Chief executive’s bulletin

8 January 2024

BBC coverage on abuse and intimidation towards councillors and staff 

I was pleased NALC was involved in working with the BBC on their investigation and story into abuse and harassment by members of the public towards councillors and council staff, including in local (parish and town) councils. We must raise awareness of the issues and problems our councils face such as abuse towards councillors, but we must also take seriously what councils can do for themselves to ensure the best governance they can. Our Civility and Respect Project aims to help councils do just that, providing a suite of guidance, template policies and training, including advice on how to manage risk associated with your public role, which I’d urge councils to make use of. Councils can also demonstrate their commitment by signing the Civility and Respect Pledge. Monday’s edition of Newsnight also covered the same story and featured two interviews with councillors, one a parish councillor, who spoke movingly about the abuse they have faced. But they were also resolute in wanting to stay in the role, to tackle the issue from the inside, highlighting the good work councillors can do for their communities. That’s why celebrating the best of the sector must also be at the heart of our work in councils, county associations and NALC, inspiring more people to get involved and stand for election. Initiatives already underway include national and county level awards, sharing examples of practice and case studies, engaging with the media, and campaigns to encourage more people to become councillors. There’s always more we and county associations can do, so please send your examples and ideas to policycomms@nalc.gov.uk.

New guidance for safer canvassing 

Our colleagues at the Local Government Association (LGA) have produced guidance for councillors to help them stay safe while canvassing. This helpful and timely resource includes tips on physical safety, how to assess risk, using technology to keep yourself safe and much more. This is essential reading for any councillors planning to canvass in the run up to elections in May, and much of it is relevant for other activities in your community as well.

On the blog: parish council domains

This week’s blog post discusses the initiative led by the Parish Council Domains Helper Team in collaboration with the Cabinet Office. The initiative aims at assisting local councils in transitioning to .gov.uk domains, offering enhanced support from domain registrars experienced in working with councils, along with £100 plus VAT in funding to aid the transition. Clerks can receive hands on support through four sessions covering various aspects of the transition process, all accompanied by helpful guides and templates. The blog post highlights recent progress and invites councils to participate in the introductory sessions to engage with the helper service. Read the blog to find out more!

Out and about 

Jane Moore, senior solicitor and legal services manager, delivered a legal update at the Buckinghamshire and Milton Keynes Association of Local Councils online event for clerks and councillors on 31 January. Jane’s presentation covered recent legislative updates, including on council powers to fund works on church property, the biodiversity duty, and fire safety requirements under the Building Safety Act 2022.

NALC National Network: climate emergency

NALC’s climate emergency network met online on 5 February 2024 to discuss the Climate and Ecology Bill, the Great Collaboration Website, the Local Net Zero Forum Task and Finish Group, and a recent roundtable for local councils that have adopted a Net Zero 2030 policy. Allan Scott Grey, political communications manager at Zero Hour, was our guest speaker and informed network members that the Climate and Ecology Bill aimed to reduce emissions consistent with limiting global warming to 1.5C and to halt and reverse nature loss. The bill was about to be reintroduced to Parliament, and local councils could show their support by presenting motions supporting the bill and signing the open letter. Further updates were provided on the Place Based Initiative’s takeover of the Great Collaboration website, including that a regional pilot was being planned in East Anglia and that four working groups had been created and from the Department for Energy, Security and Net Zero’s Local Net Zero Forum Task and Finish Group, which had agreed to look into simplifying available funding streams but hadn’t shown any appetite for joined up working. Network members were also encouraged to help shape the future of the network by completing the network survey by 16 February 2024 and to sign up for the Centre for Sustainable Energy’s upcoming webinars on an introduction to their Community Carbon Calculator and Community Carbon Calculator: the tool in action.

Larger Councils Committee 

The Larger Councils Committee met online on 6 February 2024, here are a few highlights:

• The committee considered a proposal for its work plan for the next two years and identified monitoring the impact of artificial intelligence on larger councils, grant funding for local councils fighting climate change, reviewing thresholds for larger and Super Councils and guidance on councils undergoing boundary reviews.
• Given the size of the committee and expertise already represented, the committee agreed not to make any co-options and keep this under review.
• The committee received a presentation from Annie Child, chief executive of Smaller Authorities’ Audit Appointments (SAAA) who spoke about the organisation’s key purpose, board membership, priorities for the audit market, sector, and organisation. Annie also highlighted particular areas of interest such as audit thresholds, internal audit and modernising Annual Governance and Accountability Return (AGAR).
• The head of member services provided a summary of the new model and template contracts of employment for local councils, which were launched in December 2023, and the ongoing review of the criteria for the Local Council Award Scheme.

Home Office webinar on Martyn’s Law standard tier consultation on 13 February 2024 

Following the publication of the long-awaited Martyn’s Law standard tier consultation earlier this week the Home Office has announced that it will be hosting a free information webinar for interested public sector bodies which may own or manage buildings and premises falling in the scope of the standard tier of the draft Terrorism (Protection of Premises) Bill, including local councils. The free webinar will take place between 15:00 – 16:00 on 13 February 2024 on Teams. Please click for information on accessing the session.

Fortnightly meeting county association officers 

In this week’s meeting between county officers and NALC, we discussed the rollout of the template contract of employment and associated guidance. County officers shared their experiences, discussing how the process was unfolding and addressing any questions they had encountered. We also received a short introduction to the recent report from the Jo Cox Civility Commission, which was included in one of my recent bulletins. There was also an update on the results of the survey into the 2023 local council elections and what this tells us about the local council sector.

UK wide academic survey of principal authority councillors 

Some of you may have been contacted or heard about a UK wide survey of councillors being conducted by academics from four universities as part of a wider European research network. Disappointingly, this is a survey of councillors on principal authorities in the UK and does not cover local councils. We’ve conveyed this to the academics running the project, but the more positive news is they intend to conduct a further survey next year on community level governance and would welcome NALC’s support and involvement, so watch this space!

NALC online event on levelling up 

Our latest online event was held on 31 January 2024, focusing on how local councils could leverage the levelling up agenda for their benefit. The event featured an expert panel, including Adam Hawksbee from Onward, Sophie Hosking from Cornwall Council, and Cllr Carl Les from North Yorkshire Council. They discussed the opportunities presented by the levelling up agenda and the necessary steps for councils to prepare for devolution. Adam Hawksbee outlined strategies for addressing challenges such as antisocial behaviour, revitalising town centres, supporting local culture, promoting economic development, and aiding disadvantaged communities. Cllr Les highlighted North Yorkshire’s transition to a unified authority and emphasised the importance of devolution for local governance. Sophie Hosking shared insights from Cornwall Council’s localism strategy, emphasising collaborative governance with local councils and political parties. Find out more about NALC’s online events!

And finally… 

I was delighted to see several local councils recognised by the National Association of British Market Authorities (NABMA) at an award ceremony on 25 January 2024. Shrewsbury Town Council and Shropshire Council jointly retained the title of Britain’s Favourite Market for the second consecutive year for their collaborative efforts to provide a Shrewsbury Indoor market. South Moulton Town Council (Devon) was honoured with the Best Community/Parish Market title for its exceptional management of the South Moulton County Pannier Market, celebrated for its community-centric services, charitable support, and free community activities. Ross-on-Wye Town Council (Herefordshire) and Skipton Town Council (Yorkshire) were highlighted for Ross-on-Wye Christmas Fayre and the Skipton Outdoor Market among the highly recommended markets. A huge well done to all finalists and winners!