Democracy, devolution and governance
This week’s And Finally has exciting stories from all over including an inspiring community garden project from Ireland, an exploration into compulsory candidate training from Australia and a look at water conservation efforts in Spain.
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This week: award winning community gardening, town centre living, voter ID and our Quick Question: NOC
A vision of town centre living from Argyll and Bute Council
We hear from Fergus Murray, Head of Development and Economic Growth at Argyll & Bute Council on how local government can, and should, embrace town centre living
Compulsory Councillor candidate training: Insights from Victoria
With local government elections in Victoria, Australia, set for October 2024, we spoke with Local Government Victoria to find out more about compulsory pre-candidate training, and the benefits for the local government sector.
We showcase this award-winning project – delivered by an effective partnership between Carlow County Council Executive and elected members, businesses, community groups and NGOs working in the area of community gardens and allotments.
Municipal experiences of water conservation in Spain
Spain has become one of the most water-stressed industrialized countries in the world. The municipal experiences of water conservation in Spain may offer valuable insights for local government experts interested in comparative cases of water usage and conservation.
We always want to hear about the great work you're up to where you are. Drop us a line and tell us your local government story. Can you share good news about:
The Conservatives lost 1,060 seats in last week’s elections, relinquishing control of 48 councils across the country. As was widely predicted, Labour made significant gains across marginal and Red Wall councils...but what were some of the other key results and how close were we with our Ones to Watch? See our analysis here.
Councillors who are newly elected in May will be eager to get stuck into the day-to-day business of being a councillor from day one. But local government is complex so LGIU has support and information and training for new councillors across a wide range of unfamiliar policy areas to help to develop the skills that will boost their effectiveness.
The voting's not over! Top priorities for local gov
We want to find out which local government remits our readers believe are top priorities for this coming year. Take our quick poll.
The impact of Voter ID in England: FAQs
Voter ID was required in the May 2023 local elections for the first time. And everyone has questions about it – of course. Dr Greg Stride answers some of the big ones for us.
Who runs the councils in No Overall Control?
Perhaps this year's biggest winner was NOC. See which councils are in NOC and what that means. Or if you're an old hand at local government coalition, see our Quick Q and share tips below.
Quick Question: governing in NOC
We've been asked how councils are handling NOC and arranging governance and support structures by someone whose council has never been in NOC. Do you have tips to help?
Health and social care integration
How are local governments bridging the gap between health and social care - and supporting the whole person? Find briefings, resources and inspiration.
Did you miss last week's edition on water conservation in dry areas? LGIU members and Global Local subscribers can access our full archives and much more.
Keep up with key developments in LGIU sister countries with our news, policy and research roundups.
What do you think about our country updates? What should we cover. Let us know: info@lgiu.org
Our latest Membership briefings - available to every employee and elected representative at our member organisations.
We're having a milestone birthday this year! Find out more about our key questions for the future of local government and watch the video:
LGIU and the Victorian Local Government Association (VLGA) are thrilled to gather together senior executives from Ireland, the UK and Australia to explore the long-term financial sustainability and stability of local government.
18 May 2023 - This event takes place at 8:30am BST / 5:30pm AEST
Free for LGIU members. See our full programme.
This story made us smile.
Fingal County Council and the Old Irish Goat Society have announced the birth of a number of kid goats who will be calling Howth Head their new home - grazing the land and helping to prevent gorse fires. The council has launched a competition to name the new goats, with the winner to be invited to meet their named goat for a photoshoot at Howth Head with the mayor of Fingal, Cllr Howard Mahony.
Irish Times Online Press Release
This story comes from Ireland Daily News.
Daily News an LGIU member-only service.
Daily News keeps you connected to all the local government stories in the national and regional press.
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