Councils are key to Lib Dem’s Reform crusade The third party of local government has found its moral cause for the 2020s, writes deputy editor Martin George. Today’s top news and views: NEW: City

Every decade or so the Lib Dems find a moral cause to unite around - think Iraq or Brexit. This week they found their cause for the 2020s - fighting Reform. And councils will be a key part of the crusade.

My Local Government Chronicle briefing from Lib Dem conference www.lgcplus.com/politics/lgc...

Exclusive: Davey on why LGR won't undermine Lib Dem's powerbase The leader of the Liberal Democrats has dismissed suggestions the abolition of district councils and the spread of strategic authority mayors will

But @eddavey.libdems.org.uk tells the Local Government Chronicle his party is starting to win bigger councils, and is "up for the challenge" of electing Lib Dem metro mayors www.lgcplus.com/politics/exc...

The government is abolishing district councils, where the party traditionally performs best, and creating more metro mayors, which the party has yet to win any of

Does local government reorganisation threaten the @libdems.org.uk traditional powerbase in local government?

How pension funds fear being forgotten in LGR Local government reorganisation is set to transform huge swathes of the country, but some fear that neglecting council pension funds could lead to costly mistakes. Deputy editor Martin George examines...

Of all the big issues facing council pension funds, one isn't being talked about enough by people outside the LGPS: local government reorganisation.

I've looked at the myriad issues that need to be considered as the local government map of English is redrawn www.lgcplus.com/investment/h...

Seven LGPS funds announce preferred pool Seven ‘homeless’ council pension funds have announced plans to join the Border to Coast pool. There are currently eight pools in the Local Government

Seven more 'homeless' council pension funds have announced which pool they want to join www.lgcplus.com/investment/s...

Exclusive: Government rules out pension fund transition cost help | Local Government Chronicle (LGC) The government has ruled out helping council pension funds that have to move to a new pool with the “significant” costs of the transition. The 21 pensions

A government email has revealed more about its thinking on the future of the 21 ‘orphan’ council pension funds www.lgcplus.com/investment/e...

3D chess in the LGPS | Local Government Chronicle (LGC) Council pension funds that are seeking a new home may feel they are being forced to play a complicated game with no written rules and an unpredictable

I don’t envy the 21 ‘orphan’ council pension funds as they try to navigate multiple moving parts while deciding which pool they want to join.

My Local Government Chronicle briefing www.lgcplus.com/politics/lgc...

The fight to put community power at heart of government | Local Government Chronicle (LGC) Advocates for the approach now sit at the centre of Whitehall but may struggle to implement their vision across government, writes deputy editor Martin

Advocates of Community Power are now at the centre of government, but it won't be easy to convert Whitehall to this way of working. My briefing following another inspiring #StrongerThings conference from @wearenewlocal.bsky.social www.lgcplus.com/politics/lgc...

Government actuary to 'look closely' at high pension contribution rates | Local Government Chronicle (LGC) Government actuaries are expected to “look closely” at council pension funds that set high employer contribution rates despite having healthy surpluses,

Interesting: the LGPS Advisory Board expects the Government Actuary's Department "to look closely at [LGPS funds] which are relatively well funded but are also still setting relatively high contribution rates" in its next section 13 report www.lgcplus.com/investment/g...

Government allows 'limited flexibility' on LGPS reform deadline | Local Government Chronicle (LGC) The government has confirmed its deadline for Local Government Pension Scheme asset pooling to be completed, but will allow "some limited flexibility

How is the government changing its Local Government Pension Scheme reform plans?

The Pensions Investment Review's final report reveals the big picture is unchanged - consolidation, powers transferred from funds to pools - but some important details have been tweaked www.lgcplus.com/investment/g...

Christopher Hammond: Local elections climate lessons | Local Government Chronicle (LGC) Even among Reform voters, a majority support policies to stop climate change, writes the chief executive of UK100. The 2025 local elections have delivered

His conclusion?

"The path forward isn't to abandon climate commitments but to implement them more effectively, with greater transparency, early engagement and clearer benefits for ordinary people."
www.lgcplus.com/politics/cli...

He cites recent polling showing "the silent majority still backs climate action ... Even among those who voted Reform UK last week, 54% support 'policies to stop climate change and put in place targets ... to keep the UK on track'."

Christopher Hammond: Local elections climate lessons | Local Government Chronicle (LGC) Even among Reform voters, a majority support policies to stop climate change, writes the chief executive of UK100. The 2025 local elections have delivered

Climate-sceptic Reform surged in the local elections, but @uk100.org chief exec Christopher Hammond says: "This is not a crisis in climate action – it's a manifestation of a deeper crisis in trust in Westminster and our hollowed-out institutions of government" www.lgcplus.com/politics/cli...

‘Reformquake’ set to shake local government | Local Government Chronicle (LGC) The sheer number of inexperienced councillors and administrations elected on Thursday will pose challenges for councils – and Reform itself, writes deputy

Lots of inexperienced, anti-establishment Reform councillors will soon find themselves running complex organisations with big budgets and essential services.

What challenges does this present for councils and for Reform itself? My Local Government Chronicle briefing www.lgcplus.com/politics/lgc...

Access: LGPS merger plan could conflict with fiduciary duty | Local Government Chronicle (LGC) An organisation that pools the assets of 11 council pension funds has warned that government plans to force them to move to a new home could breach their

The ACCESS pool has questioned the government's reasoning for rejecting its plan to meet the new minimum pooling requirements, and suggested that forcing its partner funds to join another pool could conflict with their fiduciary duty www.lgcplus.com/investment/a...

Phil Triggs: Next steps for LGPS after pool merger shock | Local Government Chronicle (LGC) Two pools and 21 council pension funds have to make fundamental decisions about their future – with profound implications for the scheme as a whole,

What next for the Local Government Pension Scheme now the government has told Access and Brunel's pension funds to find another pool?

A must read from Phil Triggs analysing where things stand and what is likely to happen next to the LGPS www.lgcplus.com/investment/p...

Thanks for the annual reminder! Always useful

Reform aims for knock-out blow in Hull & East Yorkshire | Local Government Chronicle (LGC) A champion boxer who only entered politics this year has emerged as the favourite to become the first mayor of the region, reports deputy editor Martin

The Hull & East Yorkshire mayoral contest will be one of the most closely watched tomorrow, with Reform's boxing champion candidate now the favourite.

It means a political novice could soon find himself sitting alongside the PM at the Council of Nations and Regions www.lgcplus.com/politics/dev...

Jim McMahon: We are creating fit for purpose audit system The government’s reforms will provide a strengthened early warning system for councils facing financ...

We are creating fit for purpose audit system to build a strong, stable, and empowered local government to work with us as equal partners to deliver the change the country demands. #localgov READ MORE www.lgcplus.com/finance/jim-...

Ministers tell two LGPS pools to merge | Local Government Chronicle (LGC) The government has rejected plans for the future of two Local Government Pension Scheme pools and told their partner funds to join other pools. Access and

Ministers are forcing through pool mergers in the Local Government Pension Scheme. They rejected Access and Brunel's plans for their future and want their partner funds to join other pools. Six other pools got the ministerial green light www.lgcplus.com/investment/m...

Party leaders are infantalising voters | Local Government Chronicle (LGC) National campaign launches for local elections are a sign of our overly centralised political system, writes deputy editor Martin George. Today’s top news

I've written about one of my bugbears: national campaigns for local elections www.lgcplus.com/politics/gov...

EXCLUSIVE: Over 50 LGR options still in play | Local Government Chronicle (LGC) The government received at least 40 separate local government reorganisation interim plan submissions, LGC analysis has found. Across these documents at

Councils in the 21 two-tier areas the government has told to reorganise into unitary authorities have come up with more than 50 options for how to do it.

If these areas can't unite around a single plan, they will be handing ministers the power to decide for them www.lgcplus.com/politics/gov...

This year marks 60 years since the creation of London's boroughs under the 1965 London Government Act. From housing to education, these 32 boroughs have shaped the capital's communities.

Here's a snapshot of how councils are celebrating this milestone.

#LondonBoroughs60

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New rules for councillor presentation in the pipeline | Local Government Chronicle (LGC) Ministers are considering new rules that would make it easier to clearly identify a councillor’s political affiliation, LGC understands. The plans are

This could be controversial - the government is reviving proposals to make the political affiliation of councillors more obvious in a bid to improve public understanding of local government www.lgcplus.com/politics/gov...

EXCLUSIVE: Council pension contributions set to be cut | Local Government Chronicle (LGC) Most councils are likely to see their pension contribution rates reduced following the three-yearly valuation of the Local Government Pension Scheme which

Happy Local Government Pension Scheme Valuation Day! It only comes around every three years, so make the most of it.

What will the 2025 valuation mean for councils and how much they pay in pension contributions? Here's a "sneak peek" www.lgcplus.com/investment/e...

Wonderful to be back at Carden Park for the 20th anniversary LGC Investment Seminar. It’s a pivotal time for the Local Government Pension Scheme - lots to discuss

LGPS: A year of growth hits and investment misses | Local Government Chronicle (LGC) Council pension funds returned to growth in 2023-24 but an LGC investigation finds this masked some disappointing investment returns. For the Local

How did the Local Government Pension Scheme do in 2023-24?

- Unlike the year before, all open funds grew - but many still missed investment return targets
- Some are expanding carbon accounting to new asset classes
- And one is planning AI benefit statement videos www.lgcplus.com/investment/l...

LGR – saying the quiet bit out loud | Local Government Chronicle (LGC) Politicians may be doing the electoral maths when considering their options for creating new councils but voters might not always do what they expect,

You won't find it on the public record anywhere, but you can't understand local government reorganisation proposals without understanding party politics. My Local Government Chronicle briefing www.lgcplus.com/politics/lgc...

Very good!