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LGR update: bringing Devon's councils together

On Monday 22 June, DALC is attending an event bringing together our larger councils alongside district and county council leads, to discuss local government reorganisation.

The event is an opportunity to discuss the challenges and opportunities LGR will bring to larger towns and parishes, and to network with lead officers and members from the principal authorities. NALC will also be present, and the event is sponsored by CCLA, Unity Trust Bank, and the Good Governance Institute.

Resources from the event will be circulated to all member councils afterwards, and we will continue to keep all members up to date with developments on LGR.

Connect Event: Councillor Advocate Scheme

An opportunity to hear about the Councillor Advocate Scheme and how councillors can help to keep their communities safe by supporting the police and victims of crime.

Join Alison Hernandez, Police & Crime Commissioner for Devon, Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly, to learn more about the Councillor Advocate Scheme.

The scheme enables councillors to act as a link between their communities and local policing, helping to raise concerns and share feedback.

The session will cover the role of the commissioner and her office, how the scheme works in practice, and how councillors can get involved.

• Devon climate adaptation: DALC director Colin Slade recently attended the Devon Climate Emergency tactical group meeting. Key updates included the publication of the Fourth Climate Change Risk Assessment - with members advised to review its implications, though no immediate changes to the regional strategy are expected. Discussion also covered national policy developments including the forthcoming National Adaptation Programme (NAP4), and climate adaptation scenarios in light of recent updates to emissions pathways.
• Mid Devon HATOC: Colin also attended the Mid Devon Highways and Traffic Orders Committee, where discussion covered the waiting restriction programme and the Parish Road Warden Scheme, including how DALC is encouraging parishes to cluster together to tackle highways issues more effectively.
• SLCC Devon and Cornwall Joint Branch meeting: Rebecca and Elise attended this annual event, with Rebecca giving a DALC update on upcoming plans. Elise delivered a training session on conflict management - one of several sessions on the day, which also covered Martyn's Law and property acquisition, alongside updates from SLCC CEO Rob Smith, the CCLA and others. A great opportunity for clerks to network with peers and partners, and DALC is always pleased to be invited.

• Making Negotiations Work: our Making Negotiations Work course was well received by attendees and enjoyed by staff. Imaginarium’s Joe Cheal laid out his approach to influencing and negotiating as one of building a relationship and finding common ground to move forward. 
• NALC county associations meeting: Sarah, our communications officer, attended the fortnightly NALC county associations meeting. Among the updates was a presentation from the Smaller Authorities' Audit Appointments on progress with AGAR submissions, noting that timeliness remains an issue and early submission is encouraged. Members may find it useful to review PKF Littlejohn's document highlighting common errors in submissions - available on the PKF Littlejohn website.

• NALC's scrutiny committee met this week, reviewing and approving the audited annual accounts and recommending changes to car mileage expenses to reflect HMRC rates. The committee also considered aspects of HR and governance.
• NALC champions a positive approach to artificial intelligence
• This week's NALC blog marks Loneliness Awareness Week.

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