Sold out NALC event highlights asset management challenges and supports councils taking on new responsibilities

Our latest event on 28 January 2026 explored the essential principles for parish and town councils to manage current and future assets. The sold-out event addressed the development of comprehensive asset management strategies, the effective integration of new responsibilities, and provided practical approaches for navigating financial constraints.

The event featured the head of services at Locality, Alison Berwick; research fellow in sustainable and inclusive enterprise at Middlesex University, Dr Amy Burnett; and deputy clerk at Thetford Town Council, Alan York, who offered valuable insights for parish and town councils to optimise their asset management practices.

Alison Berwick explained the practical considerations parish and town councils must navigate when taking on assets and outlined Locality’s experience supporting community asset management. She stressed the need for realistic viability planning and said, "Buildings and land can be liabilities, not just assets […] we need to think about practicalities," emphasising the importance of long-term sustainability through proper governance and community support.

Dr Amy Burnett explored how asset management links to community value, devolution and infrastructure. She introduced her research on value typologies and encouraged parish and town councils to rethink value to include social, cultural, and environmental aspects, rather than relying solely on financial elements. She said, "Asset transfer is an opportunity to redefine what we measure and why."

Alan York gave a practical account of the real challenges councils face when inheriting and managing buildings and heritage assets. He spoke about the new charitable trust that Thetford has developed, designed to improve stewardship, access funding and bring in specialist expertise. He described how years of under-investment created major risks and that these must be addressed: "If we don’t fix today’s assets with today’s money, all we do is leave it for future generations."

In their closing remarks, the speakers highlighted the importance of community and risk awareness. The message was clear: assets are social, cultural, and environmental opportunities, but they need to be governed properly to reach their full potential.