News

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

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.

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. 

Media Watch is a weekly round-up of the latest major stories about the local (parish and town) council sector.

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.

The National Association of Local Councils (NALC) has announced that seven new town, parish and community councils have been set up, as part of its New Councils Programme that has been running since 2013.

The programme is funded by the Department for Communities and Local Government (DCLG) and follows changes in legislation in recent years that make it easier to set up Local Councils.

More than 5000 people have signed a petition against proposals to withdraw government funding from England's 38 rural community councils.

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. 

The National Association of Local Councils (NALC) welcomes the Electoral Commission’s recommendations to modernise the rules around standing for election and to make them clearer and fairer. 

The National Association of Local Councils (NALC) is supporting a national campaign to get as many people in the UK to register to vote ahead of May's general and local elections.

The National Association of Local Councils (NALC) has led a delegation to meet with Local Government Minister Kris Hopkins MP this week to press for fair funding for parish and town councils in next month’s local government finance settlement.

The National Association of Local Councils (NALC) welcomes the Government’s moves to make a law that allows local (parish and town) councils to be able to send agendas electronically rather than in the post; ending a budgetary burden on councils and enabling them to benefit from 21^st Century technology.

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. 

Media Watch is a weekly round-up of the latest major stories about the local (parish and town) council sector.

Communities up and down the country are being urged by the National Association of Local Councils (NALC) to get their voices heard and run local services through neighbourhood democracy.

The National Association of Local Councils (NALC) has today launched its Local Council Award Scheme, supported by the Society of Local Council Clerks (SLCC) and the Local Government Association (LGA) and developed following consultation with county associations and NALC's member councils.

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).

The National Association of Local Councils (NALC) is calling for the Government to help local (parish and town) councils through local government finance after a finance settlement statement was made from the Department of Communities and Local Government on Thursday 18 December 2014.

The Government has published the final version of this Code which replaces the need for external audit for parish councils with turnover less than £25,000. The code will require the on-line publication of information which the Government says will provide taxpayers with a clear picture of the council's' activities, spending and governance and will improve the ability of communities to hold local public bodies to account.

The National Association of Local Councils (NALC) welcomes and supports many findings of the parliamentary select committee for Communities and Local Government on planning.

The National Association of Local Councils (NALC) is calling on all County Associations of Local Councils with parish and town councils to follow the example of the Hampshire Association of Local Councils (HALC) by forging closer links with local Rotary Clubs.

Media Watch is a weekly round-up of the latest major stories about the local (parish and town) council sector.

Responding to the command paper 'Implications of Devolution for England' presented to Parliament by the First Secretary of State and Leader of the House of Commons, National Association of Local Councils (NALC) chairman, Cllr Ken Browse said: "Today's command paper on the implications of devolution for England is a welcome step forward in giving more power to local people and putting communities in control of their areas.

The Rural Services Network has published its manifesto ahead of the 2015 General Election, calling for a fairer deal for rural England.

The department of Communities and Local Government (CLG) has informed the National Association of Local Councils (NALC) that the appropriate sum for the purpose of section 137(4)(a) of the Local Government Act 1972 (the 1972 Act) for parish and town councils in England for 2015-16 is £7.36 per elector.

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.  

Tackling the rural housing crisis The Rural Housing Alliance and Rural Services Network have launched a new guide promoting affordable rural homes.

Parish and town councils are improving accountability for public money according to a new report by the Audit Commission.

LCR (Local Council Review), the flagship magazine of the National Association of Local Councils (NALC) has been published on 10 December 2014.

LCR is NALC’s high-quality, glossy quarterly publication with in-depth articles and features offering you advice and good practice, along with regular spotlights on parish and town councils and top tips information to help assist you with the real issues affecting local councils and communities. 

Re-elected chair and two vice-chairs will lead the National Association of Local Councils (NALC) in 2015 as it takes the lead in furthering the development of localism for every local (parish and town) councils and communities, after elections held on 9 December 2014.

Media Watch is a weekly round-up of the latest major stories about the local (parish and town) council sector.

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.

At long last the Government has published proposals to reform parish polls, following pressure by the National Association of Local Councils (NALC) to update current rules which are over 40 years old.

Neighbourhood Planning Week (8-12 December 2014) is about celebrating the fantastic progress of neighbourhood planning so far. The week's events include opportunities to chat online via the Facebook page to Brandon Lewis, Minister for Planning and Housing. Get your questions on neighbourhood planning answered by the NP team at the Department of Communities and Local Government, and share your thoughts on the process and what you've learnt from being involved in neighbourhood planning.

National Association of Local Councils (NALC) in its evidence to the Environment, Food, and Rural Affairs Select Committee on Wednesday 3 December 2014 called for a broadband and digital only policy strategy that works for rural England.

National Association of Local Councils (NALC) conference, Future Local, showed how local (parish and town) councils are helping to drive and deliver many localist actions such as Our Place! Sustainable Communities Act and Neighbourhood Planning to communities. And how those in power need to listen to calls for more influence and devolution to the community level. 

With the autumn statement due to announce a ‘roads revolution’ and a focus on fracking, the priorities of rural communities risk being sidelined, says Lord Robin Teverson, Chair of the Rural Coalition.

Calling for recognition of the national importance of the countryside and our rural communities, the Rural Coalition is today (3 December 2014) urging Government to address three core areas to support them: the rural economy, affordable housing, and health and social care services. The Rural Challenge 2015 outlines a new set of rural priorities for the next Government.

Parish and town councillors from across Hampshire are working in partnership with the County Council as winter sets in a bid to strengthen community resilience.

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.

National Association of Local Councils (NALC) has produced a new Media Policy Example. This Media Policy Example has been produced in light of the national rules changing with regards to filming and recording at local (parish and town) council meetings. It is hoped that this new example will help show local councils how to respond effectively and positively to the new rules.

National Association of Local Councils (NALC) has reiterated its demand for devolution to parish councils in a letter to the Times, calling upon "central Government and party leaders to recognise that local government should be the vehicle for devolution in England".

National Association of Local Councils (NALC) and Society of Local Council Clerks (SLCC) are pleased to advise that, following the agreement...

National Association of Local Councils (NALC) will launch on Wednesday 26 November, an initiative that will enable the whole world to view what is happening in the historic market town of Uppingham.

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.

National Association of Local Councils (NALC) calls for new faces to stand for 2015 Election.

The Government has launched the Urban Community Energy Fund, giving community groups, including parish and town councils, in England the opportunity to bid for grants of up to £20,000, or loans of up to £130,000 to kick-start their projects.

Members of all three local government unions have voted to accept a two-year pay deal from the Local Government Association, resolving a dispute that had seen workers take strike action.