Jonathan Owen Chief Executive 5 November 2014 IMPROVING LOCAL COMMUNITIES TOGETHER!

First Six Months at NALC My background Out and about Listening and Learning First impressions: diverse, committed, passionate First impressions: up for the challenge, enthusiastic to deliver Great opportunity

About NALC Strengths Influential – role on Government’s Partnership Board Committed councillors, eager for change Quality services Small HQ - £1m (70% affiliation fees, 30% income) 14 Staff. Great partners in CALCs Improvements Communications Are we providing the right services? Engaging councillors and CALCs in policy making and lobbying Customer focus Develop partnerships including CALCS & Society of Local Council Clerks

A New Future: NALC’s strategic plan Three clear priorities To deliver quality services to member councils and county associations To create new councils and grow membership To promote and represent the sector effectively.

Value for money services Build on what we have legal topic notes 700 Legal queries dealt with High quality publications: Local Councils Explained, Audit Practitioners Guide 60+ press releases a year, twitter reach of 200, Consultations responded to last year 100 Ministerial and other meetings Excellent conferences too Improvements Review our services to ensure meeting new needs Promote improvement and development Consider new ones Procurement/Employment/ planning/ ICT advice? Larger towns offer Audit- sector led body New website – digital first

New councils- a growing sector campaigns underway Nearly all CALCs receiving funding for outreach work First Create a Council week held 5 new councils created in last few months, including London’s first for many years Next steps Deliver 2015 programme Focus on getting campaigners to petitioners Persuade Governments to continue campaign Membership pack and benefits for existing councils and target non- members

5 New Councils 5 Petitioning 27 Campaigning 94 Considering 1.Queen’s Park 2.Chadwick End 3.Badgers Mount 4.Penrith 5.Whitehaven 131 Communities, ½ m people

Priority 3 – A Strong National Voice Lobbying successes All parties committed to localism Finance: referenda principles, council tax support scheme – but more to do Cheque reform Electronic agenda National media coverage (see next slides) Need your help Next steps Focussed manifesto with clear objectives Increase understanding esp around finance Extend influence across Government, with parties and think tanks Build sector’s reputation Campaigning together – local, regional and national advocacy

Communications! Communications! Communications! Need to raise understanding of sector, what it does, how it is changing and its potential to support devolution Engage media more in all our work Publicise examples of good work and achievements by local councils Use new media to engage with different people and encourage councils to do so too Get our stories across effectively at all levels – local regional and national We need your help!

Love your parish council Sunday Times, 27 April 2014

James Butcher, Age 21, Chairman, Lancing Parish Council

Challenges ahead Delivery – Localism, devolution, services 2015 council elections and supporting new councillors 2015 national elections and ensuring role, profile and influence of local councils enhanced Building capacity and skills – local council award scheme Working together / clustering to improve local communities.

Issues raised by other CALCs Funding: New powers/devolution achievable without fair funding? Share of business rates Community rights – useful or not? Neighbourhood planning : too bureaucratic? Community Infrastructure Levy not working? Slow community governance reviews? Relations with principal authorities and LGA Councils’ role as employers Parishes need to modernise Encourage new people to get involved Relaxation of permitted development rights Encourage councils to use new media Twin tracking? Support for smaller councils Code of Conduct Dementia – esp. in rural areas Planning/Planning/Planning!

New Opportunities too The Scotland result and the English Question New constitutional settlement for the UK? Greater devolution to cities and regions? Parish and Town Councils (and community councils in Wales and Scotland) must be included too. NALC manifesto: Stronger Local Democracy NALC manifesto: Fairer funding NALC manifesto: More powers

Berkshire’s views? What are the issues facing councils and Berkshire ALC? What should we pressing Government on? What would you like to see NALC doing differently? Above all a big thank you! For listening today and for contributing to and influencing NALC’s work. Together we can achieve even more!