Peers call for a stronger role for parish and town councils in neighbourhood governance
Peers in the House of Lords continued their scrutiny of the English Devolution and Community Empowerment Bill, raising concerns about the government's proposals for neighbourhood governance and emphasising the need to protect and strengthen parish and town councils as the most local tier of democratic representation.
On the seventh day of debates, our vice-president, The Earl of Lytton, noted that parishes often act as hubs for wider community activity, citing neighbourhood plans and parish halls. He stressed that parishes do not need to own every process but can coordinate and regulate activities through their existing powers. He said, "I am keen to see devolution work and harness community commitment and engagement. Decision-making and responsibility need to be as near as possible to the community concerned."
Lord Bassam, speaking on Amendment 206 regarding parish and town representation on neighbourhood area committees, warned that larger local authorities risk diluting local accountability. He argued that parish and town councils should have a clear stake in neighbourhood governance structures, given that residents do not directly elect neighbourhood organisations.
Lord Wallace of Saltaire called for parish and town councils to play a significant and leading role in local democracy, a sentiment echoed by Baroness Jones of Moulsecoomb on behalf of our vice-president Baroness Bennett of Manor Castle, who highlighted that unparished areas are often poorer, inner-city communities where engagement is lowest.
Lord Lansley proposed that effective neighbourhood governance could be achieved by strengthening the functions of parish and town councils and ensuring parishes are established in currently unparished areas, describing such expansion as "an admirable way of extending neighbourhood governance."
Other peers, including Lord Fuller, Lord Lucas and Lord Shipley, sought greater clarity on how unitary authorities will interact with parish and town councils and stressed the importance of devolving decision-making to the lowest possible level. Baroness Scott of Bybrook emphasised that parish and town councils provide democratic legitimacy, continuity, and community trust, making them essential partners in neighbourhood governance.
The government, represented by Baroness Taylor of Stevenage, reaffirmed the importance of parish and town councils but opposed centralised requirements to create new parishes, favouring locally led community governance reviews. She noted that neighbourhood governance arrangements would complement existing councils without altering their statutory powers.
Peers also debated remote meetings, with Baroness McIntosh of Pickering advocating for online or hybrid council meetings to allow councillors to fulfil duties under difficult circumstances. Lord Pack supported the move based on lessons from the pandemic. At the same time, Lord Jamieson and the government raised concerns about potential reductions in public engagement and scrutiny.
