This is the time of year when we traditionally think of the August recess, members (thankfully!) disappearing for a few weeks and democratic services officers getting some respite from the constant round of meetings. But these are not normal times and I hope you all manage to take a break with your families and friends. You deserve it so much!
Regional meetings
I have had the pleasure of attending a number of remote regional meetings over the last month or so. They have been a great success and I would like to thank all those regional representatives who have chaired them so well. They have also attracted large numbers, with the recent South East meeting having over 50 participants. Not surprisingly, most of the discussion has been around remote meetings and it’s been great to hear from many different authorities and see just how well you have all done. I have said this before but I am so proud of you all. A situation none of us would have wished for, has propelled you all into the forefront of local democracy (if you weren’t there already) and I feel you are now getting the recognition you and our profession so richly deserves.
I have just attended the Eastern region meeting (on 17 July) via Zoom which attracted over 50 participants. It was excellently chaired and organised by Emma Tombs and Debbie Janes with a wide range of topics discussed. Well done and thank you to both and to all those who attended. It was so encouraging to see a number of ADSO members attending their first regional meeting due to the fact that it was being held remotely. Hopefully they will be back for more! John Lynch also attended from the Board and we were both so impressed with the work done across all authorities in setting up remote meetings so successfully, often with little or no IT support. It really confirms my comment above about the professionalism, dedication and commitment of DSOs.
I’m now looking forward to the inaugural meeting of the Themed and Combined Authority region on 24th July.
Membership – Early Bird discount
I am pleased to say that we have also seen a rise in ADSO memberships. We now total 1118 across 292 authorities mostly in England but also a couple in Wales. This is our highest ever total and I hope it will increase in the coming months. It also shows the value being placed on membership of a professional body during such difficult times.
Whilst I am on the subject of membership, the early bird offer begins in August when people can join ADSO with their membership running through to October 2021. So potentially 15 months membership for the cost of 12. Membership fees remain the same. So if you know anybody thinking of joining, or who you think may benefit from membership, please encourage them to sign up.
LLG & ADSO Webinars
I took part in a Lawyers in Local Government webinar on 15 July on the draft code of conduct. The Society of Local Council Clerks (SLCC) were also involved. It was good to see such common agreement across all three professional associations on what changes are required to the draft. I have asked LLG if ADSO members can access the recording of the webinar on their website. As soon as I receive the link, I will post it on the Code of Conduct thread on our members’ forum. It’s also pleasing to see that comments are being made via the forum. Please let us have your views so we can submit well informed comments to the LGA.
Watch this space for details of the first ADSO webinars coming soon.
ADSO Forum
Recent posts on the members’ forum include:
- redacting published committee reports;
- public attending meetings;
- draft code of conduct;
- virtual meetings – hearings;
- hybrid meetings- technology; and
- Town Boards set up under the Government’s Town Deals initiative. There are some very interesting topics and I would encourage you to get involved in the discussions.
ADSO Awards deadline – 31 July
Finally, another plug for the ADSO awards. The deadline is 31 July. We are hoping for a large number of entries this year as you have so many great stories to tell. We have made it as easy as possible to submit your application so please take this great opportunity to showcase your council and your teams.
John Austin, ADSO Chair