In this week’s And Finally: Our resources on the Indigenous Voice to Parliament, the role of local government in migration, and a tunnel to help chickens cross the road.
Communities and society
And Finally: Indigenous Voice To Parliament
And Finally... 6 October 2023
Our weekly round-up for everyone in local government.
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Highlights from this week: Our resources on the Indigenous Voice to Parliament, the role of local government in migration, and a tunnel to help chickens cross the road.
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Indigenous Voice to Parliament
LGIU Australia/LGIU supports human rights and full access to the levers and processes of democracy. We support everyone having a voice. We believe in the need for informed conversations and action, so we've prepared this collection with range of resources for you to understand more about the Voice and what it might mean for local government.
Over the last three and a half years we’ve published numerous briefings looking at Truth Telling, Treaty, the Uluru Statement, local government engagement with First Nations law and culture, and much more. LGIU is committed to supporting the sector, and so we have made these briefings open, given the critical importance of the issue.
The referendum to alter the Australian Constitution to recognise the First Peoples of Australia by establishing an Aboriginal and Torres Strait Island Voice will be held on Saturday 14th October.
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Something for everyone
We’re all about celebrating and showcasing the best of local government. Everyone can read, enjoy and share our open features and interviews.
What if people really participated in local democracy?
As part of our LGIU@40 campaign we are asking fundamental questions about the future of local government. Here LGIU’s chief executive Jonathan Carr-West looks at the integral role of effective participation and how we can improve democratic engagement.
“We need an honest conversation about the future of Irish local democracy” – AILG President Cllr Pat Fitzpatrick
Eager to hear more about the recent work of the Association of Irish Local Government ahead of next year’s 125th commemoration of Irish local government, Thomas from LGIU Ireland spoke with AILG’s President, Cllr Pat Fitzpatrick, about the organisation’s reflections, aspirations and views on the Irish local government sector.
Best practice from Ireland – Guidance manual for Fingal community facilities
With 35 Community Centres and serving one of the fastest growing areas in Ireland, Fingal County Council looks to support the highest standards of facilities management and good governance in their community facilities while ensuring they are meeting the ever-changing needs of local communities.
Climate change and health inequalities
In our latest article from the Improvement Service, their Climate Change Project Manager, Judi Kilgallon, discusses a recent briefing from the Improvement Service, Public Health Scotland (PHS) and Adaptation Scotland, on how climate change can affect health and health inequalities in Scotland.
Global Local: the critical role of local government in migration
Migration policies are usually decided on a national level. But it's the local communities and cities that have to actually provide important services to these migrants, like helping them settle in, integrate, and get from place to place. This can cause some issues when national policies and rules clash with the need to be welcoming and helpful locally. There is increasing recognition from organisations like the Mayors Migration Council that local government needs a bigger voice on migration policy.
It's common to talk about migrants as if they're all the same, but migrant groups are different, individuals are unique, and so are the places they move to. Migrants come (or go) for various reasons like work, school, family, or safety from harm, and these different backgrounds greatly impact how they adapt and fit in - as well as what kind of benefits or challenges they bring to the communities they join. Each area, its local government and communities need to develop their own approach and policies to migration - including welcoming or staunching population loss. This Global Local edition focuses on bringing together resources to show you how.
Exclusive LGIU member resources
Our member-only resources are available to every employee and elected representative at our member organisations. Not sure if your council is a member? Check here then sign up to the website or ask about joining – it’s your gateway to all member resources.
Australia | Equity, equality, what makes a good life?
Ireland | Housing Market Indicators Update Q2 2023
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LGIU staff picks
We've highlighted some of our media fixes of the week...
Take or leave these recommendations as suited!
📺 Our Content Manager Freya recommends the latest series of Welcome to Wrexham. Freya said "it's even less about football this time and even more about the local community and the impact of their Hollywood investors. One episode made me well up about an autistic fan and the quiet zone they've created so everyone can enjoy the game. I just love it, it's so heartwarming and as someone who grew up working class in North Wales, it's amazing to see the attention and love my home and the people there are getting".
📱Head of Content Ingrid recommends "Wardle", a must play for fans of online word games and local government geography. Sid and Greg managed to get Southwark in four guesses!
📕 Our Scotland Commissioner Kim recommends The House of Fortune by Jessie Burton, which traces a woman’s coming of age in early 18th-century Amsterdam.
Also, check out some of our favourite articles from this week:
Simone: Eggs, marrows and chutney: England’s honesty boxes – in pictures, The Guardian
Thomas: Chat-tea train: The rail journey combating elderly loneliness, BBC News
Andrew: ‘No effort’ dinner parties are a delusion, Financial Times
And Finally...
The story that made us smile.
A hensible idea...
Tunnel to help chickens cross the road
An 18-metre tunnel has been approved in East Lothian to allow chickens to cross a road and access fields on either side. East Lothian Eggs Ltd applied to construct a tunnel under the B6386 in Gifford to allow their chickens extra space to roam. Cllr Liz Allan told the council's planning committee: “Finally I know how the chickens cross the road.”
BBC News The Daily Record
This story comes from Scotland Daily News.
Daily News is an LGIU member-only service that keeps you connected to all the local government stories in the national and regional
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