LLG launches professional body for monitoring officers with Rachel McKoy as Executive Director

The official name for the organisation and its logo will be unveiled next week at the LLG Governance Conference 2025.

LLG said the new body – first floated in report by law firm Browne Jacobson with the LGiU and LLG in 2023 – comes “at a pivotal moment for standards and governance in the local government sector”.

It added that it had constituted the professional body to reflect a recommendation in the 2023 report that one be established to reflect the same standing as the Chartered Institute of Public Finance and Accountancy and Society of Local Authority Chief Executives (SOLACE).

The new body will operate a shadow committee until April 2027 when elections for positions will take place amongst its membership.

The committee will be made of a spread of Monitoring Officers including those who are non-legally qualified and be chaired by the current LLG MO and National Lead, Helen Bradley.

LLG meanwhile said McKoy is “a champion for local government lawyers, Monitoring Officers and good governance within a range of sectors”.

She holds the following roles: NED and Board Solicitor for SOLACE; Chair of the Professional Conduct and Disciplinary Committee BCS (Chartered Institute for IT) and Lay Trustee (Legal & Governance) Westminster University Student Union.

Deborah Evans, CEO of LLG, said: “The creation of the professional body for Monitoring Officers marks a pivotal moment for local governance in the UK. By bringing this new association into the LLG family, we are strengthening the support, voice and professional resilience of Monitoring Officers at a time when ethical leadership and robust governance have never been more essential”

Bradley said: “I am delighted a professional body will be established to provide dedicated support to Monitoring Officers and Deputy Monitoring Officers, as well as develop strategy, best practice and professional standards to help strengthen local authority governance.”

Paul Turner, LLG President and driving force behind the creation of the new body, meanwhile said: “I’m really excited about the launch of the professional body. I have long felt that Monitoring Officers need this - Chief Executives have SOLACE, Finance Officers have CIPFA, but up until now Monitoring Officers haven’t had the same support. I am delighted that LLG has agreed to act as the parent organisation for the new body and it’s great to see the hard work starting to take effect.”

Commenting on her appointment, Rachel Mckoy described the launch of the professional body as a seminal moment for Monitoring Officers and Deputy Monitoring Officers.

"The body has been created by us, for us, and will be instrumental in providing our family with an established home rooted in the advancement of our interests," she said.

Helen Bennett, Executive Director of Policy and Governance at LLG, added: "Rachel’s appointment will be instrumental to the success of the new professional body and is a real asset to the LLG team as a whole. Working alongside Rachel will enable cross cutting sector support and a tangible positive impact on the work LLG began in order to influence the governance regime.”