For the first edition of 2023, we have all new round-ups to keep you in the loop with everything happening in the world of local government and a wide range of staff picks for things to watch and read after the Christmas break. Plus a story about Elvis!
And finally 13.01.23
And Finally... 13 Jan 2023
Our weekly round-up of shareable resources!
Welcome to 'And finally'
The LGIU (Local Government Information Unit) is a not-for-profit, non-partisan membership organisation. You are not an LGIU member, so we encourage you to explore our membership options and contribute to the community supporting strong local democracy and governance everywhere.
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Global Local a year in review (part 2!)
Global Local is our weekly newsletter with a topical lens sharing local solutions to global challenges. This week we shared Part 2 of our Global Local in '22 roundup with a focus on planning, climate change and built environment issues. Or check out Part 1 which focused on people issues, from workforce to social challenges to community pride!
Become a subscriber to Global Local for all the benefits and full access to Global Local briefings - included free if your organisation is in LGIU Membership.
LGIU articles and comment
Build to share: digital infrastructure in Ireland
Dún Laoghaire–Rathdown (DLR) County Council, in Ireland is facing the challenges of meeting digital demand from citizens and running local government more efficiently through a shared approach incorporating design, code, governance and sustainability. Find out how.
Climate action leadership – Highland Council’s Climate Action Committee
Local government holds a critical role in achieving Scotland’s 2045 net zero targets. However, the exact route for local government to do so remains less clear. We take a look at Highland Council's Climate Change Committee to examine what climate leadership can be.
A requiem to the Schools Bill in three parts – Part 1
The LGIU's John Fowler discusses the March 2022 Schools White Paper (England) – several aspects of which require parliamentary legislation before implementation. This first post looks at the future of the Bill, parliamentary procedure and two examples of how education legislation has been handled.
The political campaign starts now
LGIU’s Chief Executive, Jonathan Carr-West talks about the looming 2023 UK General Election and why it means that we are unlikely to see radical progress in areas like social care, local government finance or devolution this year.
Country policy roundups
Keep up with key developments in LGIU sister countries.
All things Scotland: this week we bring you the latest reports and updates to kick start your 2023 in local government. From National Planning Framework 4, to the Scottish Government 2023/24, find out everything you need in this bumper update.
All things Ireland: New year, new government, new policies? Containing all the key reports on housing, planning and good practice updates, find out everything you need for your next week in Irish local government.
All things England: LGIU’s Peter Smith rounds up the policy news in already making 2023 ‘interesting times’ with a special look at the perilous state of finance, cost of living, housing and much more.
The Australia policy roundup is included in the Monday Daily News.
We want to hear from you!
We're always looking to amplify the voice of local government. We can help you showcase your developments. We are particularly looking for contributions on air quality, tech and social care, the role of women in local government, risk management and maternal and infant support. Got another idea? Drop a note in our online suggestion box.
LGIU staff picks: holiday media edit
Weekly highlights of what we're reading, watching or listening to that we thought you might like, too. What do you recommend?
The end-of-year holidays are traditionally a time of indulgence for food as well as media. Our staff have been enjoying themselves with some great reads, listens and views.
Ingrid Koehler, Head of Content "I visited my family in America and on the plane I watched all the three episodes of Mare of Easttown they had. It was so good I'm going to have to buy the rest. On the way back I watched the Elvis biopic with Tom Hanks and a smouldering Austin Butler as the King."
Jonathan Carr-West, Chief Executive has made a brave decision by recommending Spare, the new book from Prince Harry, "not for the salacious gossip or to pick sides, but reflecting on the intersection between the personal and the political, on the uneasy symbiosis between the monarchy and the media, two core institutions in British public life and the impact on the individuals caught within and between them. In governance terms it all feels very suboptimal and in human terms very sad…"
Thomas Lynch and Kim Fellows both recommend The Banshees of Inisherin. This is the second time this film has made our staff picks with a double hit, so you probably ought to catch it.
Sid Hayward and Kim also seconded Jane Sankarayya's musical recommendation: Kiwanuka by Michael Kiwanuka. "It's not a new album but I'd forgotten how good it is and listened to it a lot over Christmas."
New Global Local briefings
Global Local briefings are available to LGIU members and Global Local subscribers. Subscribe to Global Local for less than $1 a week.
The Global Local Think Tank Review features the latest relevant research and thought leadership from influential think tanks and research institutes around the world. This month’s edition focuses on health care waiting times, health inequalities, affordable childcare, and climate change and extreme weather resilience. It also covers corruption, including at municipal level, and the importance of learning from mistakes and failures in policy making.
Case study roundup: highlights all the notable practice from a month of Daily News in Ireland, Scotland, England and Australia and from our briefings, articles and Global Local bulletins that feature case studies. Organised by topic, it's a good peruse across practice with links to resources that can help make ideas a reality wherever you are.
Our final Global Executive Panel for 2022, this briefing summarises the December 2022 LGIU and VLGA rural, coastal and island panel. Bringing together Chief Executives from Ireland, the UK and Australia, we share the highlights of the panel and the experiences of Chief Executives facing the unique challenges in rural, coastal and island communities.
Exclusive LGIU member policy briefings
Our latest Membership briefings, find out more about joining LGIU.
- Performance Tracker 2022: public services after two years of Covid-19. England & Wales.
- No place like home: How the UK falls short over housing for older people
- New Britain – Report of the Commission on the UK’s Future’ and what it might mean for local government
- England policy round-up: October/November 2022
Even though you're not a member, there’s still a wealth of local government content for you – create a free website account for non-members and take advantage of our global local government community.
LGIU events and training
| New year: better meetings! Online Training | 9:30–12:30 (GMT) | 25 Jan Want to take your chairing skills to the next level? Join us for a session full of practical tips on how to handle conflict and manage participation. Book your spot now. LGIU members save 25%. |
And finally...
This story made us smile.
Take a ride on the Elvis express!
Dozens of Elvis Presley impersonators flooded Sydney’s Central Station on Wednesday morning, en route to the 30th annual Parkes Elvis Festival. It began at a local club with a roll call of Elvis impersonators performers from around the country, as an idea to draw tourists to Parkes, in during the peak of summer; it has since expanded to five days of festivities, drawing more than 25,000 visitors to the rural NSW town, which has a population of 8000. A dedicated “Elvis Express” NSW Trainlink service offers a return trip from Sydney to Parkes for $299, ahead of its departure, Minister for Regional Transport and Roads Sam Farraway confirmed the NSW Government would support the train service until at least 2025. It’s estimated the event brings $15m to the central-west region, with all accommodation fully booked across Parkes and the surrounding towns. “This isn’t just important for Elvis fans, this is important to the central-west of NSW. It’s important for Parkes, it’s important for Forbes, it’s important for the region that has faced significant flooding over recent weeks,” said Mr Farraway.News.com.au 9News
This story comes from 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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