Press Releases
The latest press releases from the West Midlands Local Government Association are detailed below.
2009 Press Releases
28 October - Local Government must play a leading role in driving the Region forward
The Chairman of an influential new group of Midlands politicians has challenged local government to provide clear and decisive leadership for the Region - and issued a stark warning about the future if councils do not rise to the challenge...more...(PDF 80KB)
10 August - West Midlands Local Authorities Sign up to Mutual Aid Agreement
An agreement to provide mutual aid in the event of an emergency has been signed on behalf of all 33 local authorities in the West Midlands. Each authority will endeavour to provide equipment, resources or staff to neighbouring authorities in the event of major incidents... more... (PDF 84 KB)
16 July - Council Leaders Take on Regional Leadership Role
Council leaders are set to bring democratic accountability to regional working in the West Midlands following the meeting of the West Midlands Leaders Board (WMLB) this week. The Leaders Board brings together the elected leaders of all 33 local authorities in the West Midlands...more...(PDF 83 KB)
4 March LOCAL COUNCILS CONTINUE TO IMPROVE All 14 councils in the West Midlands have been assessed as improving well or improving strongly in the Audit Commission's annual performance ratings for 'single tier' and county councils which have been published today... more... (PDF 85KB)
2008 Press Releases
27 November WEST MIDLANDS LOCALGOVERNMENT ASSOCIATION WELCOMES NEW TRANSPORT BILL West Midlands Local Government Association Chairman welcomes new governance arrangements coming forward from the Local Transport Bill...more...(PDF 54KB)
17 November WEST MIDLANDS COUNCIL TO GET COUNCIL TAX RELIEF ALMOST £100, 000 will be awarded across five local authorities in the West Midlands from the government to help flood-hit families pay their council tax bills....more...(PDF 55KB)
04 November WEST MIDLANDS RECRUITMENT PORTAL IS SHORTLISTED FOR AN AWARD Councils across the West Midlands are delighted that the success of their joint recruitment portal has been nationally recognised...more...(PDF 89KB)
23 October FLY-TIPPING IN THE WEST MIDLANDS IS COSTING LOCAL AUTHORITIES GREATLY
The Chairman of the West Midlands Local Government Association is calling for communities to be more vigilant against fly-tippers who are costing local authorities within the West Midlands around £3.5 million a year...more...(PDF KB)
10 October WEST MIDLANDS LOCAL GOVERNMENT ASSOCIATION GETS SHORTLISTED FOR A NATIONAL AWARD
West Midlands Coaching Pool Partnership has been shortlisted for the Coaching Programme of the Year award at this years World of Learning Awards, the highest accolade in the training industry...more ...(PDF 87KB)
23 Sept WEST MIDLANDS COUNCILS TOP POLL OF 'BEST COUNCILS TO WORK FOR 2008'
Councils in the West Midlands are amongst the best places to work according to 'The Times' Best Councils to Work For 2008' list which was published today. Wychavon District Council took the number one spot in The Times' awards, with Malvern Hills District Council, Stratford District Council and Warwick District Council also featuring in the top 25...more...(PDF 55KB).
12 Sept - WEST MIDLANDS LOCAL AUTHORITIES TO ATTEND ALL THREE PARTY POLITICAL CONFERENCES.
For the first time the West Midlands is being promoted by its local authorities through their member association (West Midlands Local Government Association) as they take to the road at all three party political conferences over the next two months...more...(PDF 28KB)
11 July - WEST MIDLANDS LOCAL GOVERNMENT ASSOCIATION WELCOMES NEW CHAIRMAN
Cllr Ken Taylor, leader of Coventry City Council has been announced as the chairman of West Midlands Local Government Association following a unanimous vote by members on Wednesday...more...(PDF 26KB)
10 April - WEBSITE TO PROVIDE JOB SEEKERS EASY ACCESS TO LOCAL AUTHORITY VACANCIES
A new website designed to provide job seekers with an unrivalled job search experience making it easy through one website to search and apply for jobs throughout local government in the West Midlands, has been launched...more...(PDF 27KB)
21 February - TAP INTO TOP TRAINING AND CONSULTANCY VIA NEW WEBSITE
Enabling anyone to tap into top class training and consultancy delivered by innovative and creative professionals, this site features an easy to use navigation system detailing the type of courses and consultancy available...more...(PDF 17KB)
2007 Press Releases
17 September -WEST MIDLANDS REGION WELCOMES SKILLS CHALLENGE
The West Midlands welcomes the challenge set by the Minister for the Region, Liam Byrne MP, to transform the Region’s skill base; particularly around young people; upskilling substantial numbers of the public sector workforce, and getting local people without jobs into work...more...
23 August - ASYLUM CASE RESOLUTION IN THE WEST MIDLANDS
As the lead policy body for refugee, asylum and new migrant issues in the Region, West Midlands Strategic Migration Partnership (WMSMP) welcomes in principle the commitment of the Home Office to resolve outstanding asylum cases for families living in this region...more...
10 July 2007 - 12 LOCAL AUTHORITIES AND THE WEST MIDLANDS LOCAL GOVERNMENT ASSOCIATION ARE WORKING IN PARTNERSHIP
12 WEST Midlands local authorities and the West Midlands Local Government Association are working in partnership to develop a Regional Coaching Pool to train managers in delivering high quality coaching across the authorities, free of charge...more...
2 July 2007 - WEST MIDLANDS LOCAL GOVERNMENT ASSOCIATION’S CHAIRMAN CALLS FOR TRUST
COUNCILLOR David S Smith, Chairman of West Midlands Local Government Association and Leader of the Lichfield District Council sent out a hard-hitting message to government this week, urging them to have ‘trust in us to deliver’...more...
29 June 2007 - West Midlands, The Bigger Picture
MEMBERS of the West Midlands Local Government Association will be coming together next week to launch a statement setting out the need for national and local government to work as a team to meet the challenges facing the West Midlands and improve the lives of people in the Region. ..more..
21 March 2007 - Lyons Inquiry Welcomed
Commenting on today’s publication of the Lyons Inquiry into Local Government, Olwen Dutton, chief executive of the West Midlands Local Government Association, which represents all 38 councils in the Region said: Today’s long-awaited publication is the result of an extremely important and fundamental piece of work. It is very extensive and details a number of reforms which look to tackle a complex set of problems. ..more..
22 February 2007 - Local Councils Continue to Improve
The Audit Commission has today published annual performance ratings for 'single tier' and County Councils across the West Midlands, providing a positive overall picture. ..more.. (PDF 54KB)
29 November 2006 - Local Government Funding Shortfall
Commenting on yesterday's announcement of the Local Government Financial Settlement figures for 2007/08, the Chairman of the West Midlands Local Government Association, which represents all 38 councils in the Region, Cllr David S Smith said:
"The Government grant accounts for 75% of local authority funding and the remaining 25% is raised through council tax. Local authorities in the West Midlands do not want to increase council tax, but with such a small increase in funding they will face some very difficult choices if they are to continue providing vital services". ..more.. (PDF 55KB)
31 October 2006 - White Paper Falls Short in Delivering for Local Government
Commenting on the publication of the Local Government White Paper, Cllr David S Smith, chairman of the West Midlands Local Government Association, which represents all 38 councils in the Region said:
"Whilst some of the proposals in the White Paper are a step in the right direction in giving greater autonomy to local government, particularly the reduction of red tape from Whitehall, overall it is yet more tinkering and falls well short of the reforms many authorities had been hoping for." ..more.. (PDF 54KB)
13 July 2006 - Let Local Government get on with the Job
At the Annual Meeting of the West Midlands Local Government Association (WMLGA) the Association's Chairman, Cllr David S Smith (Con, Lichfield) made a plea for Governments (of all persuasions) to provide a framework that lets local authorities get on with the job of community leadership and service delivery without undue and costly interference. ..more.. (PDF 75KB)
18 March 2006 - West Midlands Councils prepare for changes to Local Government Pension Scheme
With the threat of strikes by workers over proposed changes to their pension scheme, West Midlands Local Government Association (WMLGA), representing 38 councils in the Region, has defended Government plans that will see initiatives introduced to help tackle rising costs and secure the future affordability of the Local Government Pension Scheme (LGPS). ..more.. (PDF 80KB)
8 March 2006 - West Midlands Member Development Charter Awards
The West Midlands Member Development Charter, Annual Celebration and Learning Event took place on Tuesday (28th February 2006) with four of our Region's councils receiving the Charter Award. ..more.. (PDF 75KB)
18 January 2006 - National LGA Chairman visits the West Midlands
The West Midlands Local Government Association welcomed Sir Sandy Bruce-Lockhart, Chairman of the National LGA on Thursday 12th January 2006. ..more.. (PDF 75KB)