Local councillors have urged the new Government to reform rules which prevent them from being able to claim childcare costs.

Councillors in district, county and unitary authorities are able to claim costs such as childcare when they attend meetings. Since 2011, community and town councils in Wales are also able to make these claims.

However, according to the Local Authorities (Members' Allowances) (England) Regulations 2003, councillors in England’s 10,000 parish and town councils are prohibited from getting childcare support.

The National Association of Local Councils (NALC) has insisted that the 100,000 councillors this affects should have equality with councillors in other tiers of Government.

‘NALC wants more people from all backgrounds to stand for election and get involved in their communities,’ a spokesperson for the organisation said.

‘However, the current law on allowances, which only the Government can change, is a barrier and has resulted in councillors standing down.’