This welcome message is part of our Resources for New Councillors.
The role of a councillor can be unbelievably rewarding, but no-one said it was easy. How do you keep on top of everything that’s going on? How do you process huge amounts of technical information at short notice? How do you know what other councils are doing and what works? How do you navigate a sea of information to find the best ideas?
That’s where LGIU comes in. For 40 years the LGIU has been by the side of local government. We are the largest independent membership organisation for councils and a registered charity. We give councillors and council officers the information they need to do their jobs today, the ideas they need to improve for the future and the networks they need to learn and to share.
We do this through briefings, a daily news service, training, independent research and practitioner networks.
And it’s not just in the UK. We believe that local government is at its best when it is informed, engaged and networked, and that all our members gain value from global perspectives, lessons and relationships. We work across the UK, the Republic of Ireland and Australia and share best practices from around the globe.
We know that places are unique, sometimes even down to a neighbourhood or a street; but so many of the challenges faced by local governments and by elected representatives are shared with their colleagues across countries and across continents. That’s why our Global Local newsletter service shares local government good practice and innovation from around the world.
We would love you to be part of all that we do. We are only as good as the combined wisdom of our members and the more we hear from you the better we can serve you. If your council is a member of LGIU you have unlimited access to all our materials and resources. We hope that they help you as you begin your career as a councillor.
Best wishes,
Jonathan Carr-West
Chief Executive LGIU
New councillor? What you need to know about LGIU
The Local Government Information Unit is your source for information, innovation and ideas about local government. Founded by local government, fully owned and governed by local government and staffed by people who are passionate about local democracy – LGIU is your organisation. And we want to help you get the most out of LGIU.
Our resources for new councillors page is probably the best place to start. You’ll find articles to help you get to grips with your new role including a briefing for new councillors. There are links to resources that will introduce you to some of the many topic areas you will come across as you progress and suggestions for training to build your skills.
If you are from an LGIU member council then everything on our website is available to you – you just need to sign up and create you free member website account. Make sure you opt in to receive ‘The essential resources’ (Daily News) update – it is a key part of your council’s LGIU membership and keeps you up-to-date with local government news and all your latest LGIU resources.
If you’re not a member
Resources such as news services, our varied in-depth and detailed briefings and other content are exclusively for members. But non-members will find much of interest from the LGIU, including
- research reports and longreads
- a weekly newsletter, packed with resources to support you
- articles with ideas and good practice from home and around the globe.
Just sign up for a free website account and newsletter today.
So all that remains is to say: welcome to the LGIU! We hope you settle into your new role quickly and we look forward to working with you over the coming months and years.
