Chief executive’s bulletin

11 April 2024

National Assembly

Our main governing body, NALC’s National Assembly, met this week, bringing together councillors from across England’s 43 county associations. A focus of their meeting was the challenge facing local government finance and the implications for local (parish and town) councils. It was clear from their discussions that whilst the situation varies from area to area, many principal councils are facing a difficult financial future and are increasingly looking to our sector to help. The Assembly also heard about the work of their committees and considered work programmes for the next two years to address priorities identified at its previous meeting. Other issues considered included changes to the planning regime which would impact our councils, and a report on our financial position, which was broadly in line with budget projections and an update on NALC’s strategic plan.

Smaller Authorities’ Audit Appointments (SAAA)

SAAA has published its 6th annual report on the results of auditors’ work covering the year 2022/23. It summarises the results of auditors’ work at the 9,817 smaller authorities (local councils, internal drainage boards and other bodies) with a turnover of under £6.5m. The number of authorities declaring themselves exempt from a limited assurance review continues to fall as more bodies exceed the £25,000 threshold. More councils are also approaching the £6.5m threshold, which triggers a full audit. NALC is working with SAAA to persuade the government to review and update these thresholds. Disappointingly, the number of councils failing to submit their annual governance and accountability return (AGAR) by the statutory deadline of 30 June each year remains high, and NALC would urge all councils to ensure they have adequate arrangements in place to ensure that return is made in time this year. More positively, the number of public interest reports issued by auditors has fallen from 58 in 2019/20 to 6 last year.

On the blog: Braunstone Town Council 

This week’s blog is written by Braunstone Town Council, winner of NALC’s Star Council Awards 2023, Council of the Year. In this blog, Darren Tilley, chief executive and town clerk of Braunstone Town Council, explores the role and significance of local (parish and town) councils. He emphasises that while local councils are not directly responsible for statutory services, they play a crucial role in enhancing community spirit and wellbeing by providing services and facilities tailored to local needs. He highlights the diversity of local councils and communities, stressing that there is no one size fits all approach to their functions. Braunstone Town Council’s achievements, such as saving the community library, supporting neighbours during COVID-19, and reducing their carbon footprint, earned it recognition as the NALC Star Council of the Year 2023. Read the blog to find out more!

Further events added to NALC’s 2024/25 events schedule

Last year was a bumper year for NALC’s events programme, with sold-out events and record-high feedback. Encouraged by this success, we’ve continued to bring you an exciting lineup of events from October 2024 to March 2025. Attendees can expect discussions and presentations on crucial themes such as emergency planning, devolution, empowering young councillors, navigating rural realities and improving standards. For more information and to secure your spot, visit NALC’s events page and take advantage of this opportunity to engage with industry experts and fellow professionals (NALC has frozen its delegate prices for online events for the whole 2024-5 financial year).

National Network: LGBT+ councillors 

NALC’s national network for LGBT+ councillors met online on 8 April 2024. The focus of this session was Pride 2024. The network was joined by speakers Alison McDaid, one of the leading officers of Corby Pride 2023, and Cllr Callum Reilly, chair of the Pride Committee, from Corby Town Council in Northamptonshire. Alison and Cllr Reilly shared their experience of hosting a Pride Parade in 2023, providing insightful tips for organising a successful event. They emphasised the importance of volunteers and partnerships with local organisations and businesses, as well as considerations such as weather, road closures, security measures, and selecting appropriate entertainment. The network agreed that a NALC-led presence at Pride would help increase LGBT+ visibility in local government, and they are currently planning attendance at a 2024 Pride event! Let us know what you’re doing for Pride 2024 at policycomms@nalc.gov.uk and find out more about the LGBT+ national network and how to join on our website.

Funding update on moving over to a .gov.uk domain through the Parish Council Domains Helper Service 

The Parish Council Domains Helper Service has a funding update for the financial year 2024/25 for local (parish and town) councils considering moving to a .gov.uk domain. The Cabinet Office has secured funding to help councils set up a .gov.uk domain. This discount is £100 + VAT applied at the point of purchase by those Approved Registrars participating in the Parish Council Domains Helper Service. Councils need to note that this funding can help a maximum of 1,000 councils move to a .gov.uk domain and is offered on a first-come, first-served basis. Funding will run until March 2025. If your council wants to move to a .gov.uk domain, please register your interest by completing the short form. For all enquiries, please contact the Parish Council Domains Helper Service at parish.helper@domains.gov.uk.