NALC president tells House of Lords parish and town councils are the answer to strengthening local democracy
Our president, Baroness Scott of Needham Market, has highlighted the vital role of parish and town councils in strengthening democratic accountability, increasing community participation and delivering local leadership during a House of Lords debate on local government democratic accountability, participation and electoral reform.
Baroness Scott told peers that parish and town councils must be recognised as "essential partners" if the government's ambitions for democratic renewal, devolution and community empowerment are to succeed. She emphasised that councils operate at the level closest to residents, helping to connect communities with decision-makers and ensuring local voices are heard on the issues that matter most to them.
Highlighting the success of neighbourhood planning, Baroness Scott noted that more than 3,500 neighbourhood plans have been made or are under way across England, giving local people a direct role in shaping the future development of their communities. She also renewed calls for the return of remote and hybrid council meetings. She stressed the importance of removing barriers that prevent people from standing for election and serving as councillors, including challenges faced by those with caring responsibilities and standards of conduct and behaviour.
Lord Shipley also drew attention to the lack of progress by the government on the commitment to strengthen the standards regime and return to remote attendance at council meetings. He argued that parish and town councils need more effective mechanisms to address misconduct and maintain public confidence, while greater flexibility over meeting attendance would help remove barriers to participation and enable a wider range of people to serve their communities. His remarks echoed concerns we have raised consistently.
The importance of grassroots democracy was also highlighted by our Westminster Forum member, Lord Wallace of Saltaire, who described parish and town councils as an important means of encouraging active citizenship and rebuilding trust in democratic institutions. He called for more communities to be given the opportunity to establish councils, arguing that local democratic structures help strengthen participation, community resilience and leadership.
Responding on behalf of the government, Baroness Taylor of Stevenage reaffirmed the role of parish and town councils within the government's devolution agenda, "which will continue to have a very strong role in this new system". She confirmed the government's intention to update community governance review guidance and develop a neighbourhood governance framework, helping communities establish new parish and town councils where there is local support to do so.
The debate demonstrated growing recognition across parliament that parish and town councils are central to strengthening local democracy and bringing decision-making closer to the communities they affect. As local government continues to evolve, we will continue to champion the contribution of parish and town councils and work with government and parliamentarians to secure the reforms needed to help the sector thrive.
