1. Jonathan Owen Chief Executive 4 October 2014
IMPROVING LOCAL COMMUNITIES
TOGETHER!
Jonathan Owen
Chief Executive
4 October 2014

2. 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 – Fresh Start

3. 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

5. 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.

6. Value for money services
Build on what we have
100 + 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 200,000
22 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

7. New councils- a growing sector
2014
131 campaigns underway
Nearly all CALCs receiving funding for outreach work
First Create a Council week held
5 new councils created (Whitehaven this week)
Next steps
Deliver 2015 programme
Persuade Governments to continue campaign
Core cities? Unitary Government?
Membership pack and benefits for existing councils

8. 94 27 Campaigning Considering 5 5 Petitioning
New
Councils
5 Petitioning
27 Campaigning 94
Considering
Queen’s Park
Chadwick End
Badgers Mount
Penrith
Whitehaven
100 Communities, ½ m people

9. 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

10. Local, Regional and National Media
Tackle the Vicar of Dibley misrepresentation!
Engage media in all our work
Publicise examples of good work and achievements by local councils
Use new media to engage with different people
Get our stories across effectively
We need your help!

12. Love your parish council Sunday Times, 27 April 2014

13. James Butcher, Age 21, Chairman, Lancing Parish Council

14. Challenges ahead Delivery – NALC, CALCs and Councils
2015 council elections - “Your Community Needs You!” 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.

15. Issues raised by others
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

16. 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

17. Hampshire’s views?
What are the issues facing councils and Hampshire 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!