Lyons Inquiry into Local Government
Lyons Inquiry:
Lyons publishes summary of stakeholder events
Lyons Inquiry Press Notice: 14 November 2006
 
Sir Michael Lyons has today published three papers from some of his recent stakeholder engagement work. The first two set out the key issues discussed at the recent councillor and business engagement events held over the summer, the third provides a brief account of the Lyons Inquiry Economic Prosperity Conference held on 14 September 2006.
Sir Michael said:
"I am keen for the issues discussed at these events to be a matter of public record - they illustrate that matters of concern to local government are of equal concern to businesses and the wider community. By publishing these documents I hope I am helping to continue to extend the forum for debate and to demonstrate the levels of interest and engagement around the country in these matters"
The councillor and business meetings formed one element of a wide programme of consultation and stakeholder engagement that was undertaken as part of the evidence gathering and testing process for Sir Michaels independent Inquiry into Local Government and debated issues including:
'Economic Prosperity the local contribution' included speakers such as John Healey, Financial Secretary to HM Treasury, Ruth Kelly, Secretary of State for the Department for Communities & Local Government, Lord Bruce-Lockhart of the LGA and Sir Digby Jones, former Director General of the CBI. The conference examined the emerging role for local authorities and other agencies in promoting economic growth. In particular it looked at why "the local" mattered in the context of globalisation and international competition.
These short papers are available on the Lyons Inquiry website. Further papers will be published over the next few months including a report of the public engagement events on Monday 20 November 2006.
Notes for Editors
  1. For the business events the Lyons Inquiry worked closely with a range of organisations including CBI, BCC, London First and the Small Business Service to invite a representative selection of businesses (by sector and by size) working in Coventry, Leeds; London and Newbury. Over 150 business people attended across the four meetings.
  2. For the councillor events publicity was placed in The Municipal Journal, Local Government First and on the Lyons Inquiry website seeking applicants to attend. The Inquiry held three councillor events; in London (with support from London Councils formerly the ALG), Warwickshire (with the help of Warwickshire County Council) and in Liverpool (with the help of Liverpool City Council). 75 councillors attended these meetings in total.
  3. Over 320 people attended the Economic Prosperity conference on 14 September 2006. The event was sponsored by BCC and Angle Plc and supported by the HM-Treasury, Department for Communities and Local Government and the Local Government Association.
  4. Sir Michael Lyons was originally commissioned in July 2004 by the Deputy Prime Minister and the Chancellor to make recommendations on how to reform the local government funding system by December 2005. On 20 September 2005 the remit of the Inquiry was extended to enable Sir Michael to consider issues of function before finalising his conclusions on funding.
  5. On 15 December 2005 Sir Michael issued a consultation paper and interim report. A further paper was published in May 2006 entitled "National Prosperity, local choice and civic engagement". The Inquiry will conclude with a final report to Ministers in December 2006.
  6. Copies of the reports, submissions, research commissioned, and the terms of reference for the Inquiry, can be found on the Lyons Inquiry website.