May 2015 NALC manifesto - Communities in control

Communities in control: realising the potential of town and parish councils


"Town and parish councils are the backbone of our democracy and at the heart of many communities in England. They provide our neighbourhoods, villages and towns with a democratic voice and a structure for taking action – real people power at grassroots level.

We need more local democracy with more empowered people and places.

The 2015 general election provides an opportunity for politicians of all parties to support our most local level of governance. A chance to demonstrate their commitment to citizen-led action, which protects local assets and services and delivers responsive services based on local priorities – all of which improves lives and enhances communities.

NALC’s manifesto sets out our positive offer to the next Government. It outlines how we can help the next Government realise its ambitions for community empowerment, localism and devolution. It also arms the next Government with a range of policy ideas to unlock the power and potential of communities by helping town and parish councils flourish.

Our vision is to improve the quality of life for local communities through having vibrant, dynamic and effective town and parish councils.

NALC wants to work with the next Government to turn this vision into a reality."

The manifesto is here

Review of Quality Council Scheme

The Quality Council Award scheme has been the subject of a long ongoing review. We are still not quite there yet. Preliminary details of the proposed scheme which will be piloted in the coming months are available. Subject to feedback from the pilots the scheme will be launched in January 2015.

Councils can apply for an award at one of three levels.

• The Foundation Award demonstrates that a council meets the minimum requirements for operating lawfully and according to standard practice.
• The Quality Award demonstrates that a council achieves good practice in governance, community engagement and council improvement.
• The Quality Gold Award demonstrates that a council is at the forefront of best practice and achieves excellence in governance, community leadership and council development.

More details of the proposed scheme are here in the Quality Council section of this website. The scheme will be renamed as the Local Council Award Scheme with a new logo. 

What this space!

September Employment Update Hours of work

BALC is now offering its member councils access to Bethan Osborne, an experienced HR and employment advisor. As part of that service Bethan will write a monthly article on relevant employment legislation changes that could affect your council. The full article will be placed in the Documents section of our website, under the BALC documents tab. This months article is about Hours of Work:

• Is there any legal limit on hours which can be worked?
• Why is it important to get it right?
• What if we want to change the hours?
• What if the employee wants to change the hours?
• What is the best practice approach to overtime?

If you would like to discuss hours of work within your council in the context of the advice within this briefing then please do contact the BALC office for referral to Bethan Osborne who is acting as Employment Consultant to the Association

Finally, a reminder of a change which is taking effect in October:
National Minimum Wage increase from 1October 2014
•    £6.50 for workers 21 and over
•    £5.13 for workers 18-20 yrs
•    £3.79 for 16-17 yrs old
•    £2.73 for apprentices under 19 (or 19 and over who are in the first year of apprenticeship)

Town and parish councils receiving little money from "Boles bung"

Town and parish councils have received only a tiny fraction of community infrastructure levy (CIL) revenues since the introduction of rules requiring local planning authorities to pass on money raised from local development. 

NALC issued a press release in May which was picked up by Planning magazine. The press release is here

Lawyers Pinsent Masons write:

The UK government amended the CIL Regulations in April 2013 to require local planning authorities to pay town and parish councils up to 25% of any CIL raised from housing developments in their area. The payments were nicknamed "the Boles bung", after then planning minister Nick Boles said in January 2013 that they were intended "to persuade communities to accept more housebuilding by giving them a tangible share of the benefits it brings".

According to information obtained by Planning Magazine under a freedom of information (FOI) request, a total of £92,000 in CIL funding was received by town and parish councils in the 15 months following the introduction of the rules. This represents only 1% of around £9 million raised by planning authorities in this time.

The report said that only eight of 43 planning authorities that responded to the FOI request had passed any funds to town and parish councils by June 2014, with an average of £1,648 transferred to each of 56 town and parish councils.

Ken Browse, chair of umbrella body the National Association of Local Councils, told Planning Magazine that the figures "confirm our worst fears that the system is in danger of not being fit for purpose and needs an urgent rethink".

However, a Department for Communities and Local Government (DCLG) spokesman said that low amount transferred could be explained by the fact that CIL receipts were passed on to town and parish councils six months after being collected by planning authorities and "new provisions do not relate to planning permissions granted before the new rules". The DCLG expected funds transferred under the rules to "start at a low base and steadily rise over time", said the spokesman.

Sussex parish Community Right to Build Orders proceed to referendum

Three development orders brought forward by Ferring parish council have become some of the first to pass examination and be recommended for referendum under the UK government's Community Right to Build scheme.

Lawyers Pinsent -Masons report that


The Community Right to Build was introduced by the UK government following the Localism Act in 2011. It allows communities to group together to draft Community Right to Build Orders (CRTBOs), proposing development projects that will benefit the local community. If approved by an examiner and by 50% of people voting in a local referendum, CRTBOs can be used to circumvent the need for planning permission for the development described within them.

Ferring Parish Council submitted three CRTBOs to Arun District Council alongside the emerging neighbourhood plan for the parish in April. The orders provided detailed proposals for three sites allocated for development in the neighbourhood plan. Arun District Council gave its support for the orders and for the neighbourhood plan and appointed independent examiner Clare Wright to examine them.

More on the story here

South East Water - Community Chest Fund

South East Water Community Chest Fund is open

If you know or are part of a community project, charity or not-for-profit organisation in our water supply area that would benefit from financial support, please help spread the word that our Community Chest Fund is open for applications until 31st October.

Last year, the £30,000 Fund was shared between 35 organisations supporting a range of projects from a £1,500 grant to St Andrew’s CE Infant in Farnham for cold frames to help the pupils grow fruit, vegetables and flowers, to £100 for Aldershot and District Schools’ Athletics Association’s new summer games trophies.

Visit our website to view the criteria, see other projects we have supported and submit an application.

Find out more about the Community Chest Fund

West Berkshire Community Champion Award Scheme

Recognising the contribution volunteers make to West Berkshire

This is a new and exciting scheme aimed at recognising the valuable contribution made by volunteers in making the district of West Berkshire a vibrant place to live, work and play.
The award scheme incorporates the following categories:

•  Junior Citizen of the Year Award [23kb] 
•  Volunteer of the Year Award [25kb] 
•  Community Group of the Year Award [27kb]
•  Lifetime Achievement Award [24kb]

We are very keen to receive nominations for people who deserve an award for their work in the West Berkshire community. 

Please use the online form to make your nomination.
The closing date is Friday 24 October 2014.

Award winners will be presented with a certificate and medallion, and their details will be entered into a "Roll of Civic Award" which will be available for future generations to review.

NALC disappointed at DCLG ‘no’ to business rate funding for parishes

The Government has turned down a proposal for a share of business rates to go to parish and town councils, suggesting they do not see local economic development as part of their localism role.

The National Association of Local Councils (NALC) said it was ‘bitterly disappointed’ but ‘not entirely surprised’ by news that the Department for Communities and Local Government has not supported a proposal made under the Sustainable Communities Act to give local councils a percentage of business rates to help fund their work on measures to support local economic growth.

In his letter responding to the proposal from Sevenoaks Town Council, DCLG minister Stephen Williams MP said “Government understands the wish of parish and town councils to secure a share of the business rates collected by billing authorities. However, all of this funding is required to help deliver the services for which the principal local authorities and major precepting authorities are responsible”.

Chairman of NALC, Councillor Ken Browse said:  “I’m bitterly disappointed in this decision from the Conservative and Liberal Democrat coalition Government, which took over six months to reach, although I’m not entirely surprised. They’ve failed to take advantage of a golden opportunity to recognise and boost the economic development role of grassroots councils, and of town councils in particular. Our important part of local government has long argued for more radical reform of business rates, including during the resource review in 2011 and 2012, when the current Government again said no.

“While the minister says parish and town councils ‘have a key role to play in our vision for localism’, this obviously does not include local economic development. Our councils will feel let down as this is increasingly the kind of activity they are supporting and funding from their resident levy, the precept, measures welcomed by local businesses. The Government needs to think again.”

The proposal from Sevenoaks Town Council received support from over 400 local and national bodies, and was made under legislation championed by Government to help remove barriers and red tape.

Sevenoaks Town Council can challenge the Government’s decision by referring it to the Selector who can request the Secretary of State to  reconsider his decision.

More NALC Legal Topic Notes revised

NALC have updated two more legal topic notes - LTN 3 - The Powers of a Parish Meeting in a Parish without a separate Parish Council and LTN 6 - Meetings of Parish Meetings. 

Where appropriate, statutory references have been updated.  The revised LTN 6 includes references to the Public Bodies (Admission  to Meetings) Act 1960 as amended by the Openness of Local Government Bodies Regulations 2014 on 6 August 2014.

As a member you can access all 85+ Legal Topic Notes on the NALC website in the Members Area, your clerk will have a Username and Password to access this area. Please remember to check that you are using the most up to date LTN because legislation is changing all the time.

August Employment Update - Workplace Pensions and Shared Parental Leave

BALC is now offering its member councils access to Bethan Osborne, an experienced HR and employment advisor. As part of that service Bethan will write a monthly article on relevant employment legislation changes that could affect your council. The full article will be placed in the Documents section of our website, under the BALC documents tab. This months article is about pensions, this is important, please read it and act upon it if appropriate for your council. The briefing comes in two parts and also covers shared parental leave:

• What is auto-enrolment all about?
• When is it being implemented?
• What are the minimum criteria for pensions under auto-enrolment?
• Will it affect my council?
• When will it affect us?
• Will it affect all employees?
• What if employees don’t want a pension?
• What if we are already in LGPS?
• What if we offer a private pension already?
• What if we do not have a pension provider?
• Can we opt for NEST instead of our existing plan?
• What if our Clerk has a Retirement Gratuity in his/her contract of employment?
• What do we need to do to be prepared?
• Do we need to talk to our staff about this?
• Where can I find out more? 

Shared Parental Leave – five minute briefing

• What is happening to rights for expectant and new parents?
• Why do we need to know about it so soon?
• Can anyone take time off like this?
• How much notice do the parties need to give their employers?
• What will Mums and Dads on Shared Parental Leave earn?.
• Can parents return to their original jobs after Shared Parental Leave?
• What do we need to do next?

The Accessible Britain Challenge

Mark Harper, Minister of State for Disabled People launched The Accessible Britain Challenge on Thursday 4 September.

The vision of the Accessible Britain Challenge is for communities to become more inclusive and accessible by engaging and working with disabled people to remove barriers that get in the way of them being full and active contributors in their community.

The Department for Work and Pensions are keen to get all communities looking at ways to make all aspects of life more accessible for those with disabilities. While much of this attention is focused on principal authorities it is pertinent for parish councils to look at those areas they have responsibility for - play areas. allotments, burial grounds, particularly the premises in which you hold your council meetings and your website.


More information and good practice case studies are here on the .gov.uk website

Openness Regulations - briefing for Berkshire and Oxfordshire 2nd October

Important! Openness of Local Government Bodies Regulations 2014 – this means filming, blogging and tweeting of your council meeting

The Department of Communities and Local Government (DCLG) has issued a Plain English Guide to the Openness of Local Government Bodies Regulations 2014 to coincide with the implementation of these Regulations in the first week in August. DCLG has sought to regularise what it sees as an anomaly in that reporting was allowed in the Local Authorities (Executive Arrangements) (Access to Information) (England) Regulations of 2012 for local authorities with executive arrangements which excluded town and parish councils. DCLG view this as a logical extension of open and transparent democracy.

These Regulations introduce two important requirements:

• Allowing people to film, blog, tweet or use other types of social media to report on council meetings; and the
• Recording of delegated decisions made by officers under instruction of the council.

BALC and Oxfordshire Association of Local Councils have taken the initiative and organised a morning briefing from Liz Howlett, solicitor on Thursday 2nd October. This will be at Didcot, Civic Hall, 9.30-12.30pm cost £35 + VAT per member council delegate.


Please send bookings to Oxfordshire, all the details are on the form which has been sent to all clerks of member councils.

More details from christine.lalley@ccberks.org.uk 0118 9612200 or info@oalc.org.uk 01491 823118

State of UK Public Parks - report

The National Federation of Parks and Green Spaces (NFPGS) have an online petition and questionnaire that is hoping to reach as many different community organisations and parks people as possible. 

The petition follows the Heritage Lottery Fund report ‘State of UK Public Parks’ – available here . The report published in June 2014  documented what the NFPGS felt to be an alarming slide into  long-term crisis being caused by the underfunding of the UK's parks. It is hoped that this important and timely document will inform and influence all decision-making on the future of our green spaces. 

The NFPGS released the following statement:
“This report on the alarming long-term crisis being caused by the underfunding of the UK's parks, so vital to every local community, is a shocking wake-up call which clearly necessitates immediate and effective national action.

The inspirational rise of the Friends Groups movement over the last 15 years has demonstrated the commitment of the public. We are now demanding an equivalent commitment from the Government to ensure adequate public resources for all green spaces, a statutory duty to manage these spaces to decent (Green Flag Awards) standards, and a national inquiry into these matters.

We will be responding to the report by launching a UK-wide public petition, and are also calling on all park users to back Love Parks Week at the end of July to demonstrate our love for our vital local green spaces."

- Sarah Royal and Dave Morris, National Federation of Parks and Green Spaces