Welcome to the latest edition of the LG alliance newsletter! In this edition you will find out more about upcoming events in the international development field and the new Interaction toolkit now available for councils!

Upcoming events

Tuesday 6 July 2010: International Development networking session at the LGA Conference, 18.30 – 19.30, Bayview Suite

Coming to the LGA Group’s annual conference on 6-8 July at the Bournemouth International Centre? Join us on Tuesday 6th at 18.30 for the launch of our new Interaction toolkit, hear from UK councils on how engaging internationally is helping to hit priorities at home and share experiences with colleagues. more info...

Thursday 15 July 2010: CoP online Q&A on youth

Following the success of Fairtrade Foundation online Q&A, a new Q&A online session will be organised in the "International Development and Local Government" online Community, focusing on how local councils can engage young people in international development issues. more info...

22 September 2010: LG Alliance training event - tell us what you want

Save the date! The LG Alliance will be hosting a 1 day training workshop for councils on getting the most out of international development work. In advance of this event, we want to find out what type of training would be most useful you - tell us here http://surveys.lg-alliance.org/index.php?sid=26861&lang=en. For further information on the event email This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .

March 2011: Commonwealth Local Government Conference - Energising local economies: Partnerships for prosperous communities

This is a three-day international conference to look at local government’s role in local economic development and successful strategies for driving and delivering prosperous communities. Speakers include HE Kamalesh Sharma, Secretary General, Commonwealth, Rt Hon Carwyn Jones, First Minister for Wales and Dame Margaret Eaton, Chairman, Local Government Association of England and Wales. For more information, please visit www.clgc2011.org

Get involved

Interaction toolkit for International Development

In a recent LG Alliance survey of councils working in international development, you asked us for more training and online resources to support your international development work. In response to this we are launching our new Interaction toolkit – designed specifically for councils on how to get the most out of international development work. To get started visit: toolkit.lg-alliance.org

Latest development news

First talks paving the way of the Millenium review summit

Rosalie Callway, International Policy Officer at Local Government Association, gives us an analysis of the first discussions ahead of the Millennium Development Goals review Summit, 20-22 September. She highlights how few references to the role of local government are being made in the 'Zero' draft document to be negotiated in advance of the summit (read more...) and explains why MDG debate must recognise local context (read more...).

DFID Secretary of State on putting 'power in the hands of local people'

As a result of the general election in May, Andrew Mitchell has been appointed as Secretary of State for International Development (see DFID website for the complete list of new ministers).  At a recent event in London, he presented his vision for British Development Assistance and talked about putting 'power in the hands of local people'. read more...

European Parliament urging for fair trade in public procurement

In its recent resolution on 'New developments in public procurement', the European Parliament is advocating for more support for Fair Trade in Public Procurement. The European Parliament is renewing its call for the European Commission to act on this issue. read more...

At home: news from UK councils

Scotland Malawi Partnership: Engaging Local Authorities in 2010

The Scotland Malawi Partnership (SMP) is a charity and umbrella organisation which exists to inspire the people and organisations of Scotland to be involved with Malawi in an informed, coordinated and effective way, to the benefit of both nations. In 2010 the SMP is aiming to further expand its coverage and impact by engaging with all 32 local authorities in Scotland. read more...

Bristol supporting fair trade

In advance of the Southwest Fairtrade Procurement Conference taking place on 19 October 2010, Christine Storry, Procurement Specialist at Bristol City Council explains why Fairtrade is becoming increasingly prevalent in public sector procurement. read more...

Visit the LG alliance website for more information on what UK local government is doing to fight global poverty and bring benefits to local communities

...and subscribe to our quarterly newsletter

May 2010

Welcome to the May edition of the LG alliance newsletter! In this edition you can find out more about how to get involved, upcoming events and the latest on UK development policy, news from UK councils and from overseas.

If you have a story or upcoming event that you would like to include in the next newsletter, please let us know

Getting involved

Funding for development - new information on the LG alliance website

Working on an international development project but not sure where to find funding? Trying to make sense of funding options and not sure which grant would be the most relevant? In our recent survey you asked for more information on funding, click here to see our new funding pages.

DFID Community Linking Programme Update

Many thanks to all those who contributed to the Global Community Links baseline survey. The summary report is now available on the programme’s website, www.dfid.gov.uk/communitylinks, together with an update on how to get involved in the programme.

Commonwealth Youth Leadership Programme

The 2010 Nkabom Commonwealth Youth Leadership Programme run by the Royal Commonwealth Society (RCS) will be held in Rwanda (5 -15 September), where young people (18- 25 yrs) can exchange ideas on issues such as conflict resolution & peacebuilding. The RCS also runs essay, film and photo competitions. For further information click here

Upcoming events

June 2010: Community of Practice (CoP) Online Q&A on building support

Following the successful online Q&A on councils and fair trade, a new session will be organised in the "International Development & Local Government" online community, focusing on how local councils can build support for development locally. The event is planned for early June - more information will be provided via our mailing list. If you are not yet a member of the CoP, join here.

6-8 July 2010: LGA group annual conference & exhibition 2010

This year, LGA group annual conference, taking place in Bournemouth in July, will focus on the role of local government in the background of economic recession and the general election. The LG Alliance will hold an evening launch of our new international development toolkit...further information

Latest development news

DFID paper on urban development

DFID have launched a new paper on urban development : "Cities - the new frontier". In it, DFID highlights the important role of local government in front line service delivery, and UK councils can contribute to schemes for reducing urban poverty by sharing experience between cities and towns. read more...

2009 statistics on development aid : continuing rise in the UK

Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) published new statistics on development aid for 2009. Last year, the UK was one of the largest donors with US$ 11.7 billion (a net increase of 14.6%). read more...

at home: news from UK councils

UK councils benefit from doing development says survey

A survey by the LG Alliance shows that councils across the UK are actively involved in international development work and through this are bringing benefits back to their local areas. The results highlighted that a variety of activities are taking place across a range of council departments. read more...

South African President visits Lewisham

The south London borough of Lewisham recently played host to the South African President, Jacob Zuma, who found time during his three-day state visit to the UK to promote the work of one of local government's brightest prospects. read more...

UK & Sierra Leone links strengthen in the towns of Hastings

The UK town of Hastings is planning to build on its existing links with its partner in Sierra Leone, Hastings village. They have recently returned from a scoping visit for a technical cooperation project focussing on waste management, funded by the CLGF Good Practice Scheme (GPS). read more...

Staffordshire Consortium working in partnership in Sri Lanka

The Staffordshire Consortium, created in 2005 to assist with the medium and long-term rehabilitation of the tsunami affected areas of Eastern Sri Lanka, have recently agreed an extended programme focussing on health, waste management and university links. read more...

and away: news from overseas

EU dialogue on development

The European Commission (EC) launched a "Structured Dialogue for an efficient partnership in development". This dialogue aims to improve communication with civil society and local authorities involved in EC development cooperation and get them more involved in EC decisions. read more...

European plan on global poverty ignores local priorities

The European Commission released its 12 point plan to support the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs). Despite recognising that; ‘success stories all point to the importance of strong local political engagement’, the plan fails to address the need to further involve and support local government. read more...

Visit the LG alliance website to find out more on what UK local government is doing to fight global poverty and bring benefits to communities and subscribe to our quarterly newsletter

March 2010

Welcome to the latest edition of the LG alliance newsletter. This issue is packed with updates on how councils are responding to the situations in Haiti and Zimbabwe, new reports, opportunities to get involved, funding programmes, details of our upcoming online Fairtrade Q&A and much more..

If you have a story or upcoming event that you would like to include in the next newsletter, please let us know

Upcoming events

Fairtrade Councils - Online Q&A (16-18 March)

Interested in Fairtrade, but not sure how to get your council involved? Achieved Fairtrade status but not sure what next? Following the celebrations in cities & towns across the UK for Fairtrade Fortnight 2010, Hannah Reed, Fairtrade Towns Manager at the Fairtrade Foundations will host an online Q&A session on all things fairtrade. Ask the experts, share your experiences and link up with other Fairtrade enthusiasts facing similar challenges...get involved

Latest news  

Haiti - UK councils quick to respond

UK councils were quick to respond to the recent earthquake disaster in Haiti. Fire and rescue teams from local authorities across the country were some of the first on the scene, and many councils contacted the LGA to find out how they can get involved. read more...

New report on effect of recession on local governments globally

United Cities and Local Governments (UCLG) – the World association for local governments – has recently released a report on the effects of the recession on councils globally. read more...

New Fairtrade guide - just for councils

The Fairtrade Foundation has just released a new guide on how to get involved in Fairtrade, specifically designed for councils. The guide includes details on why councils should support fairtrade, simple steps about what local councils can do, answers to common questions and useful links & further support. Click here to access the guide.

European Committee of the Regions calls for Fair trade Strategy

The European Union’s Committee of the Regions (CoR) has unanimously adopted an opinion calling on local and regional authorities, EU Member States and the European Commission to join forces with the CoR to support fair trade. read more...

Zimbabwe: calling all UK councils

Following calls for capacity building support from new councils in Zimbabwe, the LGA has volunteered to coordinate the local government response. It recently hosted a meeting with UK councils interested in supporting Zimbabwe, to brief councils on the current situation and discuss a possible UK council response. read more...

World Cities call for greater decentralisation and more collaboration

The World Alliance of Cities Against Poverty ended its biennial conference in Rotterdam last Friday with a call for more transparent, accountable, responsible and democratic governance as a precondition for overcoming poverty. The Rotterdam Declaration was issued by conference delegates, including mayors and officials from cities across the world...read more

At home: news from UK councils

Global Learning across North London

Councils and teachers from across several North London boroughs recently got together to look at how local authorities can better support global learning in schools and how this in turn is helping to build more cohesive communities. read more...

Welsh & African communities celebrate UN awards

Over 140 people came together on St David's day to celebrate the work of Welsh and African communities working together to make poverty history. The celebration was focused on three community links who were awarded a United Nations Gold Star....read more

...and away: news from councils overseas

Haiti: municipal reconstruction via a joint Dutch, French and Candian programme

Jaap Breugem from the Dutch Municipal Association, VNG International, describes the urgent need to restore basic services in Haiti and the joint approach to municipal reconstruction in Haiti that is being taken by the French, Canadian and Dutch local authority associations. read more...

Getting involved

Commonwealth Professional Fellowships Scheme

The Commonwealth Scholarships Commission is currently inviting applications from UK local councils to host visits from professionals in developing Commonwealth countries. The aim of the scheme is to share skills and knowledge between Commonwealth countries. Funding is available to cover costs of visits for up to three months (longer visits can be considered). For further information click here

DFID Community Linking Programme Update

A huge thank you to all local authorities and councils who contributed to the consultations for the DFID Community Linking Programme (DCLP). The programme is launching in spring. Register to receive further information at http://www.dfid.gov.uk/dclp

Visit the LG alliance website for more on what UK local government is doing to fight global poverty and bring benefits to local communities

...and subscribe to our quarterly newsletter

November 2009

Welcome to the second edition of the LG alliance newsletter. This issue includes the latest development news affecting local government, updates from UK councils on how they are promoting development, details of the latest opportunities to get involved, and upcoming events.

If you would like details of your activities or forthcoming events to appear in our next newsletter, please let us know

UK Councils Matter in Development

UK councils have been recognised as important development partners. A cross-party group of MPs - the Select Committee on International Development - has recently released a report, which highlights the vital expertise UK Local Government sector can offer in the fight against urban poverty in developing countries. ...read more

Saving Local Democracy in Pakistan 

As the future of Pakistan's democratically elected local government hangs in the balance, leaders from across civil society, business and politics in Pakistan came together recently in Islamabad to call for its protection. The LGA has joined counterparts in Canada and via the Commonwealth Local Government Forum to lend support in calling for the protection of local democracy. ...read more

EU recognises local role in global Climate Change Challenge

The European Parliament’s Environment Committee recognized the role local and regional government can play in the fight against climate change in October 2009.  The Council of European Municipalities and Regions (CEMR) welcomes the news as the Copenhagen Conference on climate change approaches in December.  Visit the Council of European Municipalities and Regions website for more information.

Survey Success!

Thanks to everyone who took the time to complete our survey!  We now have a better understanding of what people working for local government think about global poverty issues and what they think councils in the UK could and should be doing. Congratulations to Claire Wilmer from Camden CSF, who is the winner of the Fairtrade chocolate hamper from Divine Chocolate!  To read more about our survey click here.

Localism for Aid Effectiveness

Global local government politicians highlighted the local contribution to the Aid Effectiveness debate, at a meeting of the United Cities and Local Government world organisation in Guangzhou, China, 10-13th Nov. ...read more

Zimbabwe: calling all UK councils

As Zimbabwe faces a crucial period of transition, the need for support from all levels of government overseas is vital.Councils desperately need the skills and technical expertise to tackle serious backlogs and provide important local services and develop local infrastructure. The call from Zimbabwean local government for support from the UK is now an urgent one. ...read more

Innovation through International Learning - new approaches to social housing

As there is an increasing need for councils to tighten their belts, the case for international learning is perhaps stronger than ever. While councils might not be able to afford site visits overseas, the LGA's international learning service offers international insights on strong public service delivery without the additional costs. ...read more

At home: news from UK councils

Sunderland Experts Share Job Knowledge in South Africa

Sunderland's recently formed partnership with the Local Municipality of Mbombela, South Africa is focussing on job creation. ...read more 

Enfield: Global Learning for All

Enfield council has been developing a 'Global learning for all' policy which aims to maximise the impact of international activities and visits through coordinating this work across the borough....read more

Development Minister meets pupils from Walthamstow

International Development Minister Mike Foster met with pupils from Mission Grove Primary School.  The pupils learned how their eco-friendly actions in Walthamstow can have an impact on the rest of the world.  To read the full article click here.

Getting involved

International Development Community of Practice - now online!

The LG alliance has set up an online community of practice for those working in local government to share advice and resources on development work. ...read more 

Have your say in DFID Community Linking Programme

The new DFID Community Linking Programme will be available next year and the structure of the programme is currently being devised. DFID wants to know about what links currently exist in order to inform how they structure the programme. Please encourage your local community groups to respond to this survey.  The survey closes on the 31st of December.  To let them know about your council links visit www.dfid.gov.uk/dclp

Commonwealth Conversation - Local Government Matters

The Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) 2009 is fast approaching.  The 21st CHOGM will be held in Port of Spain, Trinidad and Tobago.  The Commonwealth Conversation is being conducted online to help inform Commonwealth governments about key issues for the Commonwealth prior to the CHOGM. Make sure that local government issues are on the agenda ...read more

Local Innovation goes Global

Funding programmes are increasingly recognising the expertise that lies in UK local government and providing opportunities for sharing this expertise. £3m funding for the new Local Innovation Awards has recently been announced, which will enable winning authorities to share their best ideas. Beacon councils are also being encouraged to share their expertise with developing countries under the Good Practice Scheme...read more

Sign up to Charter for Global Learning

The DEA is currently promoting their new Global Learning Charter and is looking for signatories who want to demonstrate their commitment to educating people about global issues such as poverty or climate change. ...read more

Events

Global slowdown, local solutions: international comparisons - Report launch and debate

Date: Wednesday 9 December 2009 Location: Local Government House , London

This FREE evening event will take place at Local Government House, Smith Square, London, and will run from 6pm - 8pm.

What can we learn from councils across the world about tackling recession and preparing for the upturn?  How have de-centralised and de-regulated models of local government in other countries achieved results?  How can local government here use international links and experiences to get the most from the upturn?  For more information about the event click here.

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