Media Watch | 53

Media Watch is a weekly round-up of the latest major stories on the local council sector.

1. Huge number of other parts of local government has joined forces with NALC in opposition to Government’s plans to extend referendum principles to local councils. Here is an example from the leader of Buckinghamshire County Council (via Local Gov)

2. More stories on the Government’s plans for parish capping:

   • The MJ, 13 October, 2016 page 10, parish capping bad for communities; NALC chair, Cllr Ken Browse is calling on all parts of local government to join NALC in opposing plans to force local councils to hold a costly local referendum over increases to their precept.

   • The MJ, 20 October 2016, page 13, In his column titled district view, Ian Miller, chief executive of Wyre Forest District Council, writes about his opposition to the government’s plans to introduce council tax referenda should be set for local councils.

3. NALC demands an investigation by a House of Commons select committee into the extension of referendum principles to local councils (via The MJ and Wiltshire Times)

4. Cllr Ken Browse, chair of NALC and Devon county association talking about making things happen quicker in communities. (via BBC Radio Scotland - 02.47-02.51)

5. NALC’s chief executive, Jonathan Owen, gave evidence to the House of Common’s Neighbourhood Planning Bill Committee (via Parliament Live TV)

6. An interview with one of the more prominent and very young town council mayors (via The Guardian)

7. Possible creation of a new local council (via Evening News 24)

8. Swindon votes for three new local councils in the town (via BBC)

9. The MJ and NALC backed interim report of the Councillors Commission has been published (via Local Governance Research Unit)

10. Sevenoaks Town Council – NALC Star Councils 2016 Awards (via Kent News)

11. Local media coverage of Oswestry Town Council winning NALC’s Star Council of the Year 2016 award (via Border Counties Advertizer)

12. Falmouth Town Council recognised in NALC’s Star Councils Awards (via Falmouth Packet)

13. Farnham Town Council leader Carole Cockburn is joint runner-up in the national 2016 Councillor of the Year awards (via Alton Herald)

14. Younger councillor looking to be elected onto NALC’s Larger Local Councils committee: (via Cumbria Crack)

15. LGIU’s C’llr of the Year Awards winners have been announced including Cllr Michael Brown the inaugural winner of the NALC backed Parish Councillor of the Year category (via Local Gov)