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National Association of Local Councils' (NALC) Communities Can conference on 2 December 2015 showed how local (parish and town) councils are using regeneration to play a role in the economic development of their town centres in a time of financial challenges and opportunities.

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

This week we are celebrating the recent achievemnt of Bishop Auckland Town Council – the first in County Durham to receive official "Dementia Friendly" status recognition from the Alzheimer's Society.

Parishes across Buckinghamshire are being urged to work together and more closely with the county council to serve residents. 



While this is a challenging spending review for local government, it is encouraging to see measures aimed at supporting devolution, however the devil will be in the detail.

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

This week’s council of the week is Westfield Parish Council in Avon, the first council in the county to be awarded the Local Council Award Scheme Quality Award.

The government confirmed that there must be a role for parishes and communities within combined principal local authorities devolution deals.

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

It has been an exciting twelve months for Necton Parish Council. A village of just over 2,000 residents, situated in West Norfolk, Necton has eight elected councillors and employs a part-time clerk and village handyman.

The government's minister for the 'northern powerhouse’, James Wharton MP, will address a cross-party group of MPs and Peers.

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

National Association of Local Councils (NALC) Annual Conference held from 27 October 2015 to 28 October 2015, saw a direction for putting local (parish and town) councils and communities more in control of how their lives are run and public services delivered to them.

The National Association of Local Councils (NALC) has announced the winners for its Star Councils Awards.

The Department for Communities and Local Government (DCLG) minister, Marcus Jones MP told the National Association of Local Councils (NALC) Annual Conference on 27 October 2015 that the Government has ambitious plans for a devolution revolution, which include Devolution Deals, but stressed that this not just for principal authorities. He said that parish councils have a key role to play and they should be speaking to their principal authorities about opportunities for further powers and functions to be devolved.

The National Association of Local Councils (NALC) and the Society of Local Council Clerks (SLCC) on 23 October 2015 issued guidance in light of the significant changes to workplace pensions that have taken place.

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

The new chair of the All-Party Parliamentary Group wants very real devolution.

The Sector Led Body for Smaller Local Authority Audit (SLB) is seeking to appoint its first ever chair.

The National Association of Local Councils (NALC) has demanded that the Government puts a halt to its closure plans of local courts.

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

The National Association of Local Councils (NALC) on 9 October 2015 demanded that Government’s devolution plans must include communities, neighbourhoods and parishes through the publication of its Devo Local paper.

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

The National Association of Local Councils (NALC) has today (30th September) announced the finalists for its Star Councils Awards.

This week we are celebrating the work and achievements of Lydney Town Council (LTC), a forward thinking and proactive Council in Gloucestershire.

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

This week, we’re celebrating the work of Murton Parish Council, a former mining village in County Durham.

With the first round of judging over, NALC is pleased to reveal and congratulate all those that have made it onto the longlist of this year’s Star Council awards.

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

This year a record breaking 1,582 parks and green spaces were awarded the prestigious, international Green Flag Award.

This week, we would like to celebrate the work and recent accomplishments of a small rural parish in Shropshire that is punching above its weight.

Over many years there has been much discussion about whether the Association’s members should be individual councils organised through County Associations or whether it should become a federation of County Association members. This proposal was most recently made in a motion to last year’s AGM by Northamptonshire CALC which was defeated by 54 to 24 votes.

Today (1 September 2015) the National Association of Local Councils (NALC) has launched its new multi-million pound ‘transparency fund’ to help thousands of small parish councils meet new audit and transparency rules and join the digital age.

NALC successfully persuaded the Government to provide financial assistance to smaller sized parish councils to help them become web-enabled and comply with new rules on publishing information about their work and finances.

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

This week, we would like to congratulate a rural parish in County Durham on a significant recent achievement.  Through an enormous amount of hard work and with tenacity and determination, Cornsay Parish Council has secured funding to complete a project that will have a profound and lasting impact on its community.

This week, we are celebrating the recent hard work and achievements of Newport Pagnell Town Council, in Milton Keynes.

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

This week’s council of the week is one that can be commended for its fantastic provision and improvement of facilities and initiatives for its community. 

The National Association of Local Councils (NALC) is encouraging all local (parish and town) councils, neighbourhoods and communities to enter The...

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

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

Half a million people in communities right across the country are to benefit from new funding and advice this year thanks to their local parish and town councils.

Details of a £5m fund to conserve and protect war memorials were revealed by Prime Minister David Cameron and Culture Secretary, Sajid Javid MP.

This week’s Council of the Week is the only council in South-East England to be accepted so far on the Locality/Department of Communities and Local Government (DCLG) Community Ownership and Management of Assets (COMA) programme in 2015/16. The scheme is largely aimed at principal authorities, making this achievement all the more significant.   

Scotland's local government and community empowerment minister Marco Biagi is to visit the National Association of Local Councils (NALC) during a 'fact finding' visit on 28 July 2015.

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

Devolution to Sutton Coldfield is on the cards as residents deal resounding ‘Yes’ to new town council.

The Government has backed a proposal from the National Association of Local Councils (NALC) to lead the national procurement of audit for parish and town (local) councils and other smaller bodies from 2017.

Hawthorn is a very small rural village with a population of 400 situated 10 miles east of Durham City near the coast and between the larger cities of Sunderland and Middlesbrough. The Council has 7 Councillors and a precept of £7,000 whilst the village itself has a community centre, one pub, village green and a children’s play area.

The National Association of Local Councils’ (NALC) What Next for Local Councils event, 15 July 2015, looked at the implications of the general election results for communities, neighbourhoods, local (parish and town) councils in the context of austerity and devolution.