The Localism Alliance is made up of CAMRA, Civic Voice, Supporters Direct, The Theatres Trust and NALC who collectively represent over 200,000 individuals and nearly 10,000 grassroots organisations across England and work together to help their members and communities embrace the powers available to them to protect local community assets.

Over the past decade, many communities have lost local amenities and buildings that are of great importance to them. As a result, many communities find themselves bereft of the assets that can help to contribute to the development of vibrant and active communities.

However, the past decade has also seen a significant rise in communities becoming more active and joining together to save and take over assets which are important to them. The Right to Bid (Assets of Community Value) seeks to encourage more of this type of community-focused, locally-led action.

We are calling on all communities and local parish and town councils to register at least one Asset of Community Value.

You can use the community right via Assets of Community Value to pause the sale of buildings or land that you really care about and love. Find out how to register.

There is additional information on Assets of Community Value - Policy Statement via the Government website.

NALC is part of The Rural Coalition which is made up of the 15 leading organisations which represent rural interests, who subscribe to a vision for a living and working countryside. We are calling on the Government to deliver on its Big Society vision by radically empowering local people to shape the rural places in which they live.

The Rural Challenge: Achieving Sustainable Rural Communities for the 21st Century, published in August 2010, outlines detailed proposals to give local people, entrepreneurs, community groups and councils the ability to bring about positive change that will ensure a thriving future for the countryside. This report is being billed as a blueprint for delivering the Big Society in the small places which are at huge risk unless action is taken now. The report sets out detailed propositions for taking on five key challenges facing the countryside – meeting rural housing need, building thriving economies, delivering good rural services, creating flourishing market towns and empowering local communities. We are committed to following up the messages of The Rural Challenge. 

In most rural towns, villages and communities it has always been more important than the state. Our report is not about central direction, the technicalities of new development, or the necessary size of investment in public services. In fact, it is not about top-down rules and targets at all.

To build the 'Big Society' in rural areas the greatest need is to answer the questions about how government at every level can empower rural communities – to manage and plan for business and residential growth in the countryside over time, to shape and take part in the delivery of services, and to meet the challenges of an age of austerity and climate change – in a way that is:

• More sustainable - to meet the challenges of the environment, climate change and community

• More attractive - to address concerns about unattractive, badly planned developments gobbling up the green fields around historic rural communities

• More flexible - to tackle the diverse needs and the challenges of tailoring services to small rural communities spread across huge geographical areas

The Rural Coalition is calling for recognition of the national importance of the countryside and our rural communities, the Rural Coalition urging Government to address three core areas to support them: the rural economy, affordable housing, and health and social care services.

Read more on The Rural Challenge

NALC and the Society of Local Council Clerks (SLCC) have joined forces for further mutual working and co-operation.

The leadership teams of NALC and SLCC have signed a joint protocol at the annual SLCC Conference 2014.

Both organisations agreed to work together to promote the best interests of the local council sector and its employees and their contribution to the wellbeing of communities. These aims will be achieved through regular communication at all levels, mutual promotion and collaboration in representations to Government and other bodies when there is common interest.

In 2015/16 both organisations will encourage:

• Participation in the new Local Council Award Scheme

• Take-up of CiLCA (This is the accredited certificate for our sector, designed to test basic levels of competence for the role of parish clerk)

• Establish a Sector-Led Body to procure audit services

• Provide joint advice to councils including on part-time working hours

• Prepare new model terms and conditions of employment

• Work towards a complimentary conference programme and joint events

View NALC and SLCC protocol