BIG TREE PLANT – LAST ROUND OF FUNDING

Community groups are invited to apply to the Big Tree Plant’s final funding round by 30th August 2013.  For more info on how to apply, visit the Forestry Commission website

The Big Tree Plant is a national tree planting campaign being delivered by civil society partners and conservation organisations with Defra and the Forestry Commission.  The aim of the Big Tree Plant is to plant 1 million new trees by 2015 supported by £4million of grant funding from the Forestry Commission.  

The Big Tree Plant is on target to achieve this goal with 152 individual projects funded through the grant scheme and funding already allocated to plant almost 965,000 trees.  Of these trees, over 475,000 trees have been planted to date.  Local groups have identified over £7m of match funding to deliver their projects. 70% of trees in the Big Tree Plant programme will be planted in the country’s most deprived and least green areas.  The trees must be planted with landowner permission in open spaces, neighbourhoods or on streets that are open to all to visit or where local people will benefit from them.

Rural Proofing Guidelines unveiled

Guidelines to ensure government policies don't discriminate against rural communities have been published online. The rural proofing guidelines were published by DEFRA and are available here in a short amd simple two page leaflet.

Policy makers are encouraged to adopt a simple three stage process which is outlined in the document. They should allow for higher rural unit delivery costs in funding formulae or allocations. They could also look at alternative means of providing and accessing services in rural areas such as through the use of volunteers or social enterprise. Outreach, mobile services or localised delivery can reduce the need for people to travel to access or receive certain services. Alternatively, policy makers could consider better integration or improvement of transport links and avoid the thinking of one-size-fits-all.

A call for Berkshire voluntary groups to join the Safer Future Communities Network

The Safer Future Communities Network has been established to enable the voluntary sector to communicate and engage with Anthony Stansfield, Police and Crime Commissioner and other voluntary organisations in the Thames Valley as well share new ideas. 

Although town and parish councils are not part of the voluntary sector, they have been encourgaed to use this route when they wish to access the ear of the Police and Crime Commissioner.

The network will be an extremely useful information sharing platform and will include two events during the year. The first event is coming up on 17 July in Reading. It is free and open to all who join the Network. 

For more information and to join the Safer Future Communities Network, please contact Kanika Lang at kanika.lang@ocva.org.uk or call 01865 258914.

Local Council Insurance AON

NALC has lobbied AON UK Ltd and this has resulted in 30% off their standard Local Councils insurance premium until 31st July 2013 plus an additional 5% if you are a Quality Council and 5% if you sign a 3 year Long Term Agreement. (30% discount does not apply to the Legal Expenses part of this cover.)

Find out more about local council insurance and fill in an online application form:

New 4th edition of The Good Councillor's Guide available soon

The latest edition of the essential guide for councillors is available via the NALC website, with a new section on Community Rights. 

It is available on line and will be available in hard copy, BALC are waiting to know what individual copies will cost and will let member councils know as soon as possible.

Unlocking the General Power of Competence - confidence to innovate

A joint LGA and NALC Conference on Tuesday 23rd July. 

Places are free to NALC and LGA member councils only

The General Power of Competence was introduced as part of the Localism Act 2011. It gives councils the power to do anything that an individual can do for the benefit of their communities and has the potential to open doors previously closed to councils anxious to meet the financial challenge head on by doing things differently.

This event is an opportunity to look at how the Power is currently being used innovatively by councils and the opportunities and challenges it presents. It is a must for any council wanting to innovate. The event will also launch a report exploring how the power is being used and features real case studies.

To book go here to the LGA website

NALC promotes its policy achievements

The National Association of Local Councils recently published and uploaded a document summarising its main policy achievements over recent months: http://www.nalc.gov.uk/About_NALC/Benefits_of_Membership/Benefits_of_Membership_document.aspx 
The document also highlights how these recent policy achievements benefit member councils of the County and National Associations, as well as the wider local councils’ sector nationally.

Some of the National Association’s main policy achievements of recent months can be summarised below:

• Securing the extension of the right to directly propose under the Sustainable Communities Act, 2007 to local councils;
•  NALC becoming parish Selector under the Sustainable Communities Act, 2007;
• Securing further exemption for 2013-14 for local councils from Excessive Council Tax referenda;
• Gaining the right for parishes who wish to be informed of Major Infrastructure Planning applications in their areas – to be notified of such cases – under the Growth and Infrastructure Act, 2013;
• Gaining the right for parishes who register relevant interests – to be notified of village green registration applications in their areas – again under the Growth and Infrastructure Act, 2013; and
• Securing a 25% share of the Community Infrastructure Levy for local councils with a Neighbourhood Plan, and a 15% share of the Levy for local councils without a Neighbourhood Plan.

Do you work with small charities or community groups? Could technology be helping them do more? 

 
Community How To (http://www.communityhowto.com) brings together top digital tools and tips - including those to help manage and evaluate projects, recruit volunteers, and raise funds.
 

Community How To is a joint project from Online Centres Foundation (OCF) and Nominet Trust. The service helps community and third sector organisations find digital tools which could help them do more of what they do best, and helps them share their ideas and tools with others.

Community Rights

The Localism Act 2011 brought in a number of new rights which your council may wish to investigate and possibly use when appropriate. 

The Community Right to Bid allows an appropriate body (which includes parish councils) to propose community assets for inclusion on a register held by the district/unitary authority. When assets on the register are sold there is an opportunity for community groups to bid to buy the asset. There is no guarantee that the bid will be accepted but at least there is the opportunity. Go to the mycommunityrights website for more information.

The Community Right to Build gives communities the power to build new shops, housing or community facilities without going through the normal planning process. Read more on the Understanding the Community Right to Build guide and also find out how it works.


The Community Right to Challenge gives local groups the opportunity to express their interest in taking over a local service where they think they can do it differently and better. Read the Understanding the Community Right to Challenge guide and find out how it works.

Neighbourhood Development Planning powers give people the chance to decide how their local area should develop and what should be built.More here on the Locality website or on the Community Council for Berkshire website

Sustainable Communities Act 2007

Town and parish councils will soon be allowed to make direct proposals to the Secretary of State under the Sustainable Communities Act 2007.


The Sustainable Communities Act (SCA) 2007 allowed district/unitary councils and communities to put forward ideas and proposals on how best to improve the quality of life and wellbeing in their local areas.

The Local Government Association (LGA) was appointed in round one as the national 'selector' body to assess and shortlist proposals made by councils under the act. Proposals from the final shortlist were then decided on by the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, after consultation with the LGA as selector.

The Act did not initially extend this power to make proposals to town and parish councils. However, after a consultation last summer it has been announced, under the Sustainable Communities Act, Regulations 2012, that local councils can now make direct proposals to the Secretary of State. If he rejects that proposal and the council subsequently want to re-submit an amended or the original proposal, NALC will act as Parish Selector. NALC will establish an Advisory Board to help it make decisions on whether to re-submit proposals to the Secretary of State.

More information about the Act on the Local Works website and examples of the Act being used in practice.

2013 Pay Negotiations latest

Published 9th May 2013 by SLCC 

The Trade Union Side met on 7th May to consider the Employers’ pay offer.

The Unions have each agreed to consult their respective memberships on the pay offer as the 'best achievable through negotiation’. The unions’ consultations can normally take anything up to about six weeks, so the outcome is not expected until mid to late June.

The Unions voted to make a strong statement highlighting how far the offer falls below their aspirations and what their members deserve. But it agreed that the offer is the best achievable by negotiation in the current climate. There was a majority view that members were not prepared to take industrial action at this time. Unison says it will consult members through branches, highlighting the employees’ anger at the offer, while pointing out that only sustained, all-out strike action could bring the employers back to the negotiating table.

New (ninth) edition of Charles Arnold-Baker, Local Council Administration

A new and revised edition of the essential reference text for local councils is available for pre-order now. It is fully up-dated  to include all recent legislation.

NALC members can get 20% discount and free postage and packing if you order online at http://www.lexisnexis.co.uk/store/uk/Arnold-Baker-Local-Council-Administration/product

The Government has launched a consultation to gather views on how local communities can take charge of managing and generating their own energy.

Views on how local communities can take charge of managing and generating their own energy are being sought by the Government, ahead of the UK’s first ever Community Energy Strategy.


This will also deliver a commitment in the Coalition Agreement to encourage community-owned renewables schemes where local people benefit from the power produced. 

This comes as new research by Databuild Research and Solutions supported by the Energy Saving Trust showed concerns about energy bills as the number one driver for people to get involved in community energy projects. Environmental and social reasons are also cited as important factors.


There are a growing number of community energy projects across the country, from community-run advice services to hydro power turbines in local streams powering hundreds of homes. To reconnect more communities to the energy they use, the Government is looking for views from a range of people and groups to help ensure the new Community Energy Strategy can inspire as many new projects as possible. 

If your community is interested please go here and complete online by 1 August 2013. 
DECC will publish the Community Energy Strategy in the Autumn. 

Two Page Summary of Funding for Neighbourhood Planning from DCLG

Anton Rogers from the Decentralisation and Neighbourhood Planning Team, DCLG spoke to County Officers a week or so ago. He has since supplied a summary of the sources of funding that communities can access to help them with their plan.

Direct Support and Small Grants for Communities

The support provided by a Locality led consortium is available for the next two years. Details are available here

It will support groups developing neighbourhood plans in two ways:
•    direct support – advice and support, with an average value of equivalent to £9,500, tailored to meet the needs of supported neighbourhoods;
•    grant payments – up to £7,000 per neighbourhood area, to contribute to costs incurred by the group preparing a neighbourhood plan or order.

Communities can apply for either direct support, or a grant, or BOTH. 

There is an eligibility check. If these are met, you will receive application form within 24 hours. Town and parish councils, neighbourhood forums and emerging neighbourhood forums preparing a Neighbourhood Development Plan or Neighbourhood Development Order in England are able to apply.

The small grant is paid directly to communities. In parished areas this is paid directly to the parish. It is not paid via the local planning authority and there is no obligation to share it.

Local Authority Funding

Details were sent to all authorities in December and can be found here:

Local planning authorities can claim funding of up to £30,000 per scheme for neighbourhood planning in 2013/14. This money is to ensure LPAs receive sufficient funding to enable them to meet new legislative duties on neighbourhood planning. Specifically, it covers the duties in the Localism Act which are to provide advice and assistance; to hold an examination; and to make arrangements for a referendum.

For the avoidance of doubt: the local authority must pay for the examination and referendum not the town or parish council

Payments will be staged as follows: 

•    The first payment of £5,000 will be made following designation of a neighbourhood area recognising the officer time supporting and advising the community in taking forward a neighbourhood plan. For authorities designating several neighbourhood areas, each local planning authority can claim up to a maximum of £100,000 for area designations, in 2013/14. However, you should also bear in mind the overall cap of £5m.

•    The second payment of £5,000 will be made when the local planning authority publicises the neighbourhood plan prior to examination. This will contribute towards the costs of the examination as well as other staff costs incurred at this stage. There is no cap in 2013/14.

•    The third payment of £20,000 will be made on successful completion of the neighbourhood planning examination. This is to cover costs for that examination and any other further steps that may be needed for the neighbourhood plan to come into legal force, including referendum. However, the payment is not dependent on pursuing the referendum route if both parties agree on a different approach at that point (for example, if both parties agree, the neighbourhood plan could be taken forward as part of the local plan or as a supplementary planning document). There is no cap in 2013/14.