Project Keystone survey and workshop shape next phase
Our Project Keystone has completed two key strands of engagement: a national online survey and a workshop with our National Assembly.
The survey received almost 1,200 completed responses from across local government and the wider sector. Nearly half (48%) of respondents were parish and town councillors, with the remaining responses coming from officers, board members and committee members. By region, 21% of respondents were from the North, 28% from the Midlands and 50% from the South*.
Respondents were asked to identify the three biggest challenges facing parish and town councils over the next decade. The most frequently selected challenges were increasing responsibilities (20%) and funding pressures (19%).
Feedback also highlighted concerns about the growing demands placed on councils and the support needed to meet them. Skills and capacity (13%) and recruitment and retention (13%) emerged as key themes.
The findings show widespread recognition that the local government support system needs to be clearer, more consistent and better coordinated. However, views differed on the scale of change required, with half of respondents (50%) favouring incremental improvements and one-third (33%) supporting more significant structural reform.
These themes were explored further during a workshop held at the recent National Assembly meeting, which brings together one councillor from each county association of local councils. Participants described a vision for 2036 in which parish and town councils play a larger and more influential role within local government. This included taking on greater responsibility for local services, working more closely with communities and partners, and making greater use of technology and data.
Discussions also highlighted ambitions for a more professional, skilled and representative sector, supported by stronger collaboration and community engagement.
The National Assembly members reflected on what this future would mean for sector support and identified the need for a more coherent, professional and strategically focused support system. Key themes included strong national advocacy, clear roles and responsibilities, enhanced training and professional development, and access to specialist expertise to help councils respond to future opportunities and challenges.
The survey findings and National Assembly workshop discussions will inform the next phase of Project Keystone. This will focus on developing solutions and shaping the future direction, role and priorities of sector support for parish and town councils.
The next stage will include two sets of deliberative workshops involving around 50 representatives from across the sector. These sessions will move the project from idea generation and development to the testing and validation of emerging proposals.
Further updates will be shared as the project progresses.
*North: North East, North West and Yorkshire and the Humber; Midlands: East Midlands and West Midlands; South: South East, South West and East of England.
