News

We have called on parish and town councils to take a balanced and forward-looking approach to artificial intelligence (AI), highlighting its potential to strengthen local democracy and improve services.

Parish and town councillors, clerks and council staff from across England were recognised at the Buckingham Palace garden party.

We are pleased to support Local Council Clerk Week to celebrate the essential role clerks play in parish and town councils.

We have published a new resource on travel mileage, fuel rates, and allowances.

We have called for significant reforms to local government finance and devolution.

We have called for proportionate implementation of Martyn's Law guidance for parish and town councils.

We met with the Campaign to Protect Rural England (CPRE) on 27 May 2026 to discuss our shared priorities and opportunities to work together. 

We have extended the deadline for our Project Keystone survey to 12 June 2026.

We have welcomed strong audit results, but call for sector-wide support on governance and compliance pressures.

Our study tour at Taunton Town Council in Somerset highlighted how to build a modern council in 1,000 days.

Complete our Project Keystone survey today to help shape the future of the sector.

We have called on the government to use the democratic planning system, rather than permitted development rights.

NALC met with the LGA recently to discuss deepening collaboration between the two national bodies.

Project Keystone is a strategic review of the National Association of Local Councils and our relationship with county associations.

We support the principle of the programme, however, we stress that new towns must not bypass local democracy.

We have published a new template letter as part of our Engaging Parliament Toolkit for parish and town councils to engage with their MP to discuss the Pride in Place programme and the potential inclusion of their council on neighbourhood boards.

The latest sold-out NALC event, Planning reform unpacked: the planning shake-up and what it really means, explored the latest planning reforms.

We are disappointed by the omission of remote meetings and standards reform from the King's Speech

Our Policy Committee considered future engagement on strategic authorities at its recent meeting.

A new report by English Rural has challenged the belief that affordable rural housing is too expensive to manage.

Our climate emergency network recently explored local food resilience and partnership working.

We have published new HR policy templates following changes introduced through the Employment Rights Act 2025.

We have announced a new free event, focusing on how parish and town councils can take practical action to strengthen flood resilience.

We have announced a new addition to our online events programme, focused on the provision of public conveniences.

We have backed measures designed to improve the resourcing, consistency and effectiveness of the planning system.

New analysis highlights an encouraging picture of grassroots democracy ahead of the local elections.

Our latest event, Finance and Function: Powering up parish and town councils, brought together sector leaders to explore the changing local government landscape and the implications for parish and town councils.

We have urged the government to keep a local approach to planning thresholds and referrals.

We have announced the latest Local Council Award Scheme results.

Our latest event on finance and function highlights why parish and town councils are key to navigating local government reform.