LGA in Parliament 2020/21

The LGA in Parliament report highlights the breadth of services councils deliver and the depth of analysis the LGA provides as the national voice of local government.

Houses of Parliament

Foreword

Welcome to our LGA in Parliament report for 2020/21. We are delighted to update on our work with parliamentarians, highlighting how as the national voice of local government, we have worked with MPs and Peers to ensure that the value of local place-based leadership is recognised in national decision-making.

Headshots of Cllr James Jamieson and Mark Lloyd with their respective signatures underneath

LGA in Parliament 2020/21: an introduction

The LGA is the national voice of councils. A vital part of our role is working with parliamentarians as we seek to inform debates, the scrutiny of legislation that affects local government and shape the reports of select committees and All-Party Parliamentary Groups.

The LGA benefits from a significant profile in Westminster. Since April 2020 we have been quoted more than 500 times in Parliament. To help deliver this we have:

  • briefed for 51 parliamentary debates and 25 debates on legislation, securing support from MPs and Peers for our campaigns and policy positions.
  • LGA representatives appeared before 39 parliamentary inquiries and we have produced 77 written submissions to inquiries to help inform a wide range of recommendations in parliamentary reports.
  • informed the debates on scrutiny of a wide range of primary legislation, including proposals on domestic abuse, fire safety and business rates.
500+

LGA mentions in Parliament in 2020/21

Mentions of the LGA in Westminster
Westminster Mentions
House of Commons 96
House of Commons Q & A 76
House of Lords 242
House of Lords Q & A 41
Westminster Hall debates 19
Ministerial statements 4
Grand Committee debates 23

All this work is essential as the LGA provides thought leadership on behalf of councils and demonstrates the value of local leadership.

LGA influence: legislation and inquiries

Visit the sections below for more detailed information on how the LGA influenced legislation and inquiries in 2020/21.



Afterword by LGA President, Lord Kerslake

LGA President Lord Kerslake

This will be my last report as President of the LGA as I step down from a position which I have been honoured to hold these past six years. I look back on my time as President with great affection. I have thoroughly enjoyed working with the team at the LGA, councils, LGA parliamentary Vice-Presidents and all those in Parliament with an interest in local public services, as we sought to ensure that the views of local government were represented in both Houses.

As ever, this report provides an informative snapshot of how the LGA has been working on a cross-party basis to promote the views of local government and demonstrate why councils are so important to a healthy democracy. I know from my own experiences that I and other Parliamentarians continue to value the quality briefings and reports from the LGA as these illustrate the vital role of councils in society and bring a strong evidence base that is essential in helping Parliament in its role scrutinising national government.

Not a day in the House seems go by without LGA analysis, ideas and recommendations being quoted in a parliamentary debate or a select committee report. This profile is vital in ensuring councils, their aspirations and their concerns are well represented. 

Whilst I am stepping back as LGA President, I will of course retain my interest in working on the many issues that are vitally important to local government as I am a passionate advocate of council led-local leadership. I look forward to continuing to work with the LGA Vice-Presidents as we make the case in Parliament that now is the time for national government to grasp the moment and truly level-up the country by providing the right powers and funding for every local area and region.  

The new parliamentary session is an important juncture as the Government develops its legislative programme and it will be more vital than ever that the LGA continues its excellent work, promoting the value of place-based leadership as decisions are made about how best to deliver national recovery and renewal. Making devolution to local government a key part of the Government's agenda and fixing the crisis in social care would be a high point to go out on as President and to handover the baton to my successor Baroness Tanni Grey-Thompson. I wish Baroness Grey-Thompson and the LGA every success in their future endeavours.