This month:
Bequests ~ 2027 Officers ~ Treasurer Handovers ~ 2026 Accounts Prep ~ Local Election Agents ~ Kickstart ~ Data Protection Regulator

Whether you’ve just had one or are about to have your AGM, here are some important actions for you:

1. Notify HQ of your Lighthouse superusers for the new year
   You can do this by either:
   a) Using the “duplicate all roles” button on Lighthouse (> Roles > System Users), or;
   b) Emailing the Tech Team: support@libdems.org.uk
2. List your 2027 officers on Lighthouse
   Superusers need to do this urgently so role-holders don’t miss out on important information. Also, we need to inform the Electoral Commission of who your Chair and Treasurer will be.
3. Data protection training
   New appointees / existing officers needing a refresher after 12 months are encouraged to complete our online UK GDPR training. Also, the person responsible for personal data in your local party / group should complete the Data Protection Checklist if there has been significant changes in personnel and / or processes.

Please see our resources below to help run a successful event and complete important post-AGM actions:

• Guide to AGMs
• Boundary Changes / Mergers & De-Mergers
• UK GDPR training
• Data Protection Checklist

The crucial job of completing the 2026 year-end report is fast approaching.

This applies to local parties, regions, states, and AOs - each of whom are registered with the Electoral Commission as an “accounting unit” of the Liberal Democrats.

Keep an eye out for the 2026 template & guide, which we’ll email to Treasurers and Chairs later this month.

• You must use the latest spreadsheet provided by the Compliance Team at LDHQ - this will have been specially created to meet the Electoral Commission’s requirement for the year concerned.
• Repurposing of templates from previous years / using your own format, cannot be accepted.
• It is the legal responsibility of the Treasurer to prepare the annual accounts, under the Political Parties, Elections and Referendum Act 2001 (PPERA). The Chairperson is jointly responsible for compliance.
• The outgoing (2026) Treasurer should produce the year-end accounts (see guide to Treasurer Handovers).
• The incoming (2027) Treasurer is responsible for emailing them to the Compliance Team.
• You’ll need the preceding year’s accounts.
• Ensure your book-keeping is in order.

The first of our accounts clinics is on Mon 7 December, 6-7pm - email compliance@libdems.org.uk for the Zoom link.

The Compliance team are working with ALDC to deliver the annual agent training weekend which runs as part of ALDC’s flagship Kickstart weekend on 20-22 November.

This is a great opportunity to receive comprehensive training as a new agent, or to brush up your skills / keep up to date, for those who have agented before. As this is a residential training weekend it also means we have the opportunity to make this an accredited event. Anyone who is going to be agenting large area elections for Mayoral or Unitary Council Elections may find this training particularly useful.

The agenda and registration details can be found here and there are still some places left.

Best wishes,