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| Local Government Employers (England and Wales) | |
|---|---|
| Name | Local Government Employers (England and Wales) |
| Formation | 1994 |
| Type | Employer association |
| Headquarters | London |
| Region served | England and Wales |
| Leader title | Director |
Local Government Employers (England and Wales) is an employers' organisation representing local authorities in England and Wales. It operates within the context of statutory frameworks such as the Local Government Act 1972 and interacts with national bodies including the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, the Welsh Government, and the Local Government Association. The organisation engages with trade unions like the UNISON (trade union), the GMB (trade union), and the Unite the Union across collective bargaining arrangements.
Local Government Employers traces its antecedents to employer-side organisations formed in the wake of the Local Government Act 1888 and later reforms such as the Local Government Act 1972 and the Local Government Act 1985. It emerged from consolidation of employer services associated with the Association of Metropolitan Authorities, the Convention of Scottish Local Authorities (as an analogue reference), and the District Councils' Network during restructuring in the 1990s, contemporaneous with legislation such as the Trade Union and Labour Relations (Consolidation) Act 1992. Over time it has responded to national policy initiatives from the Treasury (United Kingdom), employment law rulings from the Supreme Court of the United Kingdom, and industrial disputes involving National Health Service interface issues and public sector pay rounds.
The organisation is governed by a board representing membership drawn from principal local authorities, unitary councils, and combined authorities including entities like the Greater London Authority and the West Midlands Combined Authority. Executive management liaises with professional bodies such as the Chartered Institute of Public Finance and Accountancy and the Local Government Information Unit. Its governance incorporates oversight mechanisms similar to those used by the National Audit Office for accountability and reporting, and it aligns with statutory duties under the Equality Act 2010 when setting employment policy.
Its principal functions include negotiating national pay frameworks with recognised trade unions such as UNISON (trade union), advising member councils on workforce strategy in collaboration with the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development and the Royal Town Planning Institute, and supporting implementation of statutory initiatives like the Working Time Regulations 1998. It provides model employment policies referenced by professional networks including the Society of Local Authority Chief Executives and Senior Managers and training bodies such as the National Union of Teachers's former successor arrangements. The organisation also offers guidance on pension matters in coordination with the Local Government Pension Scheme and regulatory interaction with the Pensions Regulator.
It acts as the employers' negotiating body in national collective bargaining forums such as the arrangements historically coordinated through the National Joint Council (England and Wales) and in disputes brought before employment tribunals and the Industrial Relations Court (United Kingdom). Negotiations typically involve pay frameworks, redundancy arrangements, and conditions influenced by decisions of tribunals like the Employment Appeal Tribunal and precedent from cases heard in the Court of Appeal of England and Wales. It maintains liaison with union federations including the Trades Union Congress and participates in industrial action contingency planning alongside police and emergency service partners such as the Association of Police and Crime Commissioners.
Membership comprises county councils, borough councils, metropolitan districts, and unitary authorities such as Camden Council, Manchester City Council, and Cardiff Council, and it works alongside sector networks including the County Councils Network and the District Councils' Network. Affiliated bodies include professional associations like the Local Government Chronicle's networks, pension administrators for the Local Government Pension Scheme, and workforce development partners such as the Skills Funding Agency's successors and the Education and Skills Funding Agency.
The organisation contributes to policy debates before parliamentary committees including the House of Commons Public Accounts Committee and the Senedd Cymru committees, and responds to consultations from ministries such as the Cabinet Office and the Home Office. It publishes position papers informed by research from think tanks such as the Institute for Government and the Resolution Foundation, and engages with standards bodies including the Improvement and Development Agency and the Equality and Human Rights Commission to shape policy on workforce diversity and pay fairness.
Funding is primarily through subscriptions and service charges levied on member authorities, supplemented by commissioned research income and fee-based advisory services provided to councils and combined authorities like the Tees Valley Combined Authority. Financial oversight aligns with public audit standards set by the Audit Commission's successor arrangements and reporting obligations under statutory instruments connected to the Local Government Finance Act 1992.
Category:Local government in England Category:Local government in Wales