Local Councils: The Power to Deliver?

28 September 2006

NALC Fringe meeting at the Labour Party Conference 

The NALC (National Association of Local Councils) fringe event at the Labour Party Conference showed the importance of the work of first tier councils in co-ordinating action at a local level to tackle issues such as crime, housing, planning and transport.

Speakers placed special focus on how community, parish and town councils are providing service delivery to local communities. 

Meg Hillier MP, private parliamentary secretary to Ruth Kelly MP (secretary of state for the Department of Communities and Local Government), spoke of the possible effects the Local Government White Paper would have on parish and town councils.

Mrs Hillier MP started her speech by stating that communities must be put at the centre of local councils. With the help of parishes - whose role she said was very important - this would help to empower citizens. 

She continued by saying that it was an exciting time for councillors, as the current White Paper will create the opportunity to put them at the heart of local neighbourhoods. She also said that local parish and town council activists were important for engaging people at the grassroots level.

The White Paper, she said, would give councillors the changes they needed to achieve their community goals. 

Cllr Ken Cleary, chairman of the NALC, finished the meeting by saying NALC had worked closely with the Government and other key decision-making bodies to oversee many issues of the White Paper, to ensure that parish and town councils will have their roles enhanced. He went on to say he was very much looking forward to the power of well-being being passed to parish and town councils, which would enable them to bring about real and effective social and economic change to their communities.

Notes for Editors:

These councillors, who serve electorates ranging from small rural communities to major cities, are all independently elected. The councils have powers to raise their own funds through council tax. Community, parish and town councils provide employment for over 25,000 staff while their annual expenditure exceeds £400 million.

Together, they can be identified as the nation's single most influential grouping of grassroots opinion-formers.

Over 15 million people live in communities served by 10,000 community, parish and town councils nationally - this represents up to 30% of the population. Over 150 new community, parish and town councils have been created since 1997.

For more information contact Alan Jones on 020 7290 0316 or alan.jones@nalc.gov.uk