The housing and planning minister Gavin Barwell MP has written an open to letter to all local councils about the Neighbourhood...
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Cllr Ken Browse, chairman of NALC, responded: "I had a very positive first meeting yesterday with housing and planning minister, Gavin Barwell MP, which covered the important role of parish and town councils in communities and in neighbourhood planning.
The National Association of Local Councils (NALC) has announced the longlist for its Star Councils 2016 Awards.
NALC Star Councils 2016 Awards is an all important recognition of all the amazingly effective hard work this being undertaken by local parish and town councils, local councillors, local council officers and as well as by county associations.
Hullbridge is tucked away in the northwest corner of Rochford District and is home to 7,300 residents. Green belts on three boundaries and the River Crouch on the northern boundary surround it. With over two miles of river frontage the parish is well used by the local boating fraternity. Hullbridge has numerous facilities, Recreation Ground, Nature Reserve, Allotment Site, a network of well-maintained footpaths, which meander through the surrounding farmland and along the River Crouch.
After Society of Local Council Clerks’ (SLCC) decision to amend its constitution to transfer its trades union activities to a new separate Trade Union, known as ALCC (which the Certification Officer has now added to the schedule to the statutory main list of trade unions and has removed SLCC from that list), the Society and NALC are working closely together to define each organisation’s respective and complementary roles in supporting councils, clerks and councillors.
NALC’s ongoing campaign to strengthen local democracy has been supported by the new important book Locating Localism by Professor Jane Wills published last month.
The National Association of Local Councils (NALC) Smaller Councils’ Committee met on 2 August 2016 and agreed to compile a survey on developing capacity in smaller councils.
The National Association of Local Councils (NALC) Smaller Councils’ Committee agreed on 2 August 2016 to encourage local councils to consider applying for one of the Alzheimer’s Society’s Dementia Friendly Awards 2016.
NALC went to Diss in Norfolk, Thursday 28th July 2016, to launch its key new guidance for parish and town councillors on good employment practice.
NALC has launched a survey of parish councils to support its campaign to give parishes greater community led housing powers.
NALC's Policy Committee met on 26 July 2016 and agreed that parishes in all Devolution Deal areas should push for a seat at the devolution table in their areas, especially in those areas represented by a Combined Authority.
A record number of local (parish and town) council parks and green spaces will be flying the Green Flag Award this year – around 30 in England.
The NALC Larger Councils’ Committee met for its annual good practice visit in Dunstable on 19 July, 2016 and re-iterated its call on the new government to make good on exempting parish councils from payment of business rates on public buildings they own or manage – before 2018.
The community of Deptford, London are looking to join thousands of other areas and bring power to local neighbourhoods by handing in a petition on 19 July 2016 to Lewisham Borough Council to create a new local (parish and town) council in the locality.
Dunstable Town Council is one of the largest town council’s in the country. Employing over 80 staff with a revenue budget of over £3m, the council is at the forefront of the local government sector that is increasingly delivering quality of life services that principal authorities are no longer able to provide.
The National Association of Local Council’s (NALC) sends a ‘best practice’ delegation to find out how Dunstable Town Council is improving quality of life services for residents and visitors to Dunstable.
The Great British High Street Competition is a Government and business-led initiative which celebrates our nation’s much-loved high streets. Now in its third year, it showcases the people, businesses and partnerships that are putting their high street at the heart of their communities.
NALC’s fringe event, Devo Local, held on 6th July, at the LGA Annual Conference in Bournemouth demanded that any devolution of power must begin with community involvement.
Locality, the national network of community-led organisations, and NALC are urging local (parish and town) councils to help tackle the housing crisis by encouraging communities to build their own homes.
Local (parish and town) councils throughout the UK are being invited to support a campaign to raise public awareness of our island nation’s dependence on Merchant Navy seafarers.
New guidance for parish councillors on good employment practice has been published by the National Association of Local Councils.
The National Association of Local Councils is heading to the LGA Annual Conference between 5 and 7 July 2016.
Newport Pagnell Town Council won not just one but two major awards recently given out by the prestigous Planning Magazine.
Media Watch is a weekly round-up of the latest major stories on the local (parish and town) council sector.
Last week, the All Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) for Civic Societies and APPG on Local Democracy hosted a joint meeting in Parliament. The secretariat for these all party parliamentary groups are provided by NALC and Civic Voice respectively.
The town of Bracknell is rated as one of the best places to live, work and play in the country, with a new £200m town centre the Lexicon opening in Spring 2017, this trend is long to continue. The town was recently awarded the accolade of Town of the Year at an awards ceremony held within the Thames Valley.
The All Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) for Civic Societies and APPG on Local Democracy will host a joint meeting in Parliament on Tuesday, 7th June 2016. In light of the recent National Planning Policy Framework, the event will be asking ‘Is the Planning System working?’
The National Association of Local Councils (NALC) will be considering Society of Local Council Clerks (SLCC) proposals to separate their trade union and professional association roles at NALC's Executive Committee on 7 June 2016 and then at National Council on 28 June 2016.
A share of £90m funding for seaside resorts is up for grabs.
Blandford Forum Town Council has an estimated population of 10,541 with approximately 4,806 dwellings in 409 hectares of land. The town council has 16 councillors and 15 members of staff. It supplements the provision of local government services and provides a range of social and recreational facilities, while promoting and representing the town with other national and statutory bodies.
Today it seems that devolution is about devolving power from central to principal local government.
NALC welcomes the new agreement for a pay deal for local council officers and workers.
Media Watch is a weekly round-up of the latest major stories on the local (parish and town) council sector.
Stirchley and Brookside is a diverse parish with densely populated areas within the Brookside Avenue ring road, estates and larger properties in Stirchley and Holmer Lake as well as listed buildings in Stirchley Village. There are two local centres and good links to the town centre. The extensive green network including the Madebrook Local Nature Reserve and Holmer Lake are highly valued by residents.
Campaigners are urging Government to back up its pledge to give added strength to neighbourhood planning. After a debate on the Housing and Planning Bill on Monday (9 May).
NALC's Policy Committee met on 10 May 2016 and formally agreed to adopt a position for parish councils to become statutory consultees on all aspects of Temporary Events Notice applications.
Chippenham is the largest market town in Wiltshire and forecasted to continue to grow over the coming years. Its great location and excellent transport links makes it a popular area to live. A recent £21m redevelopment of the Wiltshire College campus, £705k refurbishment to create a new Neeld community and arts centre, rail electrification, first year of Chippenham Business Improvement District (BID). The town is committed to building on this potential.
Two weeks ago the Lords voted in favour of an amendment to the Housing and Planning Bill to introduce a neighbourhood right of appeal.
Media Watch is a weekly round-up of the latest major stories on the local (parish and town) council sector.
Whitwick is an ancient village mentioned in Domesday Book. It lies between Coalville, an industrial revolution mining town, and the rural Charnwood Forest.
Following campaigning by NALC, the Housing and Planning Bill was recently amended in the House of Lords to include a new clause giving parish and town councils a limited right of planning appeal.
The NALC Larger Councils Committee met on 26 April 2016 and called for larger local councils in England to make good quality proposals to solve national policy problems they are facing – using the Sustainable Communities Act 2007.
NALC this week backed the Rural Coalition’s support of the government’s intention to respond positively to the cross political party concerns for safeguards for rural affordable housing raised during the passage of the Housing and Planning Bill in the House of Lords.
Media Watch is a weekly round-up of the latest major stories on the local (parish and town) council sector.
The parish of Yate is located in South Gloucestershire – approximately 11 miles from the City of Bristol. The parish has a population of over 22,000 people, represented by 17 councillors.
A cross political party group of Peers won the fight for the introduction of a new limited neighbourhood right of appeal.
This jointly delivered event on 1 June 2016 from the National Association of Local Councils (NALC) and the Local Government Association (LGA) will explore the opportunities devolution presents for principal and local councils to work more collaboratively.