NALC elects new leadership team to drive forward the voice of parish and town councils
We are delighted to announce our new chair, Cllr Iain Hamilton, and Cllr Sue Baxter and Cllr David Francis as vice-chairs for finance and resources and member services, respectively.
Cllr Hamilton, the representative of the Merseyside Association of Local Councils, has served as chair of our Larger Councils Committee for the past two years. Cllr Hamilton brings a wealth of experience from the parish and town council sector and beyond. A former software developer and IT consultant who built financial and CRM systems for the Royal Navy and the NHS, Cllr Hamilton has also worked to transform a small community charity in Halewood into a larger charity which hosts and delivers vital services including adult education, childcare and a social supermarket. During his time as leader of Halewood Town Council, the council were crowned our Star Council Awards Council of the Year in 2017.
Joining him as vice-chair (finance and resources) is Cllr Baxter, the first woman to have chaired NALC, from 2016 to 2021. Cllr Baxter is the representative of the Worcestershire County Association of Local Councils and currently sits on Wythall Parish Council, and holds the finance portfolio on Bromsgrove District Council, with responsibility for a £14 million budget, and has extensive senior management experience handling multi-million-pound budgets in her professional career. Cllr Baxter has also served as our vice-president, representing the organisation and the sector at a national level.
Cllr Francis continues in post as vice-chair (member services) following a decisive vote of confidence from members. A councillor since 1987, currently a councillor for Newton on the Moor and Swarland Parish Council, and a former Chartered Town Planner with a PhD in rural community development. The representative of the Northumberland Association of Local Councils has been a passionate advocate for tailored member services that recognise the diversity of England's 10,000 parish and town councils. Over the last two years, he has been instrumental in shaping publications, briefings and new initiatives such as the website.
The new leadership team will be ratified on 9 December 2025. It will play a central role in delivering our strategic priorities, including an organisational strategic review planned for 2026 and responding to ongoing local government reorganisation and devolution.
I am excited and honoured to have been elected to lead NALC at such a pivotal time of change for our sector. I want to pay tribute to Cllr Keith Stevens for his leadership, dedication and commitment, who leaves a lasting legacy and solid foundations on which to build. As the bedrock of community life nationwide, parish and town councils are an invaluable asset to our country, to our communities and are essential for strong local government and successful devolution. I want to ensure our voice is stronger, louder and more influential in the corridors of power at all levels. My vision is for a proactive, adaptable NALC that champions good governance and high standards, leads on training, shares best practice, and keeps every council, large or small, at the heart of decision-making. Together with Cllr Baxter, Cllr Francis and the National Assembly, I look forward to building an even stronger, more inclusive organisation that equips parish and town councils and county associations to meet the challenges, opportunities and changes ahead.
Cllr Iain Hamilton
NALC chair-elect
