Brighton and Hove Conservative leader chosen for senior Local Government Association role

The opposition Conservative group leader on Brighton and Hove City Council has been chosen to sit for a senior role at the Local Government Association (LGA).

Councillor Geoffrey Theobald was picked by his peers to be a member of the LGA’s new Environment, Economy, Housing and Transport Board.

The board will have a crucial role in promoting the role of local councils in supporting sustainable economic growth across the country.

The LGA is the national voice of local government and works with councils of all political colours to support, promote and improve local government. Almost all councils in England are members of the LGA.

Councillor Geoffrey Theobald

Councillor Theobald has been a senior member of the LGA for many years and for the past two years has been a member of the Environment and Housing Board.

This has now been replaced by the new more wide-ranging board.

Councillor Theobald said: “I am very pleased to have been chosen to serve on this new board which will be one of the most important at the LGA.

“I am especially interested in exploring how councils can help contribute to economic growth in their areas and I do have experience of this with my role on the new Greater Brighton Economic Board.

“The environment, housing and transport are all vitally important issues in their own right but are also all vital to achieving sustainable economic growth.

“The LGA does have the ear of government ministers and so this lobbying work is very important in improving the lives of the city’s residents.”

Council leader Jason Kitcat was a member of LGA’s Economy and Transport Board until it became the new Environment, Economy, Housing and Transport Board.

Councillor Kitcat is on the nine-member executive of the Key Cities group of 23 mid-sized cities.

He was also recently appointed an accredited peer by the LGA which means that he mentors and supports other councillors and councillor groups around the country.