Agenda item

To receive a report advising of action taken under urgency procedures in relation to the City Corporation’s membership of the Local Government Association.

Policy and Resources Committee

(Catherine McGuinness, Deputy)

7 June 2018

Report of Urgent Action Taken: Local Government Association Reconstitution

The Court received a report advising of action taken under urgency procedures relative to the reconstitution of the Local Government Association.

The LGA had recently undertaken a comprehensive review of its governance and constitution to become more tax efficient, take more advantage of best value and keep member authority subscriptions to a reasonable level. Having considered a number of options which, amongst other things, included seeking charitable status, creating a community interest company and becoming a company limited by guarantee, the Association had concluded that its best option would be to change from an unincorporated Association to an incorporated unlimited company. As a result, member authorities of the current LGA were required to formally apply to become members of the new company (also called the Local Government Association (11177145)) which was incorporated on 30 January 2018 and to which the assets and liabilities of the LGA were intended to be transferred.

Following the receipt of satisfactory responses to a number of legal and financial queries, the Policy and Resources Committee considered and endorsed the City Corporation’s membership of the new LGA, subject to the final consent of the Court.

Approval was therefore given for:-

·      the City Corporation applying to become a member of the new incorporated body, the Local Government Association (11177145);

·      the Chairman of Policy and Resources Committee (for the time being) or his or her representative and Alderman Sir David Wootton, being appointed to serve as the City Corporation’s representatives on the new LGA company’s General Assembly and, should they be elected or appointed by the new company, also serving as Directors of the new company or on any other governance structure it is agreed should be adopted (this to be subject to the terms of their authority being made clear so that they act within their remit whilst serving on this outside body); and

until such time as the existing unincorporated Local Government Association be dissolved, the Chairman of the Policy Committee (for the time being) or his or her representative and Alderman Sir David Wootton serving as the City Corporation’s representatives at the General Assembly or in any other capacity within the Association to which they are elected or appointed.