Micro councils network examines reform, resilience and respect

Our micro councils network met on 10 July 2026 to explore the key issues affecting England's smallest parish and town councils, with discussions covering rural resilience, local government reorganisation, standards in public life and peer support.

The network heard from the Action with Communities in Rural England (ACRE) on their work to support rural communities and their collaborative work with the sector, such as the flood resilience survey. They also highlighted the objectives of the Rural Food Resilience Partnership.

The network provided updates on local government reorganisation across England, discussing proposals for new parish and town councils, legal challenges and the implications of structural change for local planning and service delivery. Experiences from areas including Cumbria, East Sussex and Suffolk illustrated the important role that councils play in ensuring communities have a strong local voice during reorganisation.

The network also considered standards in local government, discussing the limitations of the current standards regime and the need for stronger sanctions to address breaches of councillors' codes of conduct. The discussion reinforced the importance of creating respectful and inclusive council environments. Following on from the discussion, we screened the new Civility and Respect Pledge video, which particularly encourages smaller parish and town councils to sign up. The network recognised the pledge as an important demonstration of a council's commitment to positive behaviours and good governance, while also helping to strengthen the case for legislative reform of the standards framework.

Our micro councils network provides an important forum for the smallest parish and town councils to share experiences, influence policy work and work together on the issues that matter most to their communities.