Localism and town and parish councils – front runners’ experiences

James KingstonDecentralisation and Neighbourhoods Team

Department for Communities and Local Government

The strategic context

• Financial climate is difficult and will remain so for the next few years

• Innovation is needed• Town and parish councils can use local knowledge to

provide better tailored local services• Central government is an enabler

The role of parish and town councils

• Greater powers over issues that matter to neighbourhoods may drive demand for what town and parish councils can do

• Town and parish councils offer :o formal democratic representation and accountability; o the ability to influence decision making by other bodies; ando the ability to deliver services, either taking responsibility for

existing services or providing additional services.

The Localism Act – new rights

Powers to communities

Powers to councils

Right to challenge

Neighbourhood planning

Right to bid (assets of

community value)

Freedoms on governance

Freedom on social tenancy

allocations

General power of competence

Power to individuals

Power to veto excessive council tax rises

Directly elected mayors in big cities

Neighbourhood planning

• A radical new right through the Localism Act• Communities will have greater influence in deciding where facilities should go through

local referendum• On completion, a neighbourhood development plan (NDP) or order (NDO) will become

part of the local development plan.

How does it work?How does it work?

1. A community applies for a

neighbourhood area to be designated

2. Parish \ Town council or

neighbourhood forum work up

details with community

3. Proposal submitted to local authority to

check proposal

4. Local referendum held ensuring that communities

have the final say on whether a NDP or NDO comes into force

in their area

Experiences of NP front runners

• Positive about having the power ‘to get on with it’ and bring benefits to local area for long-term

• Motivations – most see neighbourhood planning process as an opportunity to be proactive about planning in their local area, rather than reactive.

• Existing parish arrangements helpful • Neighbourhood planning working outside parished areas• Evidence and assessment – proportionate• Build on existing planning work at a neighbourhood level• Diverse content of neighbourhood plans – strong focus on

provision of affordable housing, public realm, town centre regeneration.

• Involvement of business • Strong partnership working with LPA

Right tochallenge

Right tobid

New community rights

1. Community or parish identify

assets of community value

3. Communities get time and support to bid for assets

2. Local authorities hold and control a

list of assets of community value

4. More communities take control of local

assets

2. Expression of interest from VCS, charity, parish, or

staff

3. Relevant authority reaches a decision on

the expression of interest

4. Authority either accepts, or accepts with modification and

then undertakes a procurement exercise, or rejects and a reason

for rejection published

1. Relevantservices are subject to challenge

Support for community rights front runners

Community budgets

• Giving people more control over services and budgets• redesigning services to focus on end results and the needs of user

not bureaucratic silos• Pilots - working with 10 neighbourhoods to develop budgets for

specific services

Milestones from here• Mar – Dec 2012: co-design work – providing the support and

collaborating to develop an NLCB operational plan for each pilot area

• Jan – Mar 2013: getting ready for implementation• Apr 2013: implementation

NCBs – sharing experiences and learning

Experiences of NCB pilot areas

• Still at the early stages• Town/parish councils provide roles and responsibilities ready

made• T&PCs - knowledge of community. Should they engage or

represent?• Importance of strategic/political buy in. • Finding/testing limits in terms of what can and can’t be done• No definite answers yet – still discovering• Is Govt getting in the in the way? No specific requests for Govt to

do things differently yet.