Parish and town councils are key to navigating local government reform
Our latest event, Finance and Function: Powering up parish and town councils, brought together sector leaders to explore the changing local government landscape and the implications for parish and town councils.
With new unitary authorities facing significant financial pressures and national policy increasingly focused on neighbourhood area committees, the event highlighted the vital role of parish and town councils in championing local voices, leading change and securing essential services through community‑led delivery.
Our panel included the clerk at Shrewsbury Town Council, Helen Ball, the chief executive at the County Councils Network, Simon Edwards, and the clerk at Haverhill Town Council, Colin Poole. Through a series of presentations, attendees gained practical insights into building effective partnerships with principal authorities and developing the confidence and tools needed to drive meaningful change in their communities.
Helen Ball set out a live case study of devolution in practice at Shrewsbury Town Council. The council has taken on extensive street scene services. It is now progressing towards libraries, museums and other non‑statutory services. Where funding was insufficient, the council nearly doubled its precept, supported by clear and open communication with residents. While this relieved significant financial pressure on Shropshire Council, it also raised broader questions about fairness and consistency in areas without strong, capable councils. As Helen observed, "Devolution is not a transfer, it's a transformation".
Simon Edwards reaffirmed his strong belief in the vital role of parish and town councils as an integral part of local government. He explored local government reorganisation, arguing that well‑designed unitary authorities can operate strategically while leaving space for empowered parish and town councils to deliver genuinely local services. However, he warned that poorly designed reorganisation risks serious negative knock‑on effects, stressing the importance of respect for the local tier and describing parish and town councils as "an integral and full part of the local government family".
Colin Poole followed by sharing findings from his academic research into asset and service transfers. He encouraged parish and town councils to learn from previous examples and to prepare early by assessing strengths and weaknesses, mapping assets, understanding risks and building capacity. Emphasising the dangers of waiting passively, he noted, "It's far better to do this work now than wait for a financial crash".
The event concluded with an interactive Q&A covering judicial reviews, local government reorganisation, support and training for taking on services, and the use of reserves.
The message from the event was clear that parish and town councils must actively prepare, build capacity and help shape future development, as waiting passively carries serious financial and service risks.
