Local Government Conference 2019

Yesterday I went to Day One of this year's Local Government Conference in Bournemouth representing Newham. This is the annual conference for all councils in the UK and all political parties.

I arrived to hear the the debate on climate emergency & UN sustainable development goals moved by Bristol Mayor, Marvin Rees. To my surprise (not the only one that day) there was no speakers against and it was passed unanimously. 

During speeches by the outgoing and new Conservative Party Chair's of the LGA, I was astonished (and pleased) by the "one nation" Toryism I heard. I felt that I could be (almost) in a meeting of "Defend Council Housing" as both Lord (Gary) Porter and the new chair, Cllr Jamie Jamieson between them praised Council Housing as cheaper and better quality; called for reversal of austerity cuts and pointed out that local authority schools do better than academies.

Secretary of State, James Brokenshire, started his speech by saying because of the leadership election and Brexit he cannot announce anything and then spent the next 10 minutes proving it.

The keynote speaker was Governor of the Bank of England, Mark Carney, who successfully charmed the conference. I was able to ask him a question that if there's an economic trade shock from Trump or Brexit, will there be a role for councils to build homes as a fiscal stimulus? He replied basically Yes, you get more multiplier effect, "more bang for your buck", from investment in infrastructure /housing but he doubted that councils had capacity to build to scale needed.

I went to the UNISON conference stall and supported their #localservicechampions campaign and next door and met chair of LAPFF (Local Authority Pension Fund Forum) Cllr Doug Murdo.

The workshop on preventing homelessness & rough sleeping chaired by Cllr Nick Forbes (Newcastle) was fascinating. How come Newcastle only has an average of 6 rough sleepers per night?

In the evening I went to a fringe organised by the LGiU and Camra on the importance of supporting local pubs (no particular reason of course) then in the evening I met up for a late night chat with my Newham Comrades Mayor Rokhsana Fiaz and Cabinet Finance member Terry Paul who travelled down after our Cabinet meeting.

Back to London in morning for UNISON NEC meeting.

Members (not Miserablists) to decide on pensions

Today the annual conference for UNISON members who work in Local Government opened in Bournemouth.

I no longer work in Local Government so this year I was not present but I will be down for the UNISON National Delegate Conference on Tuesday as the NEC member for Community.

However, as a long standing member of the Local Government Pension Scheme (LGPS) I was very pleased to hear that the Local Government conference today rejected calls to oppose the new proposed LGPS 2014 and it will now go out to consultation to all members.

Check my post here on "The new LGPS 2014 (and the old Miserablists)".

I did follow some of the debate via twitter on #ulgc12 and #undc12 and apart from the usual silly trolls I was surprised to see how some delegates who lost the vote and therefore disagreed with the democratic decision reacted by attacking their own union for being "cowardly"? Which does make me really wonder why they want to remain a member of an union they publicly attack in such abusive terms? Very strange?

Now the chief miserablists are attacking the union because they disagreed with the Chair of the Conference for not calling a "Card vote" on a motion. Which is different.  I admit that I was not there today but everyone I have contacted about the vote say that the decision by Conference (although close) was clear and a card vote should not have taken place. So I assume it is sour grapes as per usual by the miserablists.

One further point. I note that some of the miserablists, while complaining that they did not win the day, said never mind there was plenty of time to rubbish the new scheme to members before there is a new ballot? 

Hmmm? Do these people actually realise how important pensions are to ordinary working people? I may be wrong but I think that it is probable that the LGPS 2014 will be accepted. Now I think that would be a good decision and it the right of others to disagree. But what these others should be conscious of is that we have already the worse uptake of membership in the LGPS of any of the public sector schemes. Now, you might think that the scheme could be better but if you start rubbishing it and you get one member not join or leave the scheme as a consequence and die in absolute poverty then shame on you.

With pension auto-enrolling later this year and next we have an once in a life time opportunity to organise, recruit and persuade members to join a decent pension scheme. No matter what your views are of LGPS 2014 - don't attack it as a "bad" or "rubbish" scheme.  You think it could be better, which is an entirely different issue. Once this ballot is over (one way or another) we will all have a job of work to do to get our members to remain and join the scheme.

(picture above of some of those who should be deciding the future of the scheme by a secret ballot).

update: Check out UNISONactive take on yesterday

UNISON Local Government Conference 2010

This is the first time for many years that I am not at the UNISON Local Government conference either as a delegate or visitor. Due to recent internal union constitutional changes those of us who work in the housing association and voluntary sector have been moved out of the Local Government organisational umbrella into a the new “Community” Service group.

Our conference will be held in Telford in November which I am sure will be just as nice as sunny Bournemouth!

In the meanwhile UNISONactive is posting here on the action and debates at this year’s local government conference. Picture (left) is from the last time we were at Bournemouth in 2008.

LG Conference: Sunday Afternoon

I missed the lunch time Social Care fringe but heard it was well attended and that there was a good debate. The International Speaker was Dulce Maria Iglesias from SNTAP (Cuba).

Things went quite smoothly and I later spoke about Composite F “Local Government NJC Pay Dispute 2008 and Future Pay Strategy” which I thought it was a well thought out, practical and do-able organising plan to improve our bargaining position and reverse last years failure. I'll post my comments next.

We soon ran out of time for the rest of business. I was also trying to speak on defending the LGPS. These motions will be heard after the business of Monday has been finished (if there is time). Conference finished at 5pm.

In the evening our delegation all went out for a meal together to chat and gossip about the days business and plot about tomorrow.

Picture is from the inside of a video cubicle “Add Your Voice” in the UNIZONE (exhibitions and stalls). I gave a 2 minute “interview” on my job and my views about public service. I hope as many UNISON members as possible also visit th ebooth during conference and add their voice as well.

UNISON Local Government Conference Sunday 14 June

First full day of LG conference. Forced myself to get up early but soon feeling very smug as I went for a run along the Brighton beach about 7.15am. Lovely glorious warm sunshine. There were still many revellers from the “night before” wandering around. Mostly drinking coffee although I saw one hardy soul still swigging enthusiastically from a bottle of wine.

On the beach itself it is hard going to run due to the pebbles and there was a number of revellers who were fast asleep on the beach surrounded by beer cans while others with metal detectors sweep around their corpses.

There was people swimming next to the Pier while everwhere Brighton Council workers (hopefully UNISON members) were clearing up the beaches and streets.

Our morning branch delegation meeting over breakfast didn't quite work out to plan but we all met up at 9.10 to walk down to the conference centre were we had a team photo outside (see pic). All the other 3 delegates from my branch were here for the first time and were quite rightly asking me loads of questions.

The morning session went okay. There was a bit of a row over the standing orders report. Then after the Local Government Service Group Executive report, there was a another report on “Community and Voluntary Sector (CSV) forum” followed by the first item of business which was about funding in the Community and Voluntary Sector (CVS).

This should have gone ahead without any nonsense but my old branch in fact had I'm afraid put in a crass and pretty badly written amendment which upset many delegates in the CVS. It reaffirmed conference policy to oppose transfer of public services which was fair enough but had at the end “we do not believe that the private or voluntary sector can deliver welfare provision better than the public sector”. Which rattled my cage somewhat. Bob Woods from Barnardo's branch tore into this while I also spoke about being a treated as a “second class” unison member. I'll post what I said later. The rest of the morning business went quite smoothly.

UNISON Local Government (LG) Conference - Saturday 13 June

This kicked off yesterday with a London Regional delegation meeting at 6pm held at the Holiday Inn. There was a good turn out of delegates and visitors. More chairs had to be brought in for everyone. The meeting was run by Sue from Southwark LG branch and Sean Fox from Haringay LG. Who are the respective Chair and Vice chair of the London Local Government committee with the UNISON Regional head of LG Vicki Easton.

Their was a minutes silence by everyone present for long standing LG activist Malcolm Campbell, who died recently.

There was an election (aka press gang) for regional tellers and then a Standing Orders Committee (SOC) report from Islington LG, Andrew Berry, who had been newly elected to replace Malcolm on the business for tomorrow. SOC is really complicated and confusing to anyone but fellow anoraks. It is actually important to the effective running of conference and the union.

Andrew (who refuses to “engage” with me on this blog since I am so 'orrible about him) reported that the chairs for conference had been changed to make them more comfy. Which if accurate would be good news! He reported on the timetable for motions and the plan for the next two days.

Then there was a rather silly but typical call for a “straw poll” about some procedural matter by the usual suspect. It was completely and utterly irrelevant to the report and should have dismissed by the Chair as the first “Grandstanding” of the conference season. No doubt it will not be the last.

Sean Fox spoke about the official Sunday lunchtime fringe about the social care. He is the branch secretary of the borough which had to deal with Baby P fallout.

Two official fringe meetings were mentioned. On Monday there is a Library fringe (I think that Lynn Brown is speaking?) and there is the Housing fringe on Tuesday.

I mentioned that there are LGPS fringes on Tuesday 5.15pm and Thursday 5.15pm.

Finally David Eggmore announced his retirement from the Local Government Service group. Dave had beaten me twice for that position in recent years. He finished this announcement by saying “Let a 1000 flowers bloom”

I had Cod and Chips at the famous Brighton Regency Fish Restaurant. Later on that night I met up with all my good friends at my 2nd favourite local government branch Lambeth! (see picture). My new best friend ever, branch secretary, ace blogger and fellow Labour Party activist Nick Venedi is on the right.