Baroness Jane Scott new president of NALC

Baroness Jane Scott of Bybrook OBE is the new president of the National Association of Local Councils (NALC), the representative body for England’s 10,000 local (parish and town) councils.

The Conservative peer takes over from Liberal Democrat Lord Matthew Taylor of Goss Moor, who stood down after being appointed in 2015.

The appointment was made this week at NALC’s Management Board, who had been tasked with securing a new president.

Baroness Scott has been an elected Conservative politician since 1995, serving on North Wiltshire District Council from 1995-2009, and Wiltshire County Council from 1997-2009, where she led the council from 2003. She became leader of the new unitary authority, Wiltshire Council in 2009, and stood down in July 2019. 

She was awarded Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) in the 2010 New Year Honours, and made a peer in the 2015 Dissolution Honours. She is also a vice-chair of the Local Government Association, and a member of the Grenfell Recovery Task Force set up by the government following the Grenfell fire in 2017.

Baroness Scott, president of NALC, said: “I am truly honoured and delighted to be NALC’s president. Especially at such an exciting time for local (parish and town) councils, given their important and growing role in our communities, and the opportunities ahead with a new government and further devolution and community empowerment. I am hugely passionate about local government and the difference it makes to people’s lives and our communities, so look forward to working with NALC, which is such a well-respected organisation, to champion and speak up for our first tier of local government, including in parliament.”

Cllr Sue Baxter, chairman of NALC said: “I am thrilled Baroness Scott has agreed to take up this prominent and important role, bringing a wealth of local government experience, influence and expertise to NALC. I want to thank Lord Taylor for his support, and I know he will continue to be a good friend and advocate.”