ALDC has a great programme of events at Spring Conference coming up on 21-23 March in Harrogate.
We have a full schedule of training and fringes – teaming up with LGA Lib Dems and Green Lib Dems to deliver some of our sessions.
Fringe
Our fringe events are co-hosted with LGA Liberal Democrats. We have two fringe discussions at Spring Conference as well as the Local Government Reception.
Local Government Reception
Friday 21 March – 20:00 to 21:30
Harrogate Conference Centre, King’s Suite Conservatory
All friends of Local Government welcome are welcome! With Cllr Joe Harris (Leader LGA Lib Dem Group) and Ed Davey MP
Reporting back from the ‘front line’ of local government reform
Saturday 22 March – 13:00 to 14:00
Harrogate Convention Centre, Queen’s Suite, Meeting Room 6
Hear from Liberal Democrat Councillors who have fought the forced abolition of district councils and from those who have recent experience of going into a unitary council.
Panel: Cllr Bridget Smith (Deputy Leader LGA Liberal Democrats), Cllr Peter Thornton (Westmorland and Furness), Cllr Theo Butt-Philip (Somerset) and Vikki Slade MP.
Improving recycling in an era of change (with Friends of the Earth)
Saturday 22 March – 18:15 to 19:15
Harrogate Convention Centre, Queen’s Suite, Meeting Room 6
As councils prepare to introduce significant changes to household waste collection over the next few years, hear best practice from Lib Dem councils and councillors on how to improve local recycling in an
era of change.
Panel: Cllr Janet Battye (Westmoreland and Furness), Cllr Nick Ireland (leader Dorset Council), Cllr Mark Roberts (Stockport), Cllr Vic Chamberlain (Southwark and LGA Liberal Democrats) and Victoria Marsom (Friends of the Earth).
Training
We have some excellent training sessions with experienced councillors and campaigners. As well as delivering sessions as part of the Be a Councillor programme – aimed at people who want to stand for the Liberal Democrats in local government elections and local parties wishing to find new candidates – we have sessions of winning in the local elections, designing great literature and deeper looks at how local government works and how we can campaign on environmental issues.
ALDC Stall
ALDC staff will be available all weekend at our stall in the Exhibition Centre of the Conference. We will be there for help and advice, and we will have books and other resources for sale – and of course you and other members can join ALDC. Please pay us a visit and say hello!
Emergency Motion
ALDC has tabled an emergency motion for debate at conference on Local Government Re-organisation. Please vote for this motion to be debated. Members of conference will receive a ballot by email at 17:00 on Friday 21 March, please vote for ALDC’s emergency motion by 13:00 on Saturday 22 March.
ALDC Emergency Motion to Conference
Democracy Delayed is Democracy Denied
Conference notes that:
- On 5 February 2025, the government announced that local elections in 9 councils would be postponed for at least a year
- The last general election demonstrated sweeping electoral change in this country.
- The local authorities whose elections have been postponed have not had election since 2021 in what was a wholly different political climate.
Conference believes that: - The government should have reversed their decision to postpone local elections this May.
- Voters have been denied their democratic right to vote for their local representatives, some of whom may now serve for seven years.
- Local people are entitled to local authorities that represent their values and beliefs.
- The government has failed to provide clarity about when the postponed elections will take place, even suggesting that some elections will have two elections in two years; one in 2026 for the council due to be abolished and one in 2027 for the council due to be established.
- Devolution is about shifting power out of the centre in Westminster and Whitehall, so that decisions are made by the people and communities they affect.
Conference re-affirms: - The Liberal Democrat commitments to representative local government
Conference calls on the UK Government to: - Reverse their disastrous decision to postpone local elections in nine areas this May.
- Adopt proportional representation for all local elections in England.
- Agree that local government reorganisation should only take place when there is full consultation with existing structures and when local consensus is reached.
The full agenda for conference can be found here and you can still register to attend here.