News & Events

Listed below are the national news items and national events.

LLG Welcomes Two New Membership Directors to the Board of LLG
Publish date: 27/01/2021
Following a governance review last year, LLG appointed two new membership directors on the board of LLG. Read more about them here.
Housing & Regeneration LLG Meeting 28th January at 12pm
Event date: 28/01/2021
LLG’s National Lead Programme for 2021 continues with a Housing & Regeneration Meeting on the 28th of January 2021. The meeting will be a reflection of the Government’s on-going push to focus housebuilding into urban centres and the impacts that this could have on the wider delivery of market and affordable housing.
The LLG Grapevine - Week 29 Available Now
Publish date: 19/01/2021
Talking Law in Local Governemnt
LLG Secure Permission for Judicial Review on the Exit Payment Cap
Publish date: 15/01/2021
Our joint application with the Association of Local Authority Chief Executives (ALACE) has been granted by the High Court and will proceed to hearing in the middle of March
LLG Launch a Full National Lead Programme for 2021
Publish date: 15/01/2021
LLG will be bringing you a full programme of interactive zoom meetings in all subject areas in 2021. Sessions will comprise 30 minutes of training with question and answer session followed by the opportunity to network with colleagues in breakout rooms and stay connected. Details of content will follow but keep checking the website and click now to diarise the events. All sessions will take place on a Thursday between 12.00 and 1.00pm, so grab a sandwich and sit down with LLG and our guest speakers!
Copies Available of Local Lawyers: Public Practice by John Emms
Publish date: 13/01/2021
The Local Government Legal Society Trust have a few remaining copies of John Emms book on the history of Solicitors in Local Government from 1947-2012. For a limited time only as a promotional offer, if you would like to obtain a copy, only the cost of posting the book is required. If you were involved with any of the groups throughout that time which have now become LLG, you are very likely to find reference to yourself and indeed, the odd photo!
The LLG Grapevine - Week 28 Available Now
Publish date: 12/01/2021
Talking Law in Local Government
Local Government Legal Society Seeks Trustees
Publish date: 11/01/2021
The Trust Board is normally made up of solicitors who currently work in local government or have recently retired having worked in local government for many years. The Trust are seeking new Trustees to replace current trustees who are due to retire from the Board.
Law Society Issues Ballot on Council Seat Proposals
Publish date: 18/12/2020
Solicitors should have received an email from the Law Society enabling them to vote on the proposals to reduce the Council Seat composition and restrict length of term to 12 years. LLG have previously highlighted the proposals halve local government representation to just 1 council seat. The Ballot remains open until the 7th January 2020 at which point voting will close. If you have not received an email to your address registered to MyLawSociety, you are urged to contact the Law Society directly.
The LLG Grapevine - Week 27 Available Now
Publish date: 14/12/2020
Talking Law in Local Government

Blog

22 January 2021

Publish date: 22/01/2021

On the 6^th May 2021, the Local Authorities and Police and Crime Panels (Coronavirus) (Flexibility of Local Authority Police and Crime Panel Meetings) (England and Wales) 2020 regulations come to an end.

LLG & ADSO, together with numerous stakeholders, want to see continuing provision for local authorities to conduct meetings virtually. We do not want a situation where meetings from the 7^th May 2021 onwards to have to take place in person. We consider and indeed, the government has indicated, that we will not have returned to a pre-pandemic stage and are likely to remain under tiers for some time yet. But quite aside from the covid compliant difficulties in returning to in person meetings, a real focus here should be on the effective local democratic process, decision making and engagement advantages from the ability to hold virtual meetings. Statistics bear out that public participation in meetings have increased remarkably. There is also the long-term effect to consider; the real probability that the flexibilities afforded will attract a more diverse range of public demographic to stand as councillors. Any provision which enables equality of access, increased democratic participation and effective decision making must be retained.

Recently, the Secretary of State (Robert Jenrick) has said that whilst accepting that the provision has been successful, he has no plans to extend the date as it requires primary legislation and there is no vehicle to do that in time for May. He added that whilst it is not possible at the moment, if there is an opportunity to make it more permanent, he will take it.

LLG & ADSO have recently instructed counsel to examine this issue. We know of at least one local authority which has already received counsel's opinion, and which identifies two regulations which would give the Secretary of State powers to implement virtual meeting provisions. These are s16 Local Government Act 1999 and s15 Cities and Local Government Devolution Act 2016. The advice also included a view that the Executive or Cabinet will still be able to meet remotely (if permitted under their constitution) as Schedule 12 of the Local Government Act 1972 does not apply to the executive and there is no law which requires presence or place.

We will of course disseminate our advice to members when received next week and continue to lobby the government. In the meanwhile, if you have any members you could approach about this issue to generate support direct to Ministers this would be useful. The more noise we can make to bring collective pressure the better.

Best wishes

Helen McGrath

Helen@llg.org.uk