than serving residents. Of the 16 UKIP county councillors elected, six have already broken away.

In Norfolk, the message is even clearer: vote UKIP and get Labour as the 14 UKIP councillors support the minority administration there.

The local elections matter to millions of people facing the challenges of the cost of living crisis, long-term unemployment and an acute housing shortage.

In Dudley we will run a positive campaign based on our achievements. We will be campaigning on the issues important to our residents like bringing employers and employment opportunities to our borough and taking action on the things that impact on the quality of people’s everyday lives, like dog fouling, anti-social behaviour and fly-tipping

By contrast, Conservative councillors will be highlighting a positive record of achievement.

For example, Daventry District Council has recently completed the first phase of a development to build 45 new homes which will be rented out to private tenants. This will help address local housing needs while also generating new revenue income.

Barnet Council is helping young people get into work through its ‘Platforms’ programme, which provides businesses with incentives to offer apprenticeships. Within the first year, 350 young people have been engaged and there has been a fall in the number of 18 to 24-year-olds claiming job seekers allowance.

Over the past year, Trafford Council has provided a free, oneyear trial of alarm-linked monitoring services to those aged over 80. More than 1,700 residents have benefited from this service which also gives reassurance to their families.

It is on this record of supporting residents that Conservatives will fight these local elections.

Cllr Gary Porter is Leader of the LGA’s Conservative Group

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FIRST FEATURE

Most candidates I speak to will be campaigning on local issues. But as a committed localist, it is disappointing to acknowledge that national factors still play a major role in local elections.

That impact is nowhere more evident than when it comes to the Liberal Democrats. They are struggling to cope with being a government party and are unable to field candidates in nearly half the available seats.

The elections will show just how much of a two-party country we are becoming. With 4,200 seats up for grabs, Labour and the Conservatives are each standing around 4,000 candidates while the Liberal Democrats have roughly the same number as the Greens and UKIP. UKIP might have a significant impact, if only because of the stupid decision to run the European and local elections on the same day. And in this age of celebrity, a ‘buffoon’ can be king, as Boris Johnson has shown.

The Conservatives will be hoping that a growing economy will make voters forget the Government’s failure to deliver on its economic and financial targets for the last three years.

Cllr David Sparks is Leader of the LGA’s Labour Group

‘Jobs, homes and the environment’ Liberal Democrat councillors are working hard to remind people of our record of delivery in local government this May. In nearly every single Liberal Democrat council we’ve stopped council tax from rising while fighting to protect essential services from cuts. In Stockport, the council has used its borrowing powers to invest in schools – both new and expanding ones – and town centre redevelopment in the most deprived areas.

In Cambridge, the council worked with charities and the police to produce a programme which focuses on rehabilitation and education for rough sleepers and street drinkers. It has also introduced the living wage and voted to build more council houses, thanks to the Lib Dems reforming the way housing revenue accounts are operated.

And building new council homes is something we are also doing in Portsmouth.

The environment, as ever, is very important for Lib Dems – be it Stockport with the highest recycling rate for a metropolitan borough, the Climate Change Fund in Bedford, or the ‘Solarborne’ project in Eastbourne, raising around £250,000 a year from solar panels installed on council properties.

Helping the local economy grow underpins so much of our work: Lib Dems have trebled the number of apprenticeships in Portsmouth, and are using investment to help safeguard 500 jobs in Watford.

Finally it was great to see a successful campaign by Southwark Lib Dems to persuade the council to ballot staff over investing pension funds in new housing stock rather than tobacco firms.

We can be very proud of our Lib Dem councils, councillors and their record.

Cllr Gerald Vernon-Jackson is Leader of the LGA’s Liberal Democrat Group

‘Rising swell of public support’ With two very distinct elections running concurrently, voters will need to be discerning.

Public debate could also do with debating the European elections in a way which ensures that those most able to represent our interests in the European Parliament are successful, as well as it being about our membership of the EU.

We enter these local elections with a rising swell of public support for Independent Group members.

On the doorsteps, many people tell me the stranglehold of the three biggest parties is unwanted and they want a credible alternative. They want a sound local vision, not tied to simply carrying out the wishes of those in Whitehall.

Our local candidates are fresh and determined to properly listen and represent the needs and aspirations of our residents.

That brings a rich and popular dimension to local democracy.

We rely on making a personal connection with each resident, giving them good reason to take the trouble to vote. Ways to communicate have increased, but face-to-face remains the most effective.

The long hours of short doorstep debates and the very act of listening to hundreds of residents gives a very powerful tool for proper representation following election.

The Independent Group has a terrific opportunity to create a more truly Independent local government. Election wins for Independent Group members give strong support for our communities and will be of great benefit to local democracy.

Good luck to you all!

Cllr Marianne Overton is Leader of the LGA’s Independent Group

Local elections 2014 Seats being contested

Political control

• London boroughs – all seats (1,851) in 32 councils.

• Metropolitan boroughs – a third of seats (815) in 36 councils • Unitary authorities – all seats (99) in two councils; a third of

seats (295) in 17 councils

• District councils – all seats (72) in two councils; half of seats

(124) in seven councils; a third of seats (960) in 65 councils

• TOTAL – 4,216 seats in 161 councils

Con Councils’ 53 current control Seats being defended

Lab

LD

Other No overall control

77

8

-

1,574 1,788 732

23

122

Mayoral elections are also taking place in Hackney, Lewisham, Newham, Tower Hamlets and Watford

FIRST FEATURE

9

Professors Colin Rallings and Michael Thrasher look at the likely winners and losers in this month’s council elections

The local vote The local elections this year largely reprise the contests held on general election day 2010. Despite its national humiliation, Labour gained both seats and councils then; now the party stands on the verge of becoming the largest party in the LGA for the first time in a decade.

London was a comparative bright spot for Labour four years ago. It took control of 10 additional councils and had nearly 200 more candidates elected. A similar increase would see it win an overall majority in Croydon and Redbridge and register more than 1,000 councillors in

London for the first time since 1998.

Such an outcome could be particularly bad news for the Liberal Democrats in parts of Haringey, Islington and Southwark, where they are used to a close fight with Labour.

Not that Labour will have it all its own way. The Harrow Independent Labour group is fielding candidates in 17 out of 21 wards, following an acrimonious split in 2013 which effectively handed control to the Conservatives.

London will also see the Coalition partners pitched head to head in three south west boroughs. The Conservatives narrowly hold Richmond upon Thames, and the Liberal Democrats Kingston upon Thames. More solidly Lib Dem Sutton will test the party’s claim to be able to resist the tide of unpopularity where it is embedded locally.

Mets and unitaries Elections in 2011 and 2012 in the metropolitan boroughs have already returned Labour to its traditional dominance. The party controls all bar seven of the 36 councils, and is well placed to add Bradford, Walsall and even Trafford to its tally.

The Liberal Democrats won just 72 out of more than 800 met seats in 2012, and could lose at least another 50 councillors.

Among the unitary councils with elections this year, Bristol and Swindon are both realistic Labour targets and would add grist to party claims about its recovery on and to the south of the M4 corridor.

The districts are traditionally stronger territory for the Conservatives. With only a third of seats up for grabs, many existing council majorities are guaranteed before a single vote is cast.

Amber Valley and Tamworth could, though, be two of just a handful of

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FIRST FEATURE

councils vulnerable to a straight swing from Conservative to Labour control. And the Conservative outright majority is at risk in Basildon – still a potent totem for both major parties.

UKIP is likely to reap some additional local votes from those supporting the party at European level, but may find it harder to poll the 30 per cent-plus needed to win seats under first past the post.

In 2013, it took one in five of all votes but little more than 6 per cent of seats.

It is fielding three times as many candidates as in 2010, but the pattern is patchy. In London, it is contesting just a quarter of all seats, but hopes to attract support by having at least one candidate in most wards.

In the north of England and the West Midlands, there are UKIP candidates in over three-quarters of seats – many more than either the Liberal Democrats or Greens.

Areas of potential UKIP advance include councils fringing the Thames estuary such as Bexley and Thurrock and (slightly inland) Basildon and Havering, as well as Dudley, Hartlepool and Plymouth, where the party topped the poll at the 2009 European elections – and where the Lib Dems are contesting many fewer seats than four years ago.

Professors Colin Rallings and Michael Thrasher are Directors of Plymouth University’s Elections Centre

Sector-led improvement works and is far more sustainable than an inspection-focused approach, writes Cllr Peter Fleming

Better local government In the run-up to the 2010 general election and after, the LGA lobbied political parties and then the Coalition Government to reduce the burden of inspection on councils.

The Government responded by abolishing comprehensive area assessments, the ‘use of resources’ judgement and organisational assessments. It welcomed the stance, led by the LGA, that local government would place more emphasis on sector-led improvement.

Following extensive consultation, the LGA set out how sectorled improvement would work in practice, including the role of the LGA and our support offers. This included, at no cost, a corporate peer challenge for every council. In the last three years, the LGA has delivered more than 350 peer challenges, trained and developed over 2,000 councillors, supported councils to make savings in excess of £400 million through our productivity programme, recruited and trained almost 250 graduates for the sector, and helped 77 councils grow their local economies with the assistance of our economic growth advisers.

Evaluation The LGA’s Improvement and Innovation Board agreed that sector-led improvement should be evaluated, and first readers will already have seen the positive evaluation of peer challenge (first 562). The message from the overall evaluation is also very positive.

Residents remain satisfied with and continue to trust their local council, despite the increasing financial constraints being faced by the sector. The sector-led approach and the LGA’s support offer has been welcomed by councils, and there is a high level of confidence within the sector in its capacity to monitor its own performance and improve. There are also high levels of awareness of the sector-led approach, and evidence of improvement.

In a survey of senior members and officers, 93 per cent of leaders who were aware of the LGA offer and 93 per cent of chief executives said that the support and resources offered had had a positive impact on their authority.

Most importantly, perhaps, an analysis of some of 97 measures of performance and service quality, across the full

range of local government activity, shows a positive direction of travel, with approximately three-quarters of these metrics having seen an improvement since 2010. This is a huge achievement for the sector and individual councils against a backdrop of significant financial constraints, demographic pressures and national policy changes in areas such as health, welfare and planning, which councils are having to deal with.

The findings from the evaluation paint an extremely positive picture about councils’ improvement, the effectiveness of sector-led improvement and the support the LGA is providing.

However, the results suggest that it would be beneficial to further inform external stakeholders about the benefits of sector-led improvement in practice.

We will be thinking carefully about how we can maximise the impact and benefit of the findings, to strengthen the arguments for stronger local accountability and the role of sector-led improvement. We recognise the place of intervention in extreme cases, but believe the findings demonstrate that sustainable improvement is not something that can be done to organisations: it has to be owned by them. And when it is, it is much more effective, embedded and sustainable.

The last few years have demonstrated that the sector has enthusiastically engaged in improvement activity – with councils taking their own improvement journey seriously but also giving back to the sector by providing support for others.

Our sector-led improvement approach allows people to be more open and forward looking. The approach clearly works, has traction, and empowers and enables genuine improvement, creativity and innovation.

• ‘Evaluation of sector-led improvement: final report’ will be published later this month at www.local.gov.uk/researchperformance-and-improvement

Cllr Peter Fleming is Chairman of the LGA’s Improvement and Innovation Board

FIRST FEATURE

11

The 2014 Local Government Challenge is in full swing and the competition is fiercer than ever

You’re hired!

They may look like the contestants in a well-known TV reality show (see p13) but the similarity stops there.

These 10 rising stars of local government are highly competent, professional and committed to delivering a top quality product – whether in their day job or during one of the five tough 24-hour challenges they face during the course of the Local Government Challenge.

After four challenges they have shown themselves to be flexible, motivated and exceptionally supportive team players with no sign of sniping or shameless self-promotion in front of the cameras that follow them around.

Ambition Now in its fifth year, the Local Government Challenge is going from strength to strength – and the quality of the challenges and of the contestants continues to improve.

Uniquely, the challenge brings together ambitious officers seeking to develop their leadership skills and raise their profiles, and local councils with tough problems to solve.

This year, the 10 contestants have looked at extending shared services in Barking and Dagenham and Thurrock; developing a new country park in Gedling, Nottinghamshire; increasing women’s cycling in Leeds on the back of the 2014 Tour de France; and increasing the number of visitors in Worcester city centre.

The quality of the materials produced has been among the highest we have seen in the competition. John Robinson, Gedling’s Chief Executive, was particularly impressed with contestants’ ability to grasp the critical issues, to think creatively but still respect the local history of the area. He intends to stay in contact with them as the country park develops and their ideas are put into practice.

Contestants are judged on their business acumen, creativity, problem solving and communication skills, and their ability to be forward thinking and to inspire and motivate others.

The winner will receive the coveted £10,000 scholarship from the Bruce-Lockhart Leadership Programme to research and develop new and practical proposals to promote localism and benefit local communities.

There is no doubt that winning the challenge opens doors.

Lana Fisher, 2013 winner, has already secured a new job as Leeds City Council’s commissioning officer for people with learning disabilities.

12

FIRST FEATURE

Back in March, she blogged: “Wow! Time has flown so quickly since winning the Local Government Challenge in July and I almost don’t recognise the council officer I was prior to the process.”

Hardly surprising – as well as climbing the career ladder and getting married, Lana has made impressive use of her £10,000 prize. In September, she flew to Copenhagen to attend the second international Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) Communication Conference and met leading Danish business representatives to discuss her proposal for a new CSR toolkit.

And in March, she headed to the USA for a six-day residential course in Seattle on leadership in the 21st century and a one-day conference in CSR and leadership.

Meanwhile, the battle for the 2014 winner is closer than ever before, and all now rests on the final challenge in Breckland, Norfolk.

But whatever the outcome, all 10 contestants will have gained a unique experience and understanding of the breadth of challenges faced by chief executives in local government and a valuable network of new colleagues across the country.

Go to www.local.gov.uk/lgchallenge to see the 10 contestants in action and to find out who will go through to the final at the LGA’s annual conference in Bournemouth in July.

LG Challenge is entirely funded by private sector sponsorship

allenge 2014 overnment Ch

Local G

Pictured, from left to right, are: Mahbub Anam (Tower Hamlets); Fiona Price (Northampton); Daniel Parry (Doncaster); Si Chun Lam (Coventry); Matthew Carney (Worcester); Victoria Jeffrey (Surrey); Michelle Scott (Leeds); Jade Taylor (Central Bedfordshire); Graeme Kane (Mole Valley); and Charlotte Breen (Sutton) “I’ve been on a real personal development journey. Spending time at other local authorities discussing and debating high profile issues at the heart of local government has been exhilarating, thought provoking, and a real challenge. Winning would allow me to contribute to the aims and ambitions of local government and help improve others’ lives.”

Charlotte Breen, Policy and Projects Officer, London Borough of Sutton “When I saw the advert in our chief executive’s blog for LG Challenge, I knew it would be an opportunity to take me outside my comfort zone and work ‘under challenge’ in different environments. For me, the challenges have been a moneycan’t-buy development experience, taking me on both a personal and professional journey.”

Dan Parry, ICT Programme Manager, Doncaster Metropolitan Borough Council “Being a relatively new employee, I realised LG Challenge would be a great opportunity for professional development.

It also offers personal development and the chance to meet a fantastic group of people from around the country, and has given me a great insight into the wide variety of potential roles available to

ts

– the contestan

council employees.”

Fiona Price, Asbestos Management Officer, Northampton Borough Council “I enjoy a challenge and wanted to take part to put Mole Valley on the map. I was keen to understand the challenges and opportunities other authorities are facing, and knew it would allow me to use, reflect on and improve my team working and leadership skills with a diverse and talented group of people.”

Graeme Kane, Strategic Leadership Manager, Mole Valley “I have met people from other authorities, shared knowledge and developed innovative ideas. While having only a day-and-a-half to prepare ideas for presentation to senior officers and councillors has been daunting at times, it has given me confidence in my ability to work well under pressure, lead a team and present ideas with clarity.”

Jade Taylor, Housing Officer, Central Bedfordshire Council “The LG Challenge appealed to me as I am currently doing my MBA and I wanted to develop strategically so I can take up senior roles. It has been a fantastic development programme which has sharpened a plethora of transferable skills, including project management, negotiation, cross-cultural communications and networking.”

Mahbub Anam, Project Development Officer, London Borough of Tower Hamlets “I felt it was an outstanding opportunity to forward my career through the variety of

challenges. Taking part has been much tougher than I expected, the challenges have been really intense, but I’ve really enjoyed meeting new people and feel I’ve learnt a lot in a very short space of time!”

Matthew Carney, Planning Transformation Officer, Worcester City Council “The prospect of visiting other local authorities and meeting like-minded officers tempted me to apply. Getting to grips with five current issues and learning to work productively with new colleagues has meant I have learnt more than I could have imagined! All the skills I’ve found are just what are needed to succeed at work.”

Michelle Scott, Assistant Project Coordinator, Leeds City Council “I found myself working on exciting challenges in some of the country’s most innovative councils. It was a chance to apply my skills in communicating stories and redesigning services to new situations, and to develop new skills in front of some of the country’s most forward-looking councillors and officers – and on camera!”

Si Chun Lam, Corporate Performance Officer, Coventry City Council.

“LG Challenge gives me the opportunity to stretch myself, delve into areas of work I have never experienced and learn about how other authorities are doing things and ways we can improve. It is an opportunity I am relishing and I am looking forward to applying all I have learnt in my own authority.”

Victoria Jeffrey, Community Partnership and Committee Officer, Surrey County Council

FIRST FEATURE

13

PARTNERS

Dementia awareness There are 800,000 people living with dementia in the UK yet there are many people who are yet to receive a diagnosis.

One of the key barriers to people getting the care and support they need is denial. Dementia can be a difficult thing to talk about and sometimes it can be more tempting to bury your head in the sand and hope it will go away than to visit the doctor.

But if it is dementia, the sooner you know what you are dealing with, the sooner you can get help to plan for your future, get support and in some cases treatment and feel in control again.

That is why this Dementia Awareness Week, Alzheimer’s Society wants to let anyone who is worried about dementia know that we are here for them and that there are lots of ways we can help.

We are encouraging people to call our National Dementia Helpline on 0300 222 11 22 or visit our website or contact a local service.

Local authorities have a big role to play in raising awareness of dementia in the community and breaking down local barriers to enable people to access the right services and support.

No action is too small. It could be as simple as displaying and distributing posters and flyers, or organising an awareness raising event or joining the conversation on Twitter using your social media channels during the week – #DAW2014. There will be information and films to share. For event ideas, posters and flyers please contact marketing@ alzheimers.org.uk You can also encourage your colleagues to become Dementia Friends by hosting a Dementia Friends information session or a Dementia Friends Champion training day.

If you are able to make space available please email the Dementia Friends Team at LGA@ alzheimers.org.uk or visit www.dementiafriends. org.uk.

George McNamara is the Alzheimer’s Society’s Head of Policy and Public Affairs.

Dementia Awareness Week 2014 runs from 18-24 May

14

FIRST POLITICAL

PARLIAMENT

Taxi licensing concerns

In March, first reported on the Deregulation Bill currently before Parliament, as it aims to free councils and businesses from unnecessary and unwanted red tape – something the LGA has heavily supported through its Rewiring Public Services campaign.

However, the LGA has now raised concerns about three clauses in the Bill relating to taxis and private hire vehicles, which were introduced by the Government at Committee Stage without any consultation with the sector.

These concerns have been echoed by MPs including Grahame Morris MP (Lab, Easington), who recently tabled a debate on the matter and urged Transport Minister Stephen Hammond to reconsider the proposals.

The debate highlighted worries about the safety of the travelling public arising from the new clauses.

For example, one would allow taxi firms to contract out bookings, so that customers phoning one firm for a cab might find a car from a different firm turns up outside their door. This would mean that people could no longer rely on a taxi service from drivers they know and trust.

Another of the new clauses would lift the ban that currently prevents taxi owners from allowing other people to drive their vehicle. This means family members and others who do not hold a private hire vehicle licence could potentially drive cabs when they are not being used for private hire.

MPs were also concerned that, while councils are currently free to renew licenses annually if they wish, under the new proposals councils would only be able

to review licences every three years for vehicle driver licences and five years for private vehicle operator licences. This would make it harder for councils to ensure people with criminal convictions are stripped of their licences.

Caroline Lucas MP (Green, Brighton) questioned how the Government could justify these changes when they affect the safety of vulnerable groups reliant on taxis, such as women at night, schools, the elderly and people with disabilities.

Unfortunately, Transport Minister Stephen Hammond was not receptive to the debate so the LGA will continue to work with MPs from all political parties to ensure councils’ concerns about the safety of residents are heard.

Overall, the LGA has welcomed the Government’s use of the Deregulation Bill to reduce the legislative burden on business, civil society, individuals and public sector bodies.

But we’ve also been using the legislation as an opportunity to recommend further deregulatory measures. For example, we have been working with MPs to table new clauses which would introduce a Government review of all local authority licensing regulations, and allow the direct and full retention of receipts from right to buy sales of council housing – and greater flexibility over how they are used.

• See www.local.gov.uk/

parliament

BY-ELECTIONS ANALYSIS

Watch out for turnout By-elections have almost dried up as councils hold over any vacancies to coincide with nationwide voting on 22 May. There was, though, time for the Liberal Democrats to record their fifth gain of the year from the Conservatives and give the party hope that the coming local elections may not be quite as dire as the opinion polls would suggest.

As often happens , local factors came into play in Sutton, East Cambridgeshire. The sitting Conservative resigned over cuts implemented by his party and his ward colleague has defected to become an Independent: hardly propitious circumstances in which to fight an election.

Local elections have, of course, been moved this year in order to coincide with the pan-Europe Parliament contests.

This is the third time this has happened following the embarrassment of 1999, when standalone European Parliament elections attracted fewer than a quarter of the British electorate to the polls.

Supporters of local democracy are advised to keep a sharp eye on turnout this time. As in 2004 and 2009, it is almost certain that participation will

be greater in those council areas with both local and European elections than where there are Euro contests only.

Whether it’s the desire to have a say in who runs the council, a reaction to local issues, or a response to canvassing by individual – and often locally known – candidates, electors consistently appear to be more engaged by sub-national rather than supra-national elections.

This is a fact that should not be lost whenever the legitimacy of local government and local decision making is called into question.

It is also likely that there will be noticeable differences in the way in which votes are cast in the two contests.

Even in wards where the entire panoply of parties are fielding candidates, past evidence suggests that many voters are inclined to choose a party that aspires to office locally and to save any ‘protest’ vote for the rather more nebulous European contest.

Professors Colin Rallings and Michael Thrasher are Directors of Plymouth University’s Elections Centre

Local by-elections Authority

Ward

Result

Swing % Turnout from/to (since) %

Caerphilly

Blackwood

Lab hold

1% Lab to Ind (2012)

24.3

East Cambridgeshire Sutton

LD gain from Con

23.1% Con to LD (2011)

33.1

East Lindsey

Horncastle

Con hold

n/a

20.8

North Kesteven

Osbournby

Con gain from Ind

23% Ind to Con (2011)

33.8

Caerphilly

Blackwood

Lab hold

1% Lab to Ind (2012)

24.3

For more details, see this story at www.local.gov.uk/first-news

LAST WORD

Rising to the challenge In November, Ofsted placed six out of 14 Nottingham City secondary schools into special measures, and one into serious weaknesses.

Over the past few months a huge amount of work has gone into supporting and challenging local schools to improve. We’ve set a target for all to achieve at least a ‘good’ Ofsted rating within two years. Our role and relationship with schools is changing as the education landscape is reformed. We now directly maintain only three secondary schools, and one of those is becoming an academy.

The role of the council and councillors is to champion children and parents. Our decisive action is informed by an understanding of local issues but also a desire to do the best for our young people. We have facilitated and resourced the Nottingham Schools Challenge Board, brought in an independent chair and ensured we have a range of key stakeholders, experts and highly regarded educators to drive improvement.

We have taken action to improve governance in local authority schools; established working groups to focus on employability, behaviour, attendance, governance and teacher recruitment and retention; and brought in additional staff to support school improvement.

However, I have many concerns about the fragmentation of education under the Government’s policies. Academisation does not in itself improve schools. Of the six Nottingham schools in special measures, three were already well established as academies. There is significant political pressure for schools to become academies, despite there being no evidence that this leads to higher standards.

Local accountability is extremely important.

The democratic accountability of local councillors and council officers is more direct than that of an academy chain sponsor who may well be located in another part of the country. Accountability for school standards is moving further away from parents and young people. Government reforms have led to confusion among parents about the lines of responsibility for standards.

Despite my misgivings about the dash to academisation, strong local partnerships and relationships with all schools, regardless of their governance, are more important than ever. It’s those partnerships and collaboration that will lead to higher education standards across the board in Nottingham.

Cllr Sam Webster (Lab) is Executive Assistant for Children’s Services at Nottingham City Council

FIRST POLITICAL

15

www.local.gov.uk/events EVENT FEATURE

Challenge and innovation in local government

Event listings Implementing the community trigger 4 June, York | 27 June, London 16 July, Birmingham

The Anti-Social Behaviour, Crime and Policing Act 2014 places a duty on councils and their partners to implement a ‘community trigger’ – designed to ensure a better local response to cases of persistent anti-social behaviour, especially where the victim is vulnerable or at greater risk.

Innovations in income generation for local authorities One of the highlights of last year’s LGA annual conference was the launch of the Innovation Zone (pictured).

Building on last year’s success, the dedicated zone at this year’s event in Bournemouth will be a visually vibrant and creative space, designed to facilitate multiple conversations, demonstrations and presentations from councils that have risen to the challenge of being more innovative – and in turn have reaped successes and savings for their communities.

At any time over the three days of annual conference (8-10 July), the Innovation Zone will offer the chance to hear informally from one of several councils showcasing their innovation’s successes.

Some councils will be presenting to a small seated audience, while others will be happy to talk to you and colleagues round small tables and chairs on an ad hoc basis over a coffee or lunch about what they are doing.

So visit the zone to:

• Hear the latest thinking from councils

showcasing and sharing their innovative ideas and practice.

• Find out how they are fostering and encouraging innovation to solve their biggest local challenges.

• Participate in interactive sessions on political leadership, service redesign, transformation, demand management, data and technology.

• Take away great ideas to consider and adapt to address your own council’s challenges.

• Be inspired and energised by colleagues who not only are already being innovative but want to be even more so.

More details and contributors to the Innovation Zone will be available shortly.

Meanwhile, keep checking the dedicated Innovation Zone section at www.local.gov. uk/annual-conference

These events, held in partnership with the LGA, The Whitehall and Industry Group and regional partners, will provide an opportunity to hear more about innovative examples of council income generation.

Schools’ workforce policy and employment law conference 18 June, York | 23 June, London

One-day conferences providing information and perspectives on the latest changes to teachers’ pay and conditions, including the new arrangements for heads’ and other school leaders’ pay.

Our Place: from getting ready to getting going 27 June, Nottingham

EVENT NEWS

More speakers confirmed Shadow Education Minister Rushanara Ali MP and Clive Betts MP, Chair of the Communities and Local Government Select Committee, are among the latest speakers confirmed for the LGA’s annual conference in Bournemouth (8-10 July).

Mr Betts will be at the launch of the LGA’s national procurement strategy while Ms Ali will be addressing a workshop

5 June, Manchester 19 June, Bristol

on helping young people stay in learning or find a job.

Other confirmed contributors to the biggest annual local government event include Kate Barker, Chair of the Commission on the Future of Health and Social Care in England, and Alex Pratt, Chair of the Local Enterprise Partnerships Network. See www.local.gov.uk/events

Our Place is about building a movement for change in local communities, whereby collaborations between citizens, councils and other organisations at a very local level generate new solutions to our biggest local challenges.

Book or view events at: www.local.gov.uk/events