Bournemouth is the venue for this year's Liberal Democrat Federal Party Conference (19-23 September 2009). (Book online here.)

For local campaigners and councillors this is a hugely important conference. It is the last time we will all be together for such a big event before the London and English "thirds" local elections on 6 May 2010, and, of course, the General Election. 

Come a Day Early!

Although conference "proper" doesn't start until later on Saturday, our training programme kicks off first thing Saturday making it well worth coming to Bournemouth on Friday evening or very first thing Saturday if you can.

We have a full day of Campaign Planning Workshops (four separate half day sessions) all about WINNING in 2010. There are separate workshops for groups who have local elections but no target parliamentary seats, and for groups who have local elections AND target parliamentary seats.

Campaign Essentials

All of us had to start somewhere, and there is a danger with training that we forget the basics of how we win. From Sunday - Tuesday at Bournemouth we're running a series of Campaign Essentials training aimed not just at newcomers, but also people who want to refresh their knowledge. 

Super-Skilled Councillors

Finally we have a packed training programme from Sunday - Tuesday aimed at Lib Dem Councillors. Sessions range from climate change, health scrutiny, using the internet, helping citizens through the recession, recruiting council candidates and much more. 

All in all that's almost 50 hours of ALDC training, all FREE, all for Lib Dem local campaigners and local councillors. 

More information nearer the time, in our Conference Directory.  

A memorial service to mark the life of former Stockport and Leeds Councillor Maggie Clay will take place: 

Monday 29 June 2009, 12.00noon
Stockport Town Hall

People who wish to attend should let Alison Morrissey at Stockport Town Hall know, so that there is an idea of numbers. 

Maggie's family have nominated the Stockport Mayor’s Charity and Send a Cow for any friends and colleagues who would wish to make a donation in Maggie’s memory. Arrangements have been made for this to be administered by Alison Morrissey in the Stockport Chief Executive’s office. If you wish to make a donation by cheque please make the cheque payable to the ‘Maggie Clay Memorial Fund’’

Maggie served over time as Organising and Political Secretary of ALDC's predecessor organisation, the Association of Liberal Councillors and will by much missed by Liberal and Lib Dem campaigners and councillors up and down the country. 

Thank you to everyone who attended the Liberal Democrat Local Government Conference in Sheffield this weekend.  The event proved a great success with a full programme of speeches, training sessions, policy discussions and briefings, as well as stalls from many of the key local government organisations, party bodies and outside organisations such as Midas Training and Northern Rail.

The highlights for many seemed to be the speeches from Cllr Paul Scriven, on the success we are having on Sheffield City Council and a session on environmental good practice from Cllr Keith Moffitt, the Lib Dem Leader of Camden Council.

If you missed the conference, or want a recap on what happened, then Liberal Democrat Voice are posting podcasts of the plenary sessions on their website.  The first one - voxpops from people attending - is already available.  Later today you will be able to listen to the opening plenary with Nick Clegg and Ros Scott.

If you were in Sheffield this weekend and want to pass on any feedback both positive and on how we could have made the event better, then please email Emma Hall at emma.hall@aldc.org.

We know that many of you will have been so involved with the recent elections that you will have had little chance to do anything else for the last few weeks and months. Now that you have a bit more free time on your hands, don’t delay and book your place at the Liberal Democrat Local Government Conference on Saturday 20 June 2009 in Sheffield.   

Why not come on Friday evening for the 3rd annual Lib Dem Local Government dinner hosted by Party President Ros Scott. It's just £30 a head, and you can stay overnight at the conference hotel, the Mercure St Paul's, (you do need to pay this yourself – further details available on the website). With the dinner, the conference and the accommodation all in the same venue it should be an excellent opportunity for networking and meeting other Lib Dem Councillors and activists.

If you're planning on coming to the Liberal Democrat Local Government Conference on Saturday 20 June 2009 in Sheffield - you'd be daft to miss out on the current discount rate which ends on Sunday 31 May 2009.

Currently ALDC Gold Members can register for £35 (£40 for Silver and Party/Group Staff; £45 for others); but from the end of Sunday all prices go up by £5. Don't forget if there are four of you going it's buy three get the 4th for free!

If you're NOT planning on coming, then perhaps you should! It's a packed day that starts with Nick Clegg and Ros Scott; ends with Julia Goldsworthy and Sheffield Leader Paul Scriven with over 25 hours of training, fringe, policy and debate in between!

More information on our website here.