Members only
NALC backs stronger governance and accountability in local government
We have welcomed the government's focus on strong governance, leadership and continuous improvement in its proposed revisions to statutory guidance on the Best Value Duty, while highlighting the important role parish and town councils can play in delivering better outcomes for communities.
In our response to the government's consultation on revised Best Value Duty guidance, we supported the core objective of ensuring that local authorities continuously improve the way they deliver services and use public resources. Although parish and town councils have not been part of the formal Best Value regime since 2009, we believe the principles of effective governance, accountability and value for money remain highly relevant across all tiers of local government.
We agreed that strong organisational culture, effective leadership and sound governance arrangements are essential foundations for successful partnership working, meaningful community engagement and efficient service delivery. Where parish and town councils exist, they should be recognised as important partners in helping principal authorities achieve these objectives.
Our response also highlights the growing scale and capacity of the parish sector. For the 2026/27 financial year, there are now 173 "super councils", defined as parish and town councils with either an annual turnover exceeding £1.5 million or an annual precept income of more than £1 million. We note that this number continues to increase as more councils take on additional assets, services and devolved responsibilities from principal authorities.
Given the expanding role of larger parish and town councils, we reiterated our longstanding support for independent challenge, improvement and sector-led support. We strongly back the reintroduction of the Local Government Association's Corporate Peer Challenge programme for parish and town councils following the withdrawal of previous funding.
We argued that the programme provided valuable external challenge and support, helping parish and town councils strengthen governance, develop members and officers, share best practice and identify opportunities for improvement. Restoring access to peer challenge would support the government's wider ambitions around accountability, transparency and continuous improvement across local government.
Our response concludes that as parish and town councils take on an increasingly important role in local service delivery and community leadership, investment in sector-led improvement and independent challenge will be essential to maintaining high standards of governance and ensuring value for money for local taxpayers.
