Results of DCLG e-survey of CALC members views on community rights and neighbourhood planning

Results of DCLG e-survey of CALC members views on community rights and neighbourhood planning

 About the survey: DCLG circulated a short electronic survey to NALC members between April and May 2013. Taking part was voluntary and responses were welcome from both councillors and clerks. 

 Focus of questions: The survey explored local council’s views and intentions to take action linked to right to bid; right to challenge, neighbourhood planning and the general power of competence.

 The response rate: 800 parish clerks and councillors from 600 parish and town councils across 45 counties in England completed the survey. These findings represent the views of about 7% of NALC affiliated town and parish councils across the country. Although low, the responses were distributed fairly evenly across the country.

 Focus of the summary findings: DCLG have produced a summary Powerpoint pack presents high level findings on parish and town council views and accounts of action linked to right to bid; challenge and neighbourhood planning.

 63% of respondents to the survey said their parish/town council had already taken action around one or more of our policy areas. The most common policy combinations pursued were ‘right to bid/asset transfer’ and neighbourhood planning.

Other key findings include:

24% (206 people) said that their parish want a neighbourhood plan and they have already started the process to develop one.

20% (177 people) said their council is taking some form of action linked to right to bid/asset management/transfer, including listing assets of community value or taking over the management or ownership of an asset.

19% (165 people) have already taken on responsibility for a local service/function from their local authority (although not using right to challenge). 2% (21 people) said their parish/town council is preparing or they have submitted an expression of interest under right to challenge.

The results for Berkshire were:

• Views on Neighbourhood Planning (19 councils responded)

3 are considering taking forward a neighbourhood plan
10 won’t be developing a neighbourhood plan
5 have already started the process
1 hadn’t heard of the right

• Views on Right to Challenge (16 councils responded)

8 didn’t think the policy was right for them
3 had already taken over services /functions from the principal authority
4 was preparing to bid for a service, but not using the right
1 hadn’t heard of the right
Services/functions already delivered by council included public toilets.

• Views on Right to Bid (16 councils responded)

4 didn’t think the policy was right for them
4 are reviewing assets to list
3 already had listed assets with the local authority
2 had already taken over the ownership/management of community assets.
3 hadn’t heard of the right.
Assets already in parish/town council control included sports centre, public toilets.