A selection of photos of the Liberal Democrat Local Government Conference in June 2010 are now available online at ALDC's Flickr site.

Many thanks to Alex Folkes and Jonathan Wallace for the photos!

Nick Clegg, Deputy Prime Minister, addresses the Lib Dem Local Government Conference

Training with London Councils on "Cabinet Member for your Ward"

Delegates discussing issues in a training session. 

Nick arriving at LG House, greeted by LGA Lib Dem Group Leader Cllr Richard Kemp.

Liberal Democrat leaders of the cities of Bristol, Portsmouth and Sheffield with Liberal Democrat local government Under-Secretary of State Andrew Stunell MP

The Local Government Association has organised an event specifically aimed at councillors to help them understand more about local government finance.  In particular it looks at:

• how local government finance is allocated to councils
• roles and responsibilities, including the role of elected members
• current issues in local government finance
• how local government finance should be reformed

It is being held on 10th September at Local Government House in Smith Square in Westminster.  It is £150 for councillors from authorities who are LGA members.  More details are available here.

The new coalition government has committed to a huge increase in energy from waste through anaerobic digestion.  If this is an area in which you are interested, ALDC has been sent details of a conference and tradeshow that may be useful - UK AD and Biogas 2010 is the event to attend this year if you are involved in or interested in this area.

• meet leading suppliers, industry experts, financiers, local authorities, researchers, government agencies and developers in our buzzing exhibition
• network with representatives from the agricultural, waste, energy, finance, water, retail and local authority sectors
• hear Government Ministers and other high profile speakers give exclusive insight into ‘The Future of Anaerobic Digestion in the UK’ at our two-day conference (separate paid entry)
• attend FREE workshops, seminars and masterclasses packed with practical advice and discussions.

• Ministers from DECC and DEFRA
• David Kennedy, Chief Executive, The Committee on Climate Change
• Lord Oxburgh
• Gwyn Jones, Vice President, NFU
• Steve Smith, Senior Partner, Local Grids and RPI-X@20, Ofgem
• Dr Martin Bigg, Head of Policy, Environment Agency
• Chris Matthews, Head of Sustainability, United Utilities
• Paul Turner, Head of Sustainable Development, Lloyds Banking Group
• Patrick Miller, Director, Deutsche Bank
• Marcus Gover, Director of Market Development Programmes, WRAP 
• Mark Bugler, Energy Technology and Innovation Manager, British Gas New Energy
• Stuart Hayward Higham, Technical Director, Sita
• Samantha Fuller, Development Manager, Scottish & Southern Energy

Cllr Roger Gough and Cllr Arian Naylor (the elected member representatives from the Total Place Kent and Bradford pilots) would like to invite you to the national members event at Westminster Central Hall on the 21st May 2010.   

This is a national event where leading figures from national and local government will be setting out their thoughts on where Total Place takes us.  

Members from across the Total Place pilots, parallel places and other areas interested in this type of work will have an opportunity to hear feedback from the final reports and what we have learned, particularly about the blockages.  Political change is an important part of the equation as solutions cannot always be delivered through ‘managerial action’. Political backing is therefore essential in taking this initiative forward.  

We do hope you will be able to join us at this milestone event.  Please RSVP to john.jarvis@localleadership.gov.uk or on 0207 187 7385.’