Background to SIGOMA

SIGOMA is a campaigning network of urban local authorities, we are open to all metropolitan districts outside London and to urban unitary councils sharing similar characteristics with our existing members.

We have metropolitan and unitary councils with a total of 45 members, stretching from the north-east and north-west , through Yorkshire and the Midlands to the south-west coast. Our members have a combined population of 13 million people, making SIGOMA one of the largest special interest groups (SIGs) within the Local Government Association (LGA) and accountable for about 25% of local government spending in England.

SIGOMA is structured in the following way:

How SIGOMA works

Views and concerns from SIGOMA members are channeled through meetings and groups of member authorities:

• Full Member Meetings of elected representatives from each SIGOMA authority are held quarterly. To enable SIGOMA to operate as a representative and effective interest group, several sub-groups have been established.
• Executive Committee, comprising of Councillors for members authorities, meets every quarter and is responsible for overseeing the work of the whole SIGOMA group, agreeing priorities and setting broad objectives.
• A Technical Officers group of finance experts and accountants from each authority also networks and meets to work out joint projects as well as share information, as does a group of Urban Policy Officers.
• SIGOMA has a Parliamentary Group of MP’s representing constituencies in member authorities. Regular meetings with MP’s and an increase in overall activity of MP’s on SIGOMA’s behalf have strengthened this relationship.
• The SIGOMA Office works to the Executive and Parliamentary group. It is responsible for servicing all SIGOMA groups, carrying out research and managing projects.