Building Stronger Communities: A Look at the Lincolnshire Association of Local Councils Conference
Last week, the Lincolnshire Showground's Epic Centre was buzzing with activity as the Lincolnshire Association of Local Councils (LALC) held its annual conference. The event drew a significant gathering of local leaders and community advocates, including the Mayor, Dame Andrea Jenkyns and Cllr Sean Matthews, the leader of Lincolnshire County Council, who officially opened the day.
One of the key themes of the conference was looking at collective efforts and ways to build a better, stronger future for Lincolnshire. It was a privilege to engage with numerous town and parish councillors within this vital topic by hosting a roundtable on Societal Resilience. The interest in fostering stronger, more resilient communities was evident, particularly during the discussion focused on community resilience.
Our session aimed to demystify what community resilience truly entails. A significant portion of the discussion revolved around the practical steps of setting up a Community Emergency Response Team (CERT). We emphasized the importance of involving the wider community in this process, ensuring that resilience efforts are truly grassroots and inclusive. Furthermore, we guided councillors through the essential stages of writing a comprehensive plan and concluded with a tabletop emergency scenario exercise designed to put those plans into action.
It was truly encouraging to witness the keen interest and proactive approach from the town and parish councillors. Their dedication to safeguarding their communities and empowering local residents to respond effectively to emergencies was inspiring. Our greatest hope is that these councillors will take what they learned back to their local communities, encouraging and empowering residents to form CERT groups and be better prepared to respond and recover from emergencies. Events like the LALC conference are crucial for fostering two-way discussions with councillors, allowing us to answer questions, debunk misinformation, and empower them to raise awareness of these initiatives in their local communities, ultimately equipping Lincolnshire with the knowledge and tools needed to build a more resilient future.
