More Power to Communities

NALC welcomes the passing of the Local Government and Public Involvement in Health Act 2007

The National Association of Local Councils (NALC) has welcomed the passing of the Local Government and Public Involvement in Health Act.

The NALC believe that the act provides an important opportunity to give real power and influence to communities, through neighbourhood vehicles like parish and town councils.

The Act will provide a number of new powers to town and parish councils, the most significant of which is the power of wellbeing

The power of wellbeing will provide town and parish councils with a general power to spend on any activity which adds to the wellbeing of its community. There will be new criteria which each council will have to meet if they wish to exercise the power.

The power has been sought since it was extended to principal authorities, but not to parish councils. Any extension of the power of well being to the first tier of local government  is a significant achievement, allowing councils to operate for the benefit of their communities outside previous legislative restraints.

The Act also enables the creation of parish and town councils in London. This will give Londoners a chance to have their voices heard and control over local services at the local community level. NALC will be coupling the push for parish and town councils in London with a similar drive in other metropolitan urban areas.

It also gives principal councils the option of going for unitary status. This is an opportunity to create new authorities which can lead the way on meeting today's challenges of social and economic service delivery, whilst allowing more local community bodies such as parish and town councils to help empower citizens and local communities.

Cllr Ken Cleary, chairman, NALC, said: "While NALC welcomes the passing of this Act, it would like to remind central and local principal government that this is just a step towards the goal of devolution of services and greater representation rights to local communities. It is now time to build on these foundations in the Act to realise the ambition of enhanced community power. It is great to see that Londoners will have the same rights as citizens in the other parts of the country and be able to create parish and town councils."

Download a summary of the Act.