We’re looking for new members to join the LGcomms committee to bring innovative ideas and better reflect our wider membership in our management.
Our committee needs to represent the sector we serve. Colleagues at all levels and from regions across the country deserve to be able to see themselves in the team leading our organisation. Applications to join the 2022 executive committee open next week on 7 March (details on how to apply below). Before applications open, I’m keen to make sure everyone working in our member organisations knows they can apply to join the team.
Diversity benefits everyone. It’s well reported that diverse teams perform better, enjoy better understanding of the communities served, are more creative and have a wider range of skills.
Yet sadly the most recent LGA Head of Communications survey found that: “More than nine out of 10 (89 per cent) heads of communications were from a white English/Welsh/Scottish/Northern Irish/British ethnic background and just over three-fifths (63 per cent) were aged between 35 and 49 years.”
This plays out on our committee, and we are positively working to change to include more backgrounds and experiences.
We’re building on our mission statement and commitments to be inclusive of ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, socio-economic background, religion, age, physical ability and mental health.
We want to hear from you if you’ve a passion for communications, believe in public service and are ready to contribute to making our industry across the nation a better place to live and work. There is no one size fits all, the right person is you.
We also champion LGcomms as an organisation for all public sector communicators. We have members from a wide range of organisations, with representatives from Fire and NHS services on the executive committee. Our united aims and experiences, especially in recent times of national crisis, have been a powerful shared asset.
At LGcomms, we’ve continued to deliver our offer in a virtual way since Covid hit our world. The easing of restrictions is a time to look forward and put the plans formed during the pandemic into action.
Right now, we have plenty of ventures underway that you can be part of to improve standards in our sector and bring people together for a collaborative future.
Join us in the year ahead to help deliver:
- Expansion of our development seminar offer, with topics, networking, insight sessions and training suited to all career stages
- Closer working with members in our regions to make our sure our organisation is relevant to colleagues across our sector, wherever they may be, and seeking new members in new locations to help make this happen
- Improving our diversity at all levels and for all backgrounds as we strive to build a better future for our industry
- Supporting our flagship development programme Future Leaders
- Organisation of our annual Public Sector Academy conference working with GCS
- Building on the bonds of collaboration that have proved so beneficial during the pandemic years, with partners such as LGA, GCS and the PRCA as well as across our differing organisations
- Developing the relationships with our business partners which bring new ideas into local government for the benefit of our residents
If you would like to find out more about what is involved, please email Alix Macfarlane, LGcomms chair, alix.macfarlane@lgcomms.org.uk, with any questions or to arrange an informal chat.
How to apply
- Anyone in an LGcomms member organisation can apply to join the executive committee
- Applications can be submitted on our website from Tuesday 7 March to Tuesday 19 April, the link to the application form will be widely shared
- The current executive committee will review all applications
- New committee members are decided at the Annual General Meeting every Spring. This years’ AGM takes place on Tuesday 26 April
- Apply using the application form
Alix Macfarlane, Chair of LGcomms
@AlixMac