News

The National Association of Local Councils (NALC) wishes to congratulate the most recent graduates of the Community Governance programme. Community Governance is one of the highest qualifications designed for people working in Local Councils, and is part of the National Training Strategy.

National Association of Local Councils' (NALC) Larger Councils' Committee (LCC), has called this week for several changes to government legislation to give local (parish and town) councils a fairer deal.

The first of these changes is a call to remove the viability clause on affordable housing, from Section 106 of the 1990 Town and Country Planning Act.

The Government has confirmed that it will continue to fund England's network of rural community councils.

Over 500 local (parish and town) councils have already registered with the Local Council Award Scheme since its launch on 6 January 2015. We have been pleasantly surprised by the interest in the scheme so far and look forward to having even more registrations from councils across the country. This is strong testimony to Local Councils commitment to improving, pushing themselves to meet the challenges faced by the their communities and the whole local government family.

The National Association of Local Councils (NALC) has welcomed steps by the Government to update rules governing referendums on local issues but has warned against an increase in costs which could burden taxpayers and hike up council tax bills.

The National Association of Local Council (NALC) is to hold its first ever 'lobby day' aimed at promoting local (parish and town) councils to Members of Parliament.

Rural communities could miss out on public and private sector digital services because parts of this country are not ready with high quality or any decent broadband, a cross-party Parliamentary group on Broadband has warned.

The All Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) on Local Democracy heard on 11 February 2015, how the variable states of broadband across the country is causing problems for rural business, councils, communities and people.

This week’s Council of the Week has been selected for its strong leadership, dynamism and imaginative approach to community-based initiatives. 

This week’s Council of the Week has been selected on the basis of its innovative and impressive approach to partnership working, brought to our attention through last year’s WW1 centenary. 

We would like to give Maplestead Parish Council the top spot this week, in recognition of its hard work and achievements, with limited budgets and resources. 

This week we would like to shine a light on one of the very first councils to be accredited under the new Local Council Award Scheme. 

Danbury Parish Council participated in our pilot last year and was awarded Quality Gold Status on 6 January 2015 when the scheme launched. 

This week, we’d like to celebrate the work of a Parish Council in the small village of Sibbertoft, which sits on the Northamptonshire and Leicestershire borders, to the north east of Daventry. 

This week’s Council of the Week, the last of 2014, was nominated by the Kent Association of Local Councils (KALC) and has been chosen in recognition of its many and recent achievements.

Stone Parish Council has an excellent track record of success, which has been sustained on the foundation of sound management and a genuine vision for its community in an area that certainly does not lack demanding challenges due to economic pressures.

A little feedback has gone a long way for Sarah Pengelly, Town Clerk at Broadstairs and St Peter’s Town Council, the lucky winner of this year’s conferences and events survey prize draw. 

The National Association of Local Councils (NALC) has asked the Government to think again about its opposition to giving local (parish and town) councils a percentage slice of the business rates under the Sustainable Communities Act (SCA).

Dunkerton Parish Council (DPC) has been selected as 'Council of the Week' in recognition of the drastic improvements that have been made, following the Parish Planning process for improvement. Over recent years DPC has made a successful transition from being paper driven to paperless.  It has become almost unrecognisable through new ways of working and notably more efficient and inclusive.  

Frome Town Council has just been recognised as the ‘Most Proactive Public Body’ in the whole of the South West, making it an obvious candidate for our 'Council of the Week' slot.

Lakes Parish Council, with an office open to everyone four days a week, is located at the Police Station, Ambleside in the Lake District. The Council administers 52 square miles of fine countryside serving five communities (Ambleside, Grasmere, Rydal and Loughrigg, Troutbeck and Langdales) as a single parish council.

Saughall and Shotwick Park is a Parish to the North West of the City of Chester, Cheshire and is contained within Cheshire West and Chester Borough Council.

Uppingham Town Council is heralded NALC 'Council of the Week' at a time when it is in the sector spotlight. A Judicial Review of its Neighbourhood Plan is taking place at the Planning Court in London, as housing developer Larkfeet is challenging its policies and proposals, despite the Plan having received a 92% YES vote.

NALC attending the Conservative Party Conference with the aim to raise the profile of parish and town councils and promoting our new Manifesto.