LGA Liberal Democrat Group
The Liberal Democrats have just over 3,100 councillors across the UK. Consequently, our Group at the LGA plays a major role in the organisation. We are the persistent defenders of local democracy, arguing that what a local community can do for itself is best left to that community, without interference from central government.
You can find more information about the Group by viewing the "About us" section on the left.
National Planning Policy Framework
The LGA Liberal Democrat Group have issued a response to the National Planning Policy Framework. In particular we welcome the hard work from Liberal Democrat ministers to ensure that the environment is protected and that councils will have enough time to ensure their local plans are in place.
Find out more in our NPPF briefing note.
Environment and Local Democracy must be at the heart of planning reforms say local Lib Dems
22nd March 2012
Lib Dems in local government today called on the Chancellor and Communities & Local Government Secretary, Eric Pickles, to ensure the imminent National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) gives protection to greenbelt and green spaces so valued by residents.
The Liberal Democrats on the Local Government Association (LGA) have been pushing for environmental sustainability to be the cornerstone of the NPPF and for local communities to be able to protect any public greenspace they value from the bulldozers.
There must be a balance, they say, ensuring environmental factors are considered alongside economic and social issues.
Speaking on the issue, Cllr Keith House, environment spokesperson for the Lib Dems on the LGA said,
"In some areas new homes, shops and development are the only way to make a community viable. But building must not be at the expense of the environment.
"The Conservatives have abandoned environmentalists - and even their traditional supporters - on this issue.
“The government can do two things to help protect green spaces and green belt.
First, it must ensure councils have enough time to get local plans agreed. Secondly, it must severely limit the powers of the Planning Inspectorate to intervene in local decisions. Ideally this body should be abolished as too often we have seen them ride roughshod over local decisions. Too often the community has said “no” to new developments only to be over-ruled.
"Conservation, protection of our green heritage and environment sustainability must not be treated as a trade off for development. We want the right development in the right place. Our valued green space must not be compromised. Local people know better than the Secretary of State.
"We are calling on the Chancellor and the Communities & Local Government Secretary, Eric Pickles, to make sure there is no such compromise on the final NPPF."
Leading Lib Dem Councillors sign open letter to Chancellor regarding raising of the Income Tax Threshold
Leading Liberal Democrat Councillors have signed an open letter to the Chancellor calling on the basic threshold of income tax to be raised to £10,000 a year. A copy of the letter and list of signatories can be found here.
March 2012 LGA Lib Dem Group Focus Newsletter available
A copy of our March 2012 Focus Newsletter can be found here.
Telegraph story on council tax exemptions is completely untrue - Gerald Vernon Jackson
6th March 2012
This was an inaccurate record taken from a minute of a meeting last year where Sir Merrick Cockell (Conservative Leader of Kensington and Chelsea Council) and
The story in the Telegraph is incorrect, but they did not bother to contact
Cllr Vernon Jackson said: “There was a discussion about how to meet the cut of 10% in Council Tax Benefits which will mean rises in council tax to some people on very low incomes and may be a disincentive to people to come off benefits and get a job.
We asked the Communities Secretary to look at all the 37 different exemptions and discounts available to let people pay less council tax. However the Lib Dem Group certainly do not support the targeting of students, whose incomes can be as low as the very people we are trying to protect from this cut. The Government have said they will allow councils to remove two of these discounts - for empty homes and second homes."
Unfortunately the Daily Telegraph failed to check its facts before publishing the story.
Thumbs up for new recycling money, thumbs down for Whitehall control
30th September 2011
Liberal Democrat local government leaders welcome Eric Pickles' announcement of £250 million new money for waste collection and recycling, but criticise the strings attached that make weekly bin collection a requirement.
Lib Dem Councillors: 'Standards must not be optional'
8th September 2011
The leader of Liberal Democrats in local government, Cllr Gerald Vernon-Jackson, has called for a proper framework for ethical standards to be put in place once the current Standards for
Election results announced
19th August 2011
Please see below for the results of this week's count and the new look LGA Lib Dem team.
Results 2011 (PDF, 3 pages, 64KB)
New Group 2011 (PDF, 2 pages, 15KB)
Full results breakdown 2011 (PDF, 16 pages, 116KB)
Resources Panel and Rural Commission
Due to an error, the full set of manifestos for candidates for the LGA Resources Panel and the Rural Commission was not included in the election mailing sent to candidates. Click on this link to view the manifesto for Cllr Keith Whitmore (Resources Panel) and click on this link to view the manifesto for Cllr John Cordwell (Rural Commission) . A full set of manifestos for the Resources Panel Candidates can be found here.
LGA Liberal Democrat Group Elections
25th July 2011
Ballot papers and manifesto booklets for the LGA Liberal Democrat Group elections were all in the post as advertised by 22nd July, and the deadline for them to be returned is August 15th.
A complete set of manifestos can be found here (part 1) and here (part 2)
Letter on Directly Elected Police Commissioners
22nd July 2011
Over 100 leading Councillors have jointly written an open letter calling on the Government to drop its plans for elected police commissioners in light of the phone hacking scandal. A copy of the letter, which appeared in the Times on 22nd July, can be found here.
July edition of Focus
16th July 2011
The latest edition of the LGA Lib Dem Group Focus leaflet can be found here
Could you be in the Next Generation of leading councillors?
22nd June 2011
The Next Generation programme is the Local Governement Group’s prestigious political leadership programme for committed Lib Dem councillors who have already demonstrated flair or a potential for leadership at a local level and have the capacity to develop politically. Applications open on 29 June. For application forms and more information, visit the Local Government Leadership website.
Group Elections 2011
14th June 2011
Nominations have now closed in the Liberal Democrat Group elections, there are 80 candidates for 14 contests. Ballot papers have now been sent out to all Lib Dem Councillors on LGA member authorities. For information, the election guide and nomination forms are below:
Election Guide 2011 (PDF, 8 pages, 149KB)
Nomination Form 2011 (PDF, 1 page, 32KB)
The Fightback starts here
14th June 2011
The LGA Lib Dem Group's latest booklet can be found here on what our councillors have achieved in their authorities.Local Government Lib Dems lobby Deputy Prime Minister and Health Minister on Health Bill 6th April 2011
Cllr Richard Kemp, LGA Lib Dem Group leader, and Portsmouth City Council and Deputy Group Leader Leader Gerald Vernon Jackson have met with Nick Clegg and Paul Burstow following the announcement that the Government will allow more time for consultation over the Health and Social Care Bill.
Personal Income Tax Allowance by local authority
30th March 2011Use the PDF below to find out how many people in your authority will benefit from the raising of the personal allowance threshold, announced last week.
Personal allowance benefits (PDF, 9 pages, 25KB)
Lib Dem Localism booklet published
9th March 2011
Delivering Localism (PDF, 20 pages, 1489KB)
