Midlands Training Seminar Agenda

Local Government Reorganisation, Localism and Levelling Up: Implications and Opportunities for the Sector

Dr Carlton Brand FRSA

This interactive, engaging session seeks to explore the increasing trend in England for Local Government Reorganisation (LGR), why this is likely to gather pace quickly and the implications, opportunities and risks for local councils and the SLCC. We will also explore the levelling up agenda, it’s potential impact on the sector and how local councils might respond and influence.

Naomi Bibi will be talking about her new role as Head of Member Services. She will update you on the work that she has been doing with Local Branches, the Mentoring Service, and with the Advisory Service, and she will also be asking you what the SLCC can do to improve member engagement to ensure we are delivering exactly what you need. She also wants your help on how to be the best clerk in the country!  

In 2014, with Government Funding Shrewsbury Town Council established the Team Shrewsbury Partnership to bring key partners together to jointly problem solve ASB issues and find collective solutions.  At the time the Partnership only had 5 partners.  Eight years later the Partnership continues to be as relevant, dealing with issues including County Lines, Youth ASB, Homelessness, Vagrancy and river deaths involving 35 partners.

Helen Ball Town Clerk of Shrewsbury Town Council will tell the story of how the Town Council established and continues to be the lead partner in a partnership that has been replicated by many Town Councils and Police Forces across the Country; how the Partnership deals with some of the challenging public realm management issues and how it is embracing evolving counter terrorism duties that are likely to affect many parish & town councils. 

Helen will also give a flavour of how Team Shrewsbury could be Team Anywhere and how Parish & Town Council Clerks can play an influencing role in integrated community management. 

The Government has embarked on “radical” and “far-reaching” reforms of the planning system in England which will “streamline” and “modernise” it. 

This session will examine the most significant developments over the last year that will have practical and strategic implications for clerks and the sector in more general.  It will cover important reforms that have already taken place as well as those in the pipeline.