There are a number of positions which will be elected at the UNISON South East Local Government AGM and Conference 2024.
In the run up to the AGM, branches and regional self organised groups are invited to make nominations for these various positions.
Below you will find information on what’s required for each position. Hopefully this will be helpful for members interesting in being nominated, so they can better understand what they will be asked to do if elected.
Key regional roles
Chair and vice chair of the local government committee
The chair and vice chair form the chairs group of the service group in the region. They are responsible for chairing the LG AGM (October) and Seminar (February), and all executive committee meetings – that’s around 6 events per year.
The chairs group works closely with the region’s head of local government (committee secretary) to prepare agendas for all meetings, and to occasionally take urgent decisions between meetings under chairs’ actions. They work with the secretary to prepare reports on the work of the service group for the national conference, regional council and regional committee.
UNISON South East local government executive committee (25 seats)
The regional LG executive committee (or LG exec) meets 2-4 times per year, in the interims between the regional LG service group’s October AGM, and February Seminar. The exec has 25 seats elected by the AGM, and there are specific seats depending on where you are employed (eg, County Council seats) and what category you identify with (eg, women’s seats). The full breakdown of seat types can be found in the regional LG service group’s constitution.
The exec is an operational committee which delivers on the policies, priorities and objectives set by the AGM and Seminar. It discusses bargaining within the service group (eg, pay), as well as campaigns and organising.
Meetings are currently held online, although this may change once the Woking office is opened and UNISON Centre in London completes a refurbishment.
Regional representative to LESE TUC public services committee (2 seats)
The regional LG service group elects 2 representatives to attend the London, Eastern, and South East (LESE) regional Trade Union Congress’s public services committee.
The public service committee brings together representatives from all trade unions that work in public services to discuss shared objectives and priorities. It helps coordinate our work across different industries within the public service area (eg, local government and NHS). It normally meets online about four times per year. The LG rep is expected to attend most meetings, raise issues relevant to LG members, and report back to the LG service group.
LG reserved seats on other UNISON South East committees
Regional committee (2 seats)
The service group has 2 reserved seats on the UNISON South East regional committee. At least 1 of these must be a woman.
The regional committee meets 3 to 4 times per year. It is the operational body of the regional council. It involves UNISON members from across the South East from every service group. The LG rep is expected to attend most meetings, raise issues relevant to LG members, and report back to the LG service group.
Meetings are currently held online, although this may change once the Woking office is opened and UNISON Centre in London completes a refurbishment.
Development and Organising committee (1 seat)
The service group has 1reserved seat on the region’s Development and Organising (D&O) strategic committee.
The D&O monitors recruitment and organising in all the region’s branches and supports them to meet the requirements of the code of good branch practice. The LG rep is expected to attend most meetings, raise issues relevant to LG members, and report back to the LG service group.
D&O meets 3 to 4 times per year and meetings are currently held online, although this may change once the Woking office is opened and UNISON Centre in London completes a refurbishment.
Finance and Resource Management committee (1 seat)
The service group has 1 reserved seat on the region’s Finance and Resource Management (FRM) strategic committee.
The FRM committee overseas all regional lay finances, and considers bids from branches to a number of different regional funds. The LG rep is expected to attend most meetings, raise issues relevant to LG members, and report back to the LG service group.
FRM meets 3 to 4 times per year and meetings are currently held online, although this may change once the Woking office is opened and UNISON Centre in London completes a refurbishment.
UNISON national LG conference positions
Regional representative (2 seats)
UNISON’s national Local Government Conference takes place in person over two days in June. In 2025 it will be held in Liverpool.
Regions are all invited to send 2 representatives to the conference. At least 1 of these must be a woman.
The regional reps, along with the head of local government, support and advise branch delegates at the event. The regional reps also chair the pre-conference meeting of delegates attending from the South East, and move any motions or amendments agreed by the region.
Please note you cannot attend the conference as a regional rep and hold any other position at the conference (eg, a branch delegate).
Representative to national LG standing orders committee (1 seat)
The national LG conference has its own Standing Orders Committee (SOC). The SOC considers the competency of motions and the agenda for conference.
The region is invited to elect 1 representative to the LG SOC. The SOC normally meets 2-3 times in advance of the June conference. These meetings may be in-person, or online (or hybrid) and could be held anywhere in the UK. The SOC rep is expected to attend all meetings, as well as the June conference.
The region’s rep will report back to the regional service group on relevant matters from the national LG SOC’s meetings. The LG SOC rep also has a role, alongside the chairs group and head of local government, with considering the competency of any motions submitted for the region’s AGM (October) and Seminar (February).
Tellers (2 seats)
The region is invited to elect two tellers to UNISON’s national LG conference. At least one must be a woman.
Tellers assist with card votes at the conference (which happen in the event of a close vote). Training is provided.
Tellers must also themselves be branch delegates to the conference. It is advisable that tellers come from branches that are sending more than one full delegate to the event.
Find out more details about the 2024 AGM (including the nomination form and timetable)
All nominations are general – unless otherwise stated. General seats can be occupied by a full UNISON member from the South East region of any gender. Low paid seats must be occupied by women earning less than £12.70 per hour.
