Working with the New Government: The Ask and Offer from the North West

Did you know that North West Employers provides Secretariat support to the North West Regional Leaders Board?

The Board brings together Council Leaders from across the North West to discuss key challenges and opportunities for the sector and to develop the North West voice on the topics that matter.

The July meeting welcomed Councillor Anthony Burns as the new Chair of the North West Regional Leaders Board. Councillor Burns is the Leader of St Helens Council and he formally thanked the outgoing Chair, Cllr David Baines for his leadership of the Board over the last four years. Cllr Baines is now MP for St Helens North.

The meeting provided a timely opportunity to focus on local government post General Election and the key implications and priorities for the North West. The discussion centred on the letter to Leaders from the Rt Hon Angela Rayner MP as Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities and Deputy Prime Minister and the content of the King’s Speech which contained 39 Bills, with many bearing particular relevance to us in local government across Housing & Planning, Transport, Energy & Infrastructure, Migration, Employment, Health & Education, Technology and Constitutional Measures.

The White Paper for Local Government

The Board also heard from the Local Government Association (LGA) with an overview of the White Paper for Local Government and the response to date. You can read the LGA’s White Paper here.

The North West Regional Leaders Board have commissioned a North West “Ask and Offer” document for government which will be presented and discussed with the Chair of the LGA and Ministers later this year, helping to bring the North West Voice to the fore.