Transparency fund to bring even more small parishes into digital age

National Association of Local Councils (NALC) in partnership with the Society of Local Council Clerks (SLCC) and the Association of Drainage of Authorities (ADA) welcomes that the Government has committed to continue supporting the multi-million pound ‘transparency fund’ to help thousands of small parish councils meet new audit and transparency rules and join the digital age.

So far from September 2015 around 1,572 small parish councils have been helped, so they can move to online publishing of financial and other important information for residents, ensuring these bodies are transparent and accountable to their local communities and up-to-speed in the digital age.

One such small parish council helped is Donhead St. Andrew Parish Council in Wiltshire. The council now have a dedicated council laptop and scanner, which helped bring it more up to date in engaging with its local community.

Cllr Malcolm Cullimore, chair of Donhead St Andrew Parish, commented: “Applying for the grant was really easy. The grant was approved quickly and we received the full amount requested promptly. I highly recommend that other local councils like ours apply to the fund – why would anyone turn down the chance to enter the modern digital age for free?”

Cllr Ken Browse, chairman of NALC said: “NALC is very pleased that the Government continues to see the importance of funding the movement of smaller parish councils to be more transparent and open.

“It is wonderful news that smaller councils have been applying for these funds in such numbers to meet the challenges of the new Transparency Code and in turn reboot them into an ever increasing world of online information and transparency. We’ll continue working closely with SLCC, ADA and the department of Communities and Local Government to deliver this fund and much needed support, least not our important network of county associations of local councils, who will provide a crucial link in working with smaller councils to help them become compliant with the transparency rules.”

Find out more on the Transparency Fund