NALC calls for the inclusion of parish and town councils in the government's reorganisation guidance 

We have expressed concerns to the government over the exclusion of parish and town councils from recent guidance for local authorities in developing proposals for local government reorganisation.

In a letter from our chair, Cllr Keith Stevens, to the Minister for Local Government and English Devolution, Jim McMahon MP, we reaffirmed our support for the government's devolution agenda outlined in the English Devolution White Paper. However, we expressed our dissatisfaction that the government did not include parish and town councils in the guidance to local authorities about engagement and consultation on reorganisation.

The guidance emphasises engagement with local partners, stakeholders, and public sector providers such as mayors, police and crime commissioners, and the voluntary sector but fails to include parish and town councils. This omission contradicts recent discussions with ministers, including Alex Norris MP and Baroness Taylor of Stevenage, in which the importance of parish and town councils in devolution, community empowerment, and service delivery has been emphasised.

The letter also references the minister's parliamentary statement that parish and town councils play a critical role in devolution. We seek urgent clarification and have urged the government to include parish and town councils as key partners in shaping proposals for new unitary authorities.