Session
The government has promised a simpler, more sustainable and more efficient system of local government, but what does that ambition mean for parish and town councils in practice? This session brings together a panel of sector experts to examine how recent reforms, including devolution and local government reorganisation, are affecting parish finances. Are councils better supported and more resilient, or are pressures increasing? Is the smaller authorities' audit regime still fit for purpose, or is further change on the horizon? The session will include essential updates on proper practices, including what councillors and clerks need to know about Assertion 10.
Annie Child is the chief executive of Smaller Authorities' Audit Appointments (SAAA), the body responsible for appointing external auditors to parish and town councils across England, a role she assumed in September 2023 after nearly 20 years' experience in local government, including five years as clerk to Salisbury City Council, one of the largest town councils in the country. In her leadership of SAAA, she focuses on improving governance and accountability for smaller authorities, working collaboratively with sector partners to strengthen audit quality, transparency and support for parish and town councils and their auditors.
Alan Mellor is the chair of the Smaller Authorities Proper Practices Panel (SAPPP), the sector body responsible for defining and issuing proper practices that govern the financial and governance standards for smaller authorities in England, including parish and town councils. In this role, he leads a multi‑partner panel that shapes the annual Practitioners' Guide and ensures statutory and best practice guidance is clear, effective and fit for purpose across the sector. Alan brings extensive professional expertise from his role as finance and VAT advisor, where he provides specialised financial guidance and training to clerks and council officers. His leadership in SAPPP supports strong accountability, transparency and sound financial management for smaller authorities, helping them meet their legal responsibilities and maintain high standards of governance.
James Hood is the director of the Local Councils' Network (LCN), the collective voice for England's district and unitary councils, providing strategic policy, operational oversight and sector advocacy on issues affecting local government. He joined the LCN in September 2021 after an extensive senior career in civil service, including roles at the former Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities where he served as joint director of housing strategy and markets, director of building safety and remediation and deputy director of local authority housing, and earlier policy and strategy positions at the Ministry of Justice and HM Treasury. James also brings private‑sector experience from his early career as a strategy consultant. In his current role, he works with local authorities, national stakeholders and partners to influence policy and advance the interests of district councils at national and regional levels, drawing on his deep insight into public policy, governance and local government delivery.
