Localism and town and parish councils – front runners’ experiences

1. Localism and town and parish councils – front runners’ experiences James Kingston Decentralisation and Neighbourhoods Team Department for Communities and Local Government

2. 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

3. 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 : • formal democratic representation and accountability; • the ability to influence decision making by other bodies; and • the ability to deliver services, either taking responsibility for existing services or providing additional services.

4. The Localism Act – new rights Powers to councils Powers to communities General power of competence Right tochallenge Power to individuals Neighbourhood planning Freedom on social tenancy allocations Power to veto excessive council tax rises Right to bid (assets of community value) Freedoms on governance Directly elected mayors in big cities

5. 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? 4. Local referendum held ensuring that communities have the final say on whether a NDP or NDO comes into force in their area 2. Parish \ Town council or neighbourhood forum work up details with community 1. A community applies for a neighbourhood area to be designated 3. Proposal submitted to local authority to check proposal

6. 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

7. 4. Authority either accepts, or accepts with modification and then undertakes a procurement exercise, or rejects and a reason for rejection published 2. Expression of interest from VCS, charity, parish, or staff 3. Relevant authority reaches a decision on the expression of interest 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 New community rights Right to challenge Right to bid 1. Relevant services are subject to challenge

8. Support for community rights front runners

9. 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

10. NCBs – sharing experiences and learning

11. 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.