NALC calls for stronger neighbourhood governance in response to English Devolution White Paper

Today, we have welcomed the government's English Devolution White Paper but emphasised the importance of nurturing neighbourhood governance to ensure its success.

Parish and town councils have already demonstrated their ability to deliver on key government priorities at the local level. With the proper devolution framework, they can achieve even more. Successful examples of their contributions include:

• Building community resilience — Supporting local people during crises such as the COVID-19 pandemic and flooding.
• Supporting economic growth — Investing in local businesses and fostering community enterprises.
• Reducing NHS pressure — Promoting good health, creating green spaces, and addressing loneliness through age-friendly and dementia-friendly initiatives.
• Securing affordable housing — Using neighbourhood planning to identify and develop suitable housing sites.

During ongoing discussions about the white paper and its implications, we will advocate for several critical measures to enhance neighbourhood governance:

• Investment in neighbourhood governance — Building local capacity enables parish and town councils to address community needs effectively.
• Easier establishment — Simplifying processes to set up parish and town councils in areas without them.
• Promoting civility and respect — Attracting more community involvement by strengthening standards regimes.
• Modernised processes — Allowing hybrid council meetings where local communities see fit.
• Fair access to funding — Simplifying grant procedures and ensuring communities are compensated for new financial burdens, such as increased national insurance costs.
• A tailored audit framework — Developing an audit system suitable for small authorities that reflects local spending changes.

Effective devolution must recognise the role of England's 10,000 parish and town councils as the community tier of local government. They can be a strong voice for our most local neighbourhoods and help address fears of remote government resulting from any larger unitaries set up. By strengthening their role, the government can ensure that devolution delivers tangible benefits for communities nationwide.

Cllr Keith Stevens, NALC chair