Media Watch | 43

 Media Watch is a weekly round-up of the latest major stories on the local (parish and town) council sector.

•  The parish sector including NALC responds robustly to any claims of any excessive and unnecessary increases in precepts by local councils (via BBC)

• NALC’s chief executive Jonathan Owen gave an interview on why parishes are putting up their precepts within the background of budget cuts in principal authorities and opportunities of devolution (via BBC Radio Shropshire - 1h 17m) [limited availability]

• Cheshire Association of Local Councils’ Cllr Stuart Hulse gave a local account of parish precepts (via BBC Radio Merseyside - 1h 6m) [limited availability]

• Swindon Borough Council are proposing parishing the whole borough and passing on extra responsibilities to the first tier of local government within the borough. Here is a report on a referendum carried out by one local council (via Swindon Advertiser)

• Parish and town councils getting media coverage over their achievements in the Local Council Awards Scheme (via Bedfordshire News and Darlington, Aycliffe & Sedgefield Advertiser)

• Suffolk is preparing to celebrate the HM Queen’s 90th birthday with beacons, street parties and street cleaning with support from the Suffolk Association of Local Councils and NALC (via Coastal Scene 24)