CLGF’s Secretary General considers the challenge of finding the resources - financial and otherwise – to enable local government to deliver high quality services and effective representation and make the 17 SDGs a reality by 2030.Read more…

Conference website goes live – register now!

For all the latest information about CLGF’s 2017 Commonwealth Local Government Conference taking place in Malta from 21-24 November, take a look at our newly launched conference website.

As well as being able to secure your place, you can learn more about the conference theme - Fit for the future – and the programme, as more speakers are added; and get all the practical information you’ll need about Malta, including visas and accommodation, to make sure you get the most from the conference.

CLGF news

CLGF made an important contribution to the initial preparations for the 4th LED World Forum which takes place next October in Cabo Verde. Read more about the Executive meeting held in Brussels earlier this month and the CLGF Secretary-General’s view on the key issues for discussion.

Delegates at a two day workshop in Islamabad have set the priorities and activities for a new programme to support local councils associations in more effectively representing their members and helping them to deliver for their communities.Find out more

CLGF joined a host of Commonwealth organisations and the people of the 52 countries of the Commonwealth to celebrate this year’s Commonwealth Day on Monday 13 March. With a special message from HM Queen Elizabeth II to the two and a half billion people of the Commonwealth countries,read more

Local government news

Australia’s Federal Government is offering $50 million to help its local governments, and a range of other organisations, become more innovative. For more information read more

Wellington has become the first non-Australian city to join the Australian Smart Communities Association (ASCA). Under the recently created international affiliate cities category the city joins organisations from Germany, the Netherlands and Switzerland. Read more

Sanitation and clean water are key to the physical and economic wellbeing of Pakistan. Find out more about how an e-governance initiative is helping local governments to stay on top of local environmental issues and ensure that complaints are addressed.

Commonwealth news

The Commonwealth Secretary-General, The Rt Hon Patricia Scotland QC offers her condolences and a statement about the terror attack in London.

Ghana celebrated 60 years of independence on 6 March. Find out more about local government in Ghana and take a look at the CLGF country profile for Ghana.

The Commonwealth Youth Council launched the I AM ABLE campaign in Kenya to support disabled young people across the Commonwealth. Find out more about the campaign and what it aims to achieve

For the first time, Buckingham Palace and Windsor Castle will be among the Commonwealth Summit venues when the Commonwealth Heads of State meet in 2018. Read more

Launched on Commonwealth Day and distributed widely to policy makers, business leaders, investors and opinion formers across the Commonwealth, this book of articles is available on the website and will help to foster sustainable economic, social and environmental development across the 52 member countries. On page 104, CLGF’s Dr Greg Munro explores the role of local government in promoting and achieving the SDGs.

Foreign ministers on the Commonwealth Ministerial Action Group (CMAG) have highlighted the crucial role of the Commonwealth in promoting democracy and peace building.Read more about the Group’s fiftieth meeting.

2017 conference theme

In the run up to November’s Commonwealth Local Government Conference in Malta focusing on resources and capacity for effective local government, we are highlighting examples of innovation from across the Commonwealth.Discover why Aberdeen City Council has been shortlisted for the 2017 Public Finance Innovation Awards

CLGF knowledge hub

The newly launched Commonwealth Local Government Knowledge Hub is a fully searchable repository of research papers, reports, policy document and other materials related to local governance. Organised into eight thematic areas:local democracy, local government finance, local government service delivery, women in local government, local government in small states, global development agenda, cities and urbanisation and local economic developmentlearn about the latest developments in Commonwealth local government.

What’s new and other opportunities

Applications for the CLGF Scholarship for distance learning Masters in Public Administration at the Institute of Local Government Studies, University of Birmingham will now be accepted up to and including 31 May 2017. Full details can be found online.

Calling on young entrepreneurs aged 15 and 35, across the globe, to enter the Youth Citizen Entrepreneurship Competition

The French association of the Council of European Municipalities and Regions (AFCCRE) is drafting a publication on Climate and energy local and regional cooperation: a panorama of European and non-European partnerships and would like to hear about your experiences and good practice examples. To find out more, contactSabine MARTORELL

Get in touch: Do you have a news story that would be of interest to others involved in local government? Email us at enews@clgf.org.uk