NALC calls for parish and town councils to be central to reorganisation 

We have called on the government to ensure parish and town councils and county associations are fully engaged from the very outset of local government reorganisation.

We have been clear that reform cannot succeed unless the voices of the parish and town council sector are heard early, consistently and meaningfully. A position that reflects our chair, Cllr Iain Hamilton's, vision set out in his New Year's open letter to ensure the sector's voice becomes stronger, louder and more influential at every level of government. We remain committed to being a strong national voice for parish and town councils and to championing their role as the community tier of local government.

In our responses to the government's consultations on local government reorganisation in Brighton and Hove, East and West Sussex, Essex, Southend-on-Sea, Thurrock, Hampshire, the Isle of Wight, Portsmouth, Southampton, Norfolk and Suffolk, we stressed the critical importance of early and meaningful engagement with the parish and town sector throughout the reorganisation process.

We argued that parish and town councils should be given appropriate support to ensure reorganisation delivers sound benefits in both the short and long-term for communities, and county associations must be adequately resourced and equipped to contribute effectively.

To achieve this, we urged the government to put in place practical mechanisms for partnership and collaboration. These include county association representation on Joint Implementation Teams establishing new unitary authorities, the development of strong local charters, dedicated parish council liaison officers, regular engagement through focus groups, tailored training support, and formal representation for county associations within new unitary authorities.

We also highlighted that the proposed Neighbourhood Area Committees will only meet the government's stated ambitions if clear and robust arrangements underpin them. It must include agreed minimum meeting frequencies, clearly defined governance responsibilities, transparent councillor allocation methods, strong decision-making frameworks, clear arrangements for chair and vice-chair elections, and effective communication, consultation and training.

We emphasised that successful devolution and local government reorganisation must recognise parish and town councils as the community tier of local government. They provide a vital democratic link to local neighbourhoods. They can address concerns about remoteness that may arise from the creation of larger strategic and unitary authorities. Strengthening their role and expanding their coverage will help ensure devolution delivers tangible, local benefits.

We also made clear that local government reorganisation will only be worthwhile if it results in unitary authorities of sufficient size, scale and footprint to empower parish and town councils to take on greater responsibilities where they have the capacity and ambition to do so and to support the creation of new parish and town councils in areas where none currently exist.