NALC is helping DCLG and Locality deliver the Community Ownership and Management of Assets programme, 2015-16.
Clerks to Direct Access Councils (those with electorate 6,000+) are strongly encouraged to apply to this programme if your council is part of a broader community partnership seeking to take over the management or running of a complex asset or multiple assets.
Please see the Blog created for the first nine successful applicants to the programme. NALC has already received a parish application under this programme. If you want more detailed information contact christine.lalley@ccberks.org.uk
Over 1,500 assets up and down the country have been listed as assets of community value under the Right to Bid legislation and hundreds of assets are now run by communities themselves. Feedback suggests that there is a real appetite for more support.
The Community Owned and Managed Assets programme & grants aim to help fill the gap in support for partnership working between community organisations and local public bodies.
The programme
will support up to 50 partnerships between local public bodies such as
local authorities and community groups (including parish councils). It will strengthen and increase opportunities for communities to take on the management and/or ownership of multiple assets and ground-breaking single asset projects that are important to the community, specifically those in public ownership.
Applications for grants are still currently available. To apply for the support and grants available, click here
NALC has been celebrating the work of member councils through its ‘Council of the Week’ feature since November 2014.
Each week, the exemplary work of a council in England is shared on the NALC website and in its Monday e-newsletter, with the aim of showcasing achievements to a national audience, whilst inspiring good practice amongst others.
We would love to see your hard work recognised! Thatcham, Bracknell and Wokingham Town Councils have already been council of the week
To be considered for Council of the Week, all you have to do is send BALC:
1. Up to 400 words outlining recent successful projects that demonstrate best practice
2. A photograph that is representative of your town / village (e.g. your council premises, town hall or an iconic location)
We will share these nominations with the Communications Team at NALC who prepare the stories at the end of each week.
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| c. secularism.org uk |
This Act came into force on 26th May. The Act is a response to the High Court decision of 2012 which found that the saying of prayers was not lawful under sec. 111 of the Local Government Act 1972 and that there was no statutory power permitting the practice to continue. The Localism Act 2011 gave councils with the General Power of Competence the freedom to continue to have prayers. The Secretary of State, Eric Pickles sought to correct what he saw as an anomaly. This Act gives discretionary powers to bodies such as parish councils to include prayers on their agenda.
The full briefing L03-15 The Local Government (Religious etc. Observances) Act 2015 is in the Members Area of the NALC website. All members have a username and password to access the NALC Members Area, if you have forgotten them please send an email to BALC christinelalley@ccberks.org.uk
This months briefing covers - Working from Home, a practice which is particularly prevalent in our sector. The main headings are:
1. Working from Home (permanent arrangement)
- Can we pay the employee an allowance to compensate for the space used and/or for use of extra heat/light?
- What reporting or monitoring arrangements need to be put in place?
- Are there issues if a councillor or member of the public visits the clerk in his/her home?
- What are the council’s obligations under Health and Safety legislation?
- How does the council ensure that its data is safe and can be recovered after the employment relationship ends?
- What if the council decides it wants the officer working from an office rather than from home?
2. Working from Home (voluntary or temporary arrangement)
- How does the council respond to a Flexible Working request relating to an Officer working from home on occasion or as a regular arrangement?
- How does the council respond to a Return to Work interview which recommends working from home instead of attending the council’s offices? .
The full briefing is in the BALC Documents section of the BALC website. The topic of Lone Working will be the subject of a future briefing.
The Our Place programme puts communities at the heart of service delivery transformation. The deadline for applications to this programme has been extended to 5th June 2015. This is due to interest in the new programme and will give more groups / parishes an opportunity to apply.
More places are now available for communities and their partners, Locality are accepting 115+ areas onto the programme.
Our Place puts communities at the heart of local services, bringing partners together to address the issues that matter most to local people and delivering services differently to revolutionise the way the neighbourhood works.
Take a look at some of the partnerships and projects developed in the 2014-15 cohort of Our Place here
Successful Our Place applicants will benefit from:
- a grant of £8,000 - £12,000;
- a relationship manager who will be a critical friend;
- technical support to build capacity and resilience;
- joining the My Community network with shared learning opportunities;
Our Place applicants are:
- incorporated voluntary or community organisations, parish or town councils, principal authority or other statutory service providers;
- passionate about public service reform with an enthusiasm and appetite to deliver services differently;
- community-led and have a track-record of:
§ community engagement;
§ community consultation that has identified local services that can be redesigned to better meet local needs;
§ partnership working;
§ making connections with the community, the public sector and commissioners
It involves local partners within a neighbourhood coming together with local people to identify issues that most matter to their community. These partnerships then look at ways of tackling these issues by influencing how local budgets are spent on service delivery, potentially redesigning, re-commissioning and managing or delivering these services.
For more information about the programme and the grants available, click here
Sherfield on Loddon is a traditional rural village in the north east of Hampshire, just 10 miles south of Reading, but with a growing population of around 3,000, a council of 10 councillors, and an annual precept of around £75,000.
The above position will become vacant at the end of June, and we are now looking for suitable applicants. The post is part time, 25 hours per week working mostly from home. Working hours are flexible during the week but you must be available to attend evening meetings as required.
Salary will be based on the NJC “Green Book” (pro rata) and according to experience.
Applicants should be computer literate, experienced in the use of spreadsheets and have proven organisational and administrative experience. Local government experience and /or CILCA qualification is desirable but not essential as training will be given.
For more information and to apply, applicants should view the councils web site at www.sherfieldonloddon-pc.gov.uk, and contact the chairman on 01256 883838
The Our Place programme puts communities at the heart of service delivery transformation.
It involves local partners within a neighbourhood coming together with local people to identify issues that most matter to their community. These partnerships then look at ways of tackling these issues by influencing how local budgets are spent on service delivery, potentially redesigning, re-commissioning and managing or delivering these services.
You can take a look at some of the partnerships and projects developed in the 2014-15 cohort of Our Place here
For more information about the programme and the grants available, click here
NALC is helping DCLG and Locality deliver the Community Ownership and Management of Assets programme, 2015-16.
