NALC and LGA chairs meet to strengthen partnership and champion local government
Our chair, Cllr Iain Hamilton, recently met with the Local Government Association (LGA) chair, Cllr Lousie Gittins, to discuss deepening collaboration between the two national bodies, reaffirming a shared commitment to partnership working at a time of significant change across local government.
Cllr Hamilton set out his priorities as the new chair of NALC of delivering stronger voices, stronger governance, and stronger partnerships for the sector. He emphasised his commitment to ensuring the parish and town council sector is heard and respected, to raising governance standards so councils remain trusted and effective, and to strengthening partnerships across the sector and with government so that it is more united and better able to deliver for communities.
These priorities set the tone for a wide-ranging discussion in which Cllr Hamilton reaffirmed a shared commitment to partnership working at a time of significant change across local government.
At the heart of the discussion was the ongoing programme of local government reorganisation and the vital role that parish and town councils must play in its success. Cllr Hamilton emphasised that if central government is serious about delivering for communities, investment must flow across all parts of the sector, not just principal authorities. With parish and town councils providing an irreplaceable link to local communities, we made clear that withdrawing resources from any part of the sector at such a critical moment risks undermining the very outcomes the government is seeking to achieve. Upcoming work by the government on neighbourhood governance and guidance on community governance reviews was also identified as an area for collaboration.
A key concern raised was the withdrawal of the government's funding for neighbourhood planning and Corporate Peer Challenge, a move we described as deeply counterproductive. Cllr Hamilton argued that the relatively modest cost of such programmes delivers returns far exceeding the investment, particularly as the sector continues to grow, with new and larger councils being established and taking on greater responsibilities within their communities.
Both organisations agreed on the importance of early and meaningful engagement between parish and town councils and principal authorities, particularly around planning and housing. Cllr Hamilton highlighted how proactive engagement, rather than reactive consultation, leads to stronger community outcomes, greater trust, and more successful delivery. There was a commitment to exploring how good practice in this area can be identified and shared more widely across the sector.
Looking ahead, we agreed with the LGA to develop a refreshed protocol setting out our mutual roles and areas of joint working. We also extended a formal invitation to the LGA to speak at our Annual General Meeting in November. We welcomed the LGA's commitment to amplifying our sector's presence at the LGA Conference in July, which includes a fringe event where we will launch a landmark report on the 21st-century councillor and clerk, produced in partnership with the University of Birmingham.
