News

The National Association of Local Councils (NALC) met with UK Finance and senior high street bank officials this week to promote its campaign for better customer service and easier systems for local (parish and town) councils to use.

Local (parish and town) councils have been asked to play a part in the Queen's Platinum Jubilee by lighting beacons on 2 June 2022.

The National Association of Local Councils (NALC) held its first National Network: Young Councillors meeting on 26 July 2021, which featured three of England's youngest councillors.

The National Association of Local Councils (NALC) has today announced who is in the running for the 2021 Star Council Awards.

The National Association of Local Councils (NALC) has added a new online event on the future of high streets and town centres to its calendar, taking place on 29 September 2021.

The National Association of Local Councils (NALC) has added a new online event on making rural housing more affordable to its schedule, taking place on 17 November 2021.

The National Association of Local Councils (NALC) has added a new online event on levelling up the environment through biodiversity net gain, taking place on 27 October 2021.

The National Association of Local Councils (NALC) has today written to the planning minister Rt Hon Christopher Pincher MP and to all MPs urging them to let the voice of local (parish and town) councils be listened to in the planning process and for local councils to be trusted with more powers.

The National Association of Local Councils (NALC) has launched two surveys aimed at local (parish and town) councils and councillors on the 2021 local elections.

NALC held its first National Network: Women councillors meeting on 5 July 2021, which aims to help women councillors from across England's local (parish and town) councils to connect, learn, support and share good practices.

Today, English Rural launched their new guide (Parish Councillors’ Guide to Rural Affordable Housing) aimed at local (parish and town) councillors on affordable rural housing.

The Civility and Respect Project Working Group agreed at its latest meeting on 28 June 2021 a joint statement committing to promote civility and respect in public life. The statement, which summarises the core aims and values for securing permanent change in the local (parish and town) council sector, reads:

Parliamentarians in the All-Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) on Local Democracy are seeking views on levelling up from local (parish and town) councils at an online roundtable on 12 July 2021.

The National Association of Local Councils (NALC) has again urged the government to make remote meetings a permanent option for local (parish and town) councils.

The National Association of Local Councils (NALC) has launched its first-ever one-day online conference, Future Communities 2021, taking place on 2 December 2021.

The National Association of Local Councils (NALC) marked Pride Month by hosting its first-ever national meeting of LGBT+ councillors from local (parish and town) councils.

The National Association of Local Councils (NALC) is pushing for changes to the government’s Environment Bill to unleash the million green fingers of its movement of 100,000 local councillors to create a greener, more environmentally friendly and sustainable communities.

Cherilyn Mackrory MP and Richard Holden MP have been re-elected as co-chairs of the All-Party Parliamentary Group on local democracy aimed at championing local (parish and town) councils in parliament.

To coincide with Pride Month taking place throughout June, the National Association of Local Councils (NALC) is setting up a new national network for LGBT+ local (parish and town) councillors.

The National Association of Local Councils (NALC) chair, Cllr Sue Baxter, met with Luke Hall MP, minister for Regional Growth and Local Government at the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG) on 19 May 2021.

Building stronger communities were the theme of October’s NALC Annual Conference where Her Royal Highness, The Princess Royal, paid tribute to England’s 100,000 councillors for all the work they do for their places. And I want to add my own thanks and appreciation, and wish you all the very best for the new decade ahead.

As we move to a new phase of the coronavirus pandemic, I want to express my thanks for all your hard work and dedication over the last few challenging months.

Looking back to my open letter just twelve months ago, no-one could have foreseen the coronavirus pandemic which has changed our lives and the country in so many ways since.

Our communities thrive when people get involved and come together to take action on the issues they care about.

Responding to today’s judgement in the High Court on holding remote meetings, Cllr Sue Baxter, chair of the National Association of Local Councils (NALC), said:

“It is with great sadness that the National Association of Local Councils (NALC) has learned of the death of His Royal Highness The Duke of Edinburgh.

“I know that those in the local (parish and town) council sector would join me in extending their condolences to Her Majesty The Queen and members of the Royal Family.”

Responding to today’s Queen’s Speech, Cllr Sue Baxter, chair of the National Association of Local Councils (NALC), said:

The National Association of Local Councils (NALC) has pressed the trade association for banks (UK Finance) and its member banks to improve their services to local councils.

The Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG) announced on Saturday 24th April the launch of two new key neighbourhood planning funds.

The National Association of Local Councils (NALC) has responded to the government consultations for locally-led re-organisation in Cumbria, Somerset and North Yorkshire.

The National Association of Local Councils (NALC) is calling on local (parish and town) councils to complete its new survey on young people. The survey will explore what local councils are currently doing to support young people in our communities.

The National Association of Local Councils (NALC) has launched a new publication on local (parish and town) councils and the Tree Charter.

The Certificate in Local Council Administration (CiLCA) 2021 was launched earlier this year to reflect legislation changes. From April 2021, learners will be registered for the updated qualification.

The government is strongly encouraging principal authorities to work with local (parish and town) councils and pass on funding from the £56m Welcome Back Fund.

The National Association of Local Councils (NALC) has pressed the government to promote democracy when implementing reforms for better quality housing.

The secretary of state for Housing, Communities and Local Government, Robert Jenrick MP, has written to council leaders about remote meetings to confirm the government has considered the case for extending legislation very carefully and has concluded that it is not possible to bring forward emergency legislation on this issue at this time.

The Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG) has published information on council tax levels set by councils in England for the financial year 2021-22.

Following our Rebuilding Communities online event series over the last year, we're excited to share news on our upcoming events calendar. From April 2021, we will continue to run our online events, covering the hottest topics from the sector with expert panellists to share valuable insights and practical tips to help build stronger communities.

The National Association of Local Councils (NALC) has launched The Good Councillor's guide to cyber security in partnership with Microshade VSM.

The government has confirmed it intends to publish its response to the Committee on Standards in Public Life's (COSIPL’s) review of Local Government Ethical Standards “shortly” and at the same time publish a consultation on the recommendations it has agreed to.

The National Association of Local Councils (NALC) has urged the government to maintain the current extended timescale for local (parish and town) councils to publish their audited accounts.

The National Association of Local Councils (NALC) has announced that it is once again running its awards programme this year as part of its work to recognise the local (parish and town) council sector’s achievements.

The National Association of Local Councils (NALC) has today launched a new joint guide with the Local Government Association (LGA) on tackling loneliness.

The National Association of Local Councils (NALC) has written an open letter to clerks about civility in public life ahead of the Society of Local Council Clerks (SLCC) Practitioners’ Conference taking place between 23 - 25 February 2021.

The National Association of Local Councils (NALC) is to publish a series of videos telling the stories of local (parish and town) councillors across England.

The National Association of Local Councils (NALC) has urged the government as a matter of urgency to bring forward changes to the current standards regime governing conduct in local government.

The National Association of Local Councils (NALC) has completed its review and updated its Local Council Award Scheme (LCAS) criteria.

The National Association of Local Councils (NALC) is aware of the recent news regarding Handforth Parish Council's Planning and Environment Committee meeting going viral.

The All-Party Parliamentary Group on local democracy today backed The Policies of Belonging report by influential think tank Onward which calls for more parish power.

The National Association of Local Councils (NALC) will take to parliament online this year as part of its annual Lobby Day on 2 February 2021.