About us
The Local Government Association (LGA) is the voice of local government − not just of councils but of local government in its widest sense.
As the national membership body for local authorities, we provide the bridge between central and local government and we help councils deliver the best services to their local communities.
“If the LGA didn’t exist, we’d have to invent it”*
In 2022 the LGA took part in a Corporate Peer Challenge to the same methodology as applies to councils. The peer team concluded that the LGA remains a “strong organisation” that has continued to improve since its last review in 2015, and highlighted the important role the LGA has played supporting councils to respond to a number of national crises in recent years.
Our members
Our core members are English councils in full membership (315 of the 317 councils in England) and 22 Welsh unitary councils in corporate membership through the Welsh LGA.
Our Associate members include fire and rescue authorities, fire, police and crime commissioners (PCCs), national parks authorities and town and parish councils through their membership body National Association of Local Councils (NALC). We also support a number of Special Interest Groups formed by groups of authorities with a common cause.
Our purpose
We exist to promote, improve and support local government.
We are politically-led and cross-party and we work to give local government a strong, credible voice with national government and across the political parties. Supported by our team of experts covering every area of local government activity, we influence and set the political agenda on the issues that matter to our members so they can deliver local solutions to national problems.
We know that priorities change and that we need to stay relevant to all our membership. We work across the breadth of local government, drawing in every tier of interest to promote and defend the reputation of the sector, focusing our efforts where we can have real impact.
Our policy development is at the heart of the LGA, as we lobby on behalf of the sector. This work covers a wide range of topics – from local government finance and funding, to devolution, housing, waste, transport and more.
Our communications activity ensures the work of the LGA is seen and heard in the corridors of power. With daily appearances in national print, broadcast and online media; flagship events and conferences; a growing social media presence and support for our campaigns; and a strong profile with parliamentarians we work heard to make the case for our sector.
Our extensive range of improvement programmes are sector-led and peer-based. Using expertise drawn from the sector, we build the capacity of councils to improve, so they can drive sustainable growth, deliver better public services and empower communities.
The LGA provides a range of practical support, on a free of charge and/or subsidised basis, to enable local authorities to exploit the opportunities that this approach to improvement provides. This includes support of a corporate nature such as leadership programmes, peer challenge, LG Inform (our benchmarking service) and programmes tailored to specific service areas such as children’s, adults’, health, care, financial, culture, tourism, sport and planning services.
Further Reading
* quote from 2023 peer challenge report