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NALC magazine cover star becomes chancellor of the exchequer
Rishi Sunak MP, who did an exclusive interview with the National Association of Local Councils' (NALC) magazine, LCR, has been appointed as the new chancellor following a shock move in the cabinet reshuffle.
As a former local government minister, Mr Sunak forged good links with the NALC over the years and on many occasions praised its work and that of local (parish and town) councils.
In his interview with LCR in 2018, he said: “It’s an incredibly exciting time to be in what I would call ultra-local government. We’re creating more [local councils], and they are doing more [inspiring] things that impact their communities. So, my vision is that all of that continues, that we have more local councils doing ambitious and innovative activities, and people feeling good about the place they call home.”
In the same year, he spoke at NALC’s Annual Conference and paid tribute to “the people who are dedicated to improving people’s lives every single day through their hard work and dedication”, calling it “parish power in action”.
Commenting on NALC, he said: “That’s why NALC is so important. Helping to sew together that patchwork so it can become greater than the sum of its parts; raising the bar; inspiring people across the country – and shaping the future. So, thank you for everything you do.”
One of NALC’s big parliamentary wins was achieved with the aid of the former minister. He was instrumental in getting changes to the Data Protection Bill so that local councils were no longer required to appoint a data protection officer. He also took up to the sector’s concerns over business rates on public toilets with the Treasury, securing a commitment in the 2018 Budget to bring forward legislation.
Cllr Sue Baxter, chairman of NALC, said: “We would like to congratulate Mr Sunak on his new appointment as chancellor. Additionally, we thank him for having taken the time to get to know and understand our sector, and for his encouragement throughout his time as a local government minister. Given his previous support for our ‘toilet tax’ campaign, I hope he will use the forthcoming budget to renew the government’s commitment to this issue.”
Read his speech from the NALC Annual Conference 2018 in full