NALC urges the government to deliver remote meetings reform
We have written to Jim McMahon OBE MP, the new Minister for Local Government, Devolution and Growth, welcoming the inclusion of parish and town councils within his ministerial responsibilities.
In our letter, our chair, Cllr Iain Hamilton, welcomed the government's commitment to devolution and the recognition of parish and town councils in the English Devolution and Community Empowerment Act. We also stressed that parish and town councils must remain central to the devolution settlement, ensuring power reaches every city, town and village.
Modernising local democracy was a key focus of our letter. We highlighted our long-standing campaign for parish and town councils to have the flexibility to hold remote meetings. We welcomed the government's previous commitment and consultation on the issue.
Remote and hybrid meetings proved highly effective during the COVID-19 pandemic. They would provide parish and town councils with greater flexibility to meet local needs. They can improve accessibility, increase participation, and make it easier for councillors to balance public service with work, caring responsibilities and disabilities, while helping councils attract and retain a more diverse range of representatives.
We also reiterated our call for reform of the standards regime. We warned that parish and town councils continue to operate within a framework that lacks sufficient powers to deal effectively with misconduct and protect councillors and staff from unacceptable behaviour.
Together, remote meetings and standards reform would provide parish and town councils with a modern legislative framework that reflects the realities of contemporary public service. We therefore urged the government to bring forward both reforms as a matter of urgency.
Parish and town councils are ambitious for their communities and ready to play a greater role in shaping and delivering local priorities. We look forward to working constructively with the government to remove the barriers holding the sector back and ensure councils have the confidence, capacity and tools they need to serve their communities effectively. We urge the government to bring forward remote meetings reform as a matter of urgency.
Cllr Iain Hamilton
NALC chair
