Parish councils

• Clerks and councillors: Raising their game

  Neil Merrick outlines the five key areas that parish and town councillors should be trained in.

  

• Welsh community councils criticised for management ‘failures’

  Four community councils in Wales have been criticised for ‘failures’ in governance and financial management.

  

• Welsh local councils accused of operating in 'secretive ways'

  Local councils in Wales have been accused of being 'secretive' and anti-democratic after research revealed not all provide electronic access to minutes and meetings.

  

• Parish councils and the devolution of services

  Neil Merrick finds out why some parish councils are doubling or trebling council tax precepts after taking on services from higher tier authorities.

  

• Parish councils to ‘re-think’ role after Brexit

  Community council leaders have announced they will be starting a ‘big, radical conversation’ on the role of parish councils in the post-Brexit local government landscape.

  

• Parish and town councils welcome ‘fair funding’ letter

  The Government has written to billing authorities urging then to reconsider passing local council tax support on to parish and town councils.

  

• Local councils prepare to lobby MPs for extra powers

  Town and parish councils are calling for new powers to be handed to them following Brexit in what they see as the next stage in local government devolution.

  

• Councillors to be equipped with 'community organising' skills

  A new partnership will soon equip councillors with ‘community organising’ skills to help them engage more effectively with their local communities.

  

• Power in the country lanes

  Mark Whitehead finds out why smaller councils are taking on bigger roles in terms of responsibilities and delivering services.

  

• Parish councils face £3.5m yearly bill over new data protection rules

  It will cost parish councils over £3.5m a year to implement new data rules, the National Association of Local Councils (NALC) has warned.