If any Clerks want to join the Clerks’ eGroup, or any councillors want to join the Councillor eGroup, contact enquiries@lalc.co.uk.
꙰꙰ ꙰꙰ ꙰꙰ ꙰꙰ ꙰꙰ ꙰꙰ ꙰꙰ ꙰꙰ ꙰꙰ ꙰꙰ ꙰꙰ ꙰꙰ ꙰꙰ ꙰꙰ ꙰꙰ ꙰꙰ ꙰꙰
This fortnightly newsletter is provided to member councils through the clerk and chair and should be circulated to all councillors. This eNews can also be found on the LALC website under News (LALC News). Other important information which comes up in between eNews publication dates is also shared on the website under News (Our Blog).
꙰꙰ ꙰꙰ ꙰꙰ ꙰꙰ ꙰꙰ ꙰꙰ ꙰꙰ ꙰꙰ ꙰꙰ ꙰꙰ ꙰꙰ ꙰꙰ ꙰꙰ ꙰꙰ ꙰꙰ ꙰꙰ ꙰꙰
Training courses are available to book via the portal (login required)
The Training Bulletin is issued monthly, and courses are available to book via the portal. If there is any specific training which you feel would be valuable, and we don’t currently offer it, please let us know and we will investigate. The Training Bulletin can be found on the LALC website www.lalc.co.uk/training-2-1.
Clerks – when booking training for your councillors, please ensure that their email address is correct. If not, they will not receive the booking confirmation or any joining instructions. If you have set up your councillors on the LALC portal, you will be able to select their correct email address from a drop-down list when booking the training.
If you update your council email and are already booked on training, please let us know so that we can update your booking to ensure you receive the automatic reminders.
If one of your councillors resigns, and they were booked on LALC training, please cancel their place, so that others can book on. Failure to do so may not only deprive other councils from attending but could result in a non-attendance charge (see below).
Please note our training cancellation policy
For part day courses – please ensure we receive cancellations at least 48 hours in advance
For full day events – please ensure we receive cancellations at least 5 working days in advance, as we need to pre-order and pay for lunches
Due to persistent non-attendance at booked events, it is unfortunate that LALC have had to amend the way we impose our cancellation fees. All members are charged 50% of the training cost when insufficient notice is received (as above) for non-attendance at training events. No shows will be charged at 100% of the course fee. All charges are regardless of whether the council is a member of the ATS or not.
꙰꙰ ꙰꙰ ꙰꙰ ꙰꙰ ꙰꙰ ꙰꙰ ꙰꙰ ꙰꙰ ꙰꙰ ꙰꙰ ꙰꙰ ꙰꙰ ꙰꙰ ꙰꙰ ꙰꙰ ꙰꙰ ꙰꙰
|
Position |
Closing date |
|
|
Clerk/RFO |
No closing date |
|
|
Clerk/RFO |
28th February 2025 |
|
|
Admin Assistant |
No closing date |
|
|
Clerk/RFO |
14th February 2025 |
|
|
Clerk/RFO |
No closing date |
|
|
Clerk/RFO |
28th March 2025 |
|
|
Clerk |
23rd March 2025 |
|
|
Deputy Clerk/RFO |
26th March 2025 |
|
|
Clerk/RFO |
No closing date |
|
|
Facilities Manager |
7th April 2025 |
|
|
Clerk/RFO |
No closing date |
|
|
Clerk/RFO |
24th April 2025 |
|
|
Clerk/RFO |
24th April 2025 |
|
|
Grounds Team Manager |
16th April 2025 |
|
|
Clerk/RFO |
2nd May 2025 |
|
|
Clerk/RFO |
20th April 2025 |
Vacancy advertising
LALC can advertise your vacancy on our website and in the fortnightly eNews. This is a free service. If you do not have a pre-prepared advert to send us, please complete our Vacancy Template, which can be found in the Members Portal under Document Templates.
We also offer a paid advertising service, which ensures that your advert also appears on Lincolnshire County Council’s website, Facebook, and LinkedIn (in addition to the LALC website and eNews). The current fee for this is £75. Please complete the Vacancy Template (as above), ensuring that all requested information is completed, and then contact us at enquiries@lalc.co.uk. You will be invoiced for this service.
Please note that Lincolnshire County Council require a closing date on their advert, as well as salary information (these are mandatory fields). LCC will remove your advert once the closing date has passed, so please consider the date carefully as you will have to pay again to re-advertise if your vacancy hasn’t been filled by then.
We recommend all councils advertise their vacancy, job details, method of application and up to date contact details on their own website too.
Please let us know when the vacancy has been filled, so that we can remove it from our website/eNews. If your vacancy has not yet been filled and you are continuing to advertise, please let us know of any revised closing date. If you no longer specify a closing date, please let us know so that we can update the vacancy adverts.
The NALC Recruitment Manual (developed as part of the Civility & Respect project) is now available via the portal. Go into Knowledgebase and click on 'Recruitment Manual' in the 'Employment' menu area.
꙰꙰ ꙰꙰ ꙰꙰ ꙰꙰ ꙰꙰ ꙰꙰ ꙰꙰ ꙰꙰ ꙰꙰ ꙰꙰ ꙰꙰ ꙰꙰ ꙰꙰ ꙰꙰ ꙰꙰ ꙰꙰ ꙰꙰
Sign up to the LCC Town and Parishes newsletter – email:
lcctownandparishnews@lincolnshire.gov.uk
꙰꙰ ꙰꙰ ꙰꙰ ꙰꙰ ꙰꙰ ꙰꙰ ꙰꙰ ꙰꙰ ꙰꙰ ꙰꙰ ꙰꙰ ꙰꙰ ꙰꙰ ꙰꙰ ꙰꙰ ꙰꙰ ꙰꙰
Latest News
To see the latest NALC news (NALC login required): https://www.nalc.gov.uk/news
To see the latest SLCC news (No SLCC login required): https://www.slcc.co.uk/news-publications/
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LALC Summer Conference - 16 July 2025
Booking is now open for the 2025 LALC Summer Conference - taking place at the Epic Centre at Lincolnshire Showground.
Come along for an interesting and enjoyable day: meet old friends, network, and make new friends and contacts.
The day will start with a Welcome & Introduction from our guest speaker.
There will be a varied selection of Talking Tables on different topics. These will be interactive sessions using discussion, scenarios, case studies, and shared problem solving.
Talking tables to include: Clear Councils (insurance), Worknest (Health & Safety), Worknest (HR), Unity Trust, CCLA, Andrew Towlerton (Effective comments on planning applications), Breakthrough Communications, Lincolnshire Armed Forces Community Covenant Officer (Armed Forces Friendly Councils), Cloudy IT (GovAssist), Lincs Fire & Rescue (Societal resilience).
Delegates will have the opportunity to attend 5 of these tables during the day, selecting topics which are of specific interest to your council. If you are bringing several colleagues from the same council, you may want to share out which Talking Tables you’d like to visit, to ensure you get the most out of the topics on offer.
There will also be various Trade Stands to peruse. The LALC Webmaster will also be on hand to answer any website queries.
More detail to be announced later.
This is a new style of conference for LALC, and we hope you find the day interesting and informative.
See you there.
Cost is £45 per head plus VAT.
꙰꙰ ꙰꙰ ꙰꙰ ꙰꙰ ꙰꙰ ꙰꙰ ꙰꙰ ꙰꙰ ꙰꙰ ꙰꙰ ꙰꙰ ꙰꙰ ꙰꙰ ꙰꙰ ꙰꙰ ꙰꙰ ꙰꙰
LALC at the Lincolnshire Show
LALC and our colleagues at ERNLLCA (East Riding and Northern Lincolnshire Local Councils Association) will be attending the Lincolnshire Show this year, on 18th and 19th June.
Look out for the “Greater Lincolnshire Association of Local Councils” marquee where we will be promoting the role of the councillor and the role of the clerk in local councils.
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POSTPONED: Worknest Health & Safety training
The Worknest Health & Safety training scheduled for Great Gonerby on 29th May has unfortunately now been cancelled, due to the low number of bookings. We hope to be able to re-arrange this training later in the year and will advertise the new event in the usual manner.
꙰꙰ ꙰꙰ ꙰꙰ ꙰꙰ ꙰꙰ ꙰꙰ ꙰꙰ ꙰꙰ ꙰꙰ ꙰꙰ ꙰꙰ ꙰꙰ ꙰꙰ ꙰꙰ ꙰꙰ ꙰꙰ ꙰꙰
New Worknest FREE webinar: Keeping Your Council Compliant - proactive tips, best practices, and preparing for change
Is your council meeting its health and safety duties?
As a council, ensuring the safety and wellbeing of your staff, visitors, and the public should be a top priority. Failing to stay compliant with changing health and safety laws puts your council at risk of legal action, fines and reputational damage.
Join WorkNest’s expert-led webinar on the 13th May at 11am for practical, no-nonsense guidance on the latest legal updates and risk management strategies – designed specifically to help councils tackle workplace safety challenges and stay compliant.
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ICCM Management of Memorials training
Sutterton Parish Council (near Boston) have arranged with ICCM to host a Management of Memorials Inspection workshop at Sutterton Village Hall on Wednesday 7th May. If you are interested in attending, please see details and booking form on the ICCM website: https://tinyurl.com/4y62nckt
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LALC Pay, Recruitment and Retention Survey – DEADLINE EXTENDED
The deadline for completion of the survey has now been extended to 12:00 noon on Tuesday 29th April.
Clerk survey: https://lalcmemberssurvey2021.typeform.com/to/IkFbjhvl
Councillor survey: https://lalcmemberssurvey2021.typeform.com/to/BHrEGY10
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Sad news – Joann Greer
It is with regret and great sadness that Woodhall Spa Parish Council announce the sudden death at home, of Joann Greer our Parish Clerk.
Joann had been Parish Clerk since 2017 and will be greatly missed by all who knew and worked with her.
Our thoughts are with her family and friends at this difficult time.
Funeral details will follow when we have been notified of the arrangements by Jo’s family.
꙰꙰ ꙰꙰ ꙰꙰ ꙰꙰ ꙰꙰ ꙰꙰ ꙰꙰ ꙰꙰ ꙰꙰ ꙰꙰ ꙰꙰ ꙰꙰ ꙰꙰ ꙰꙰ ꙰꙰ ꙰꙰ ꙰꙰
NALC: Local audit reform
The government announced on 9 April 2025 its response to the recent Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government consultation on local audit reform and the setting up the Local Audit Office. We will be considering this in detail, but it is encouraging that many of our asks have been addressed, including a commitment to raising the upper threshold for smaller bodies. Disappointingly, the government is not proposing to increase the lower thresholds but has committed to introducing a risk-based approach to enable audit regimes that are proportionate and appropriate. We will work with the Smaller Authorities' Audit Appointments (SAAA) to form our response and continue our engagement with the government on local audit reform.
Government response to the consultation to overhaul local audit in England:
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NALC: Annual Governance and Accountability Return
By now, officers across England will have received the Annual Governance and Accountability Return (AGAR) forms for 2024/25. The deadline for returning completed forms to the external auditor is 30 June 2025. One of the key messages in SAAA's Annual Report on the Results of Auditor's Work at Smaller Authorities 2023/24 is that too many smaller authorities submit their AGAR forms late. I encourage all parish and town councils to plan the completion and sign-off of their AGAR forms to comply with the auditor's deadline. Guidance on completing the AGAR can be found in the Practitioners' Guide 2024 or by contacting your county association. The SAAA has once again reiterated that parish and town councils must not contact the external auditor for advice on completing their forms.
꙰꙰ ꙰꙰ ꙰꙰ ꙰꙰ ꙰꙰ ꙰꙰ ꙰꙰ ꙰꙰ ꙰꙰ ꙰꙰ ꙰꙰ ꙰꙰ ꙰꙰ ꙰꙰ ꙰꙰ ꙰꙰ ꙰꙰
NALC Blog: Charity Commission
In this blog the Charity Commission explores the role of parish and town councils as charity trustees. With over 1,200 parish and town councils acting as trustees, they must understand their responsibilities and legal duties. This blog highlights managing assets correctly, handling conflicts of interest and meeting reporting requirements. The Charity Commission has also published refreshed guidance to help parish and town councils navigate these responsibilities.
Read the blog (NALC login required): https://tinyurl.com/yc5rt78e
꙰꙰ ꙰꙰ ꙰꙰ ꙰꙰ ꙰꙰ ꙰꙰ ꙰꙰ ꙰꙰ ꙰꙰ ꙰꙰ ꙰꙰ ꙰꙰ ꙰꙰ ꙰꙰ ꙰꙰ ꙰꙰ ꙰꙰
NALC: Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Task Force
NALC has been invited to sit on the government’s Delivery of Government Missions in Rural Areas Task Force. Established by Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs minister Daniel Zeichner MP, it includes other members of the Rural Coalition, academics, and civil servants. The task force aims to increase understanding across government departments of the challenges facing rural areas and the contribution rural businesses and communities can make, with the proper support, to delivering the government’s missions and tackling rural disadvantage to unlock the potential of the rural economy.
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NALC: Heritage Revival Fund
The Heritage Revival Fund has been created to help communities across England rescue and repurpose neglected historic buildings. It forms part of the government’s broader £270 million investment in arts and culture. The fund will do this by supporting community organisations in taking ownership of, adapting, and reusing the local heritage assets that matter to them, transforming them into thriving spaces that meet their needs. The fund will run from 1 April 2025 until 31 March 2026. It is open to parish and town councils in England seeking to take ownership of and/or adapt historic buildings for community use. Funding is available to support projects from the earliest stages to capital works, including feasibility studies, development of business plans, design, surveys, and the costs of acquiring and renovating buildings.
Find out more: https://tinyurl.com/5v9cu3wy
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NALC calls on OFCOM to safeguard rural postal services
This week, we urged the Office of Communications (OFCOM) to prioritise the protection of rural postal services in response to its review of the universal service obligation.
In response to the consultation, we clarified that rural communities must not be sidelined in the proposed reforms. Thousands of parish and town councils are located in non-urban areas, and a reliable, accessible postal service is essential for residents, businesses, and local democracy.
We emphasised that Royal Mail must remain accountable and that competition from private mail providers should be maintained to drive service quality. OFCOM must acknowledge the risks to rural users in its proposals, actively protect these communities, and uphold minimum delivery standards.
In addition, we are calling on the government to back its commitment to the Sub Post Office Network, including Post Office Local and Outreach branches, by delivering realistic and sustained financial support. Finally, we reiterated our firm belief in maintaining the universality principle that a letter of a certain size can be sent to any UK address for a single, fixed price, regardless of distance.
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SLCC: Correction Issued to 2025 Practitioners’ Guide
The initial text in the 2025 Practitioners’ Guide contained an error. Following discussion between the Smaller Authorities’ Proper Practices Panel (SAPPP, former JPAG) and the government advisors who provided the relevant wording for the 2025 guide, SAPPP has issued an addendum to the guide with a revised wording for para 5.124. This is to make it absolutely clear to local councils and their auditors that there is no requirement for parish councils (including town/community councils) and parish meetings to appoint a Data Protection Officer (DPO). This is the position in law, as set out in the Data Protection Act 2018.
The revised version of the 2025 Practitioner’s Guide is now available on the LALC website: https://www.lalc.co.uk/jpag-practitioners-guide?#scrollTop=0
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SLCC: Paying the right level of Council Tax: a plain English guide to Council Tax
The government has recently updated its guide, “Paying the right level of Council Tax: a plain English guide to Council Tax,” which provides advice on how the council tax bill is set, to include new information about exceptions to the second home and empty homes premium.
View the Guide: https://tinyurl.com/ycyahduj
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NALC Management Board
NALC's Management Board met on 14 April 2025. The board considered survey results and feedback on our Star Council Awards and Parliamentary Reception and agreed to hold the events again this year. The board set up a small working group to review our membership subscriptions, as decided at our Annual General Meeting. The board also discussed our use of social media, particularly X (formerly Twitter), and agreed to keep its presence under review and explore other options.
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Previous research has highlighted that there is significant overlap between females experiencing the menopause and males who are supporting their partners through the menopause. Every-One has designed this survey to research two specific areas in relation to menopausal symptoms:
People experiencing the menopause and the effects it has on their partners
Whether there is any link between the onset of symptoms in relation to their partner experiencing the menopause or whether symptoms are a standalone occurrence.
The target audience for this survey is males in the 40 – 60 age group: however, if you are not in this target audience but feel the survey is relevant to you then please complete the survey. All information collected will be handled and stored in a confidential manner; and will be anonymized for the purpose of research reporting. The only exception will be if you agree to complete a case study and provide your permission for Every-One to disclose personal details.
This survey will help us to understand:
The number of males who experience effects through supporting their partners through the menopause or who experience symptoms themselves; and
The effects on male physical, mental, and emotional wellbeing; and
What improvements can be made to provide enhanced preventative/early intervention health and care and social care practices.
Expected positive impacts from the survey include:
The inclusion of males in the menopause conversation; and
Better understanding of the effects of the male ageing process increasing the likelihood of males seeking help and being diagnosed earlier.
There are 12 questions in this survey, the majority of which are multiple choice: completing the survey should take no more than 10 minutes.
Take the survey: https://tinyurl.com/7sk453eh
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NALC writes to Jim McMahon MP on the Financial Ombudsman Service
Following the Policy Committee adopting a motion from the Surrey Association of Local Councils (SALC) to lobby the government to ensure parish and town councils can complain to the Financial Ombudsman Service (FOS), we wrote to the local government minister, Jim McMahon MP. In our letter, we've raised the main point that parish and town councils have nowhere to lodge their financial complaints except to the bodies about whom they usually complain. We've shared evidence and asked to meet government officials on the matter. I thank SALC for raising the issue and for their excellent work lobbying.
꙰꙰ ꙰꙰ ꙰꙰ ꙰꙰ ꙰꙰ ꙰꙰ ꙰꙰ ꙰꙰ ꙰꙰ ꙰꙰ ꙰꙰ ꙰꙰ ꙰꙰ ꙰꙰ ꙰꙰ ꙰꙰ ꙰꙰
NALC Blog: Exmouth Town Council
In this blog, Star Council Awards Climate Response of the Year winners, Exmouth Town Council, share how the council implements its climate emergency declaration, from strategy to community engagement. The blog outlines how the council developed a climate action strategy and plan, built partnerships to co-create projects and reach wider audiences, delivered on-the-ground action from reusable cup schemes and e-cargo bikes to sedum-roof bus shelters and sustainable food events, took a data-led approach by assessing their carbon footprint and prioritising high-impact areas and shared practical tips for other councils on how to start or scale their climate journey. Whether your parish or town council is starting or looking to strengthen its climate work, this blog is full of inspiration, ideas, and tested approaches.
Read the blog (no login required): https://tinyurl.com/4uaddmyr
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NALC: Clear Councils Insurance on Martyn's Law
Our partner, Clear Councils Insurance, has written an article exploring the Terrorism (Protection of Premises) Act 2025, known as Martyn's Law, a significant new legislation to improve public safety. With Royal Assent granted on 3 April 2025, parish and town councils should consider how the law may apply to their venues, events, and facilities. This blog features an overview of Martyn's Law and its tiered approach based on venue capacity, key examples of council-managed spaces that may be affected, including halls, parks, and markets, practical guidance on risk assessments, staff training, emergency planning, and security measures, and steps parish and town councils can take now to prepare, even before full implementation.
Read the article (no login required): https://tinyurl.com/y5cex77k
꙰꙰ ꙰꙰ ꙰꙰ ꙰꙰ ꙰꙰ ꙰꙰ ꙰꙰ ꙰꙰ ꙰꙰ ꙰꙰ ꙰꙰ ꙰꙰ ꙰꙰ ꙰꙰ ꙰꙰ ꙰꙰ ꙰꙰
NALC: Rural Flood Resilience Forum
Our Rural Coalition colleagues, Action with Communities in Rural England, have asked us to support the delivery of the forum's work plan, particularly action 20, "to provide parish and town councils with information on how to consider flood resilience when working with local communities." Our chair, Cllr Keith Stevens, recently joined me and policy manager Chris Borg at a briefing on the role of the Environment Agency Rural Flood Resilience Partnership. Our next steps include working with partners to develop appropriate resources for the sector.
Rural flood resilience partnership: 2024 to 2026 work plan: https://tinyurl.com/48fp9f9f
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SLCC: Letter to Lords Minister for Housing and Local Government on Devolving Assets and Services
Adam Keppel-Green FSLCC, Chair of the SLCC Board, has written to Baroness Taylor of Stevenage OBE, Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State (Lords Minister for Housing and Local Government) asking her to consider an amendment to Circular 06/03: The Local Government Act 1972: General Disposal Consent (England) 2003.
The proposed change would help make it easier to transfer land and buildings from principal councils in England to parish and town councils in their areas, supporting the ongoing programme of local government reorganisation and devolution in England.
The letter was prompted by issues identified by a number of clerks, who have encountered their principal councils referring to ‘community asset transfer’ which is loose term not based in statute, when discussing the transfer of assets and services in the context of devolution. This has highlighted that there isn’t a common understanding of how assets and services can effectively be transferred from principal councils to local councils.
A simple change in the guidance to principal councils could establish a default mechanism for these transfers, which emphasises that transfers to local councils retain public ownership and community governance.
The proposed amendment would give principal councils across England a clearer route to devolving assets and services more effectively, aligning with the government’s broader objectives for local government reorganisation and devolution.
Read the letter (no login required):
https://www.slcc.co.uk/site/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/Baroness-Taylor-250417-SLCC.pdf
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SLCC: Recent webinar recordings now available to members
Recordings of the following recent SLCC webinars are now available to its members.
‘What Does It Mean for Us? Reorganisation to Unitary Local Government’. This webinar provided insights into the impact of reorganisation on local councils, how councils have adapted, taken on new assets, and strengthened community leadership is also available to members.
Watch the recording here (SLCC login required - webinar is approximately 1 hour 30 minutes):
https://www.slcc.co.uk/reorganisation-to-unitary-local-government/
‘What Does It Mean for Us? Mayoral Combined Authorities’. With a panel of representatives providing experience from different stages of the combined authorities journey, the webinar provided insight into the role and powers of mayors in new combined authorities, how local councils are engaging with mayors and principal authorities. It also provided practical insights from councils working within mayoral structures.
Watch the recording here (SLCC login required - webinar is approximately 1 hour):
https://www.slcc.co.uk/what-does-it-mean-for-us-mayoral-combined-authorities/
꙰꙰ ꙰꙰ ꙰꙰ ꙰꙰ ꙰꙰ ꙰꙰ ꙰꙰ ꙰꙰ ꙰꙰ ꙰꙰ ꙰꙰ ꙰꙰ ꙰꙰ ꙰꙰ ꙰꙰ ꙰꙰ ꙰꙰
NALC and CPRE launch a new guide to empower communities to shape local development
Today, alongside the CPRE (The Countryside Charity), we launched an exciting update to one of the most trusted resources for responding to planning applications. As planning reforms and rapid development continue to reshape towns and countryside, communities need tools to ensure local voices are heard.
The revamped guide is the go-to starting point for anyone who wants to understand – and have a say in – what gets built in their local area. With tens of thousands of downloads, the guide has long been a favourite for those keen to protect and shape their communities. Now, it's clearer, sharper, and more accessible than ever.
The guide is split into two easy-to-navigate parts. Part one cuts through the jargon and explains the English planning system in plain English. It helps readers understand how planning decisions are made and how the system works behind the scenes. Part two walks you through eight practical steps to responding effectively to planning applications, from understanding the background to writing strong, constructive comments and rallying community support.
Read the guide (NALC login required):
https://www.nalc.gov.uk/resource/how-to-respond-to-planning-applications.html
꙰꙰ ꙰꙰ ꙰꙰ ꙰꙰ ꙰꙰ ꙰꙰ ꙰꙰ ꙰꙰ ꙰꙰ ꙰꙰ ꙰꙰ ꙰꙰ ꙰꙰ ꙰꙰ ꙰꙰ ꙰꙰ ꙰꙰
SLCC: Local Government Pay Claim 2025/6
The national employers have now considered the claim by the trade unions in respect of this year’s pay claim. They have made the following offer:
A 3.2% increase on all scale points with effect from 1 April 2025
The deletion of scale point 2 from the pay scale with effect from 1 April 2026
The other elements of the claim, namely the phased approach to achieving a minimum of £15 per hour within two years, an additional day annual leave and a reduction in the working week of 2 hours with no loss of pay are all rejected.
The national employers have also said that once the three year funding review for local government is known shortly, this could give them the freedom to negotiate a multi-year deal for future years.
The next steps are that the unions take the offer away for consideration by their members. They have been requested to respond as quickly as possible and to coordinate their replies.
꙰꙰ ꙰꙰ ꙰꙰ ꙰꙰ ꙰꙰ ꙰꙰ ꙰꙰ ꙰꙰ ꙰꙰ ꙰꙰ ꙰꙰ ꙰꙰ ꙰꙰ ꙰꙰ ꙰꙰ ꙰꙰ ꙰꙰
Clear Council’s newsletter
The latest newsletter from Clear Council can be viewed here: https://tinyurl.com/t5vjsecp
꙰꙰ ꙰꙰ ꙰꙰ ꙰꙰ ꙰꙰ ꙰꙰ ꙰꙰ ꙰꙰ ꙰꙰ ꙰꙰ ꙰꙰ ꙰꙰ ꙰꙰ ꙰꙰ ꙰꙰ ꙰꙰ ꙰꙰
NALC National Network: Micro councils
NALC national network for micro councils held its latest meeting on 16 April 2025. The strategic policy adviser at The Charity Commission, James Wilkinson (who recently wrote a blog for us), gave a helpful presentation on parish and town council duties under Charity Commission rules when managing assets. The network discussed local government reorganisation and agreed that micro councils were unlikely to take on many new assets or services, registering and considering their views was still important. NALC's vice-chair (member services), Cllr David Francis, gave an update on local council registration with the Information Commissioner's Office. The network's WhatsApp group has proven popular, with many members reporting it's been a valuable tool for sharing information. The network also appointed Ginny Gibson, the clerk of Croxden Parish Council in Staffordshire, as a co-chair.
NALC national networks leverage the increasing use of digital communication by parish and town councils, capitalising on the recent trend towards remote meetings and events to:
Connect parish and town councils and councillors nationwide based on common interests and groups
Foster engagement with our initiatives and campaigns among various groups
Facilitate mutual support among network members
Promote the exchange of learning and best practices
Networks available:
Climate emergency
Coastal communities
LGBT+ councillors
Micro councils
Super councils
Women councillors
Young councillors
The network meetings occur quarterly via Zoom, supplemented by regular email communications and access to network WhatsApp groups for members. For more information about our national networks, please email us at policycomms@nalc.gov.uk or visit https://www.nalc.gov.uk/support/national-networks.html .
꙰꙰ ꙰꙰ ꙰꙰ ꙰꙰ ꙰꙰ ꙰꙰ ꙰꙰ ꙰꙰ ꙰꙰ ꙰꙰ ꙰꙰ ꙰꙰ ꙰꙰ ꙰꙰ ꙰꙰ ꙰꙰ ꙰꙰
NALC: Martyn's Law Steering Group
The Terrorism (Protection of Premises) Act (known as Martyn's Law) received royal assent on 3 April 2025, an urgent meeting of the sector's Martyn's Law Steering Group took place on 22 April 2025. The group agreed that there was a lack of awareness amongst many parish and town councils before the Bill (now Act) entered parliament last year and during it about what Martyn's Law is, but now that it is on the statute books, guidance and awareness raising is urgently needed. The group committed to producing an advice note (due to be published by the end of July) offering good practice, links and guidance as part of a first wave of communications. The group will meet at the end of July to review this phase and will then plan the next phase, a more detailed production of a short guide explaining the principles of combatting terrorism, and how to use the template terrorism risk assessment and policy which the group will also produce, to explain the best ways parish and town councils are likely to need to comply with Home Office guidance if their venues fall within the standard or enhanced tiers. We will produce other resources on how parish and town councils must comply with the Act post-commencement, which is estimated to be in 24 months.
More information about community safety on NALC website: https://tinyurl.com/mpu2kse7
꙰꙰ ꙰꙰ ꙰꙰ ꙰꙰ ꙰꙰ ꙰꙰ ꙰꙰ ꙰꙰ ꙰꙰ ꙰꙰ ꙰꙰ ꙰꙰ ꙰꙰ ꙰꙰ ꙰꙰ ꙰꙰ ꙰꙰
NALC: County Association Staff Day
NALC held a County Association Staff Day at our office on 24 April. The day's purpose was to introduce newer county association staff and refresh experienced staff on our work and the membership benefits. It was an opportunity to meet NALC staff in person, put faces to names, learn more about each team's work, and answer questions. We were also joined by our partners, Breakthrough Communications, The Parkinson Partnership LLP and WorkNest, who provide support and advice to parish and town councils.
꙰꙰ ꙰꙰ ꙰꙰ ꙰꙰ ꙰꙰ ꙰꙰ ꙰꙰ ꙰꙰ ꙰꙰ ꙰꙰ ꙰꙰ ꙰꙰ ꙰꙰ ꙰꙰ ꙰꙰ ꙰꙰ ꙰꙰