A few years ago, the Society of Local Council Clerks (SLCC) formed a natural partnership with academics at the Local Governance Research Centre (LGRC) at De Montfort University (DMU) who we've worked with for many years on our Community Governance qualification programme.
As the professional membership body for clerks to local councils across England and Wales, we were well placed to facilitate the survey and the work of the DMU team.
It was clear to us that town, parish and community councils had changed enormously since the last sector study more than 30 years ago - the Aston Survey in 1991. The sector remains a diverse landscape made up of more than 10,000 local councils of differing sizes, from small rural parish councils with a couple of hundred residents and small budgets to large town and city councils serving upwards of 30,000 residents and budgets in the millions. Obviously, capacity varies but these councils all work through the same legislation and deliver and support local services and more importantly, represent and empower community voices in local place shaping.
The report analysing the findings, launched in January, shows that, three decades on, local councils have stepped up where many principal councils have had to step back. It's tough for principal authorities, they don't have a choice when the demands on their statutory duties are so high. This means that when a local amenity, for example, a youth centre is threatened with closure then a local town or parish council will often step in to retain it for the community. This sort of local spending offers value and is community-led. And it's easy for local people to see what they're getting for their money.
We are increasingly impressed by the breadth of what local councils are taking on with the management of parks, markets, play areas, libraries, sports grounds, community centres, public toilets, trusts and charities, events and so much more. Not forgetting the pivotal part they played in coordinating local efforts during the pandemic. Clearly, it is no longer just about allotments and grass cutting.
Local councils have been around for a long time, officially since 1894, but some form of local governance was in place long before that. So, it's surprising that the sector still appears largely ignored by successive governments and as pointed out in the report, by some higher tier principal councils too. Local councils sit at the heart of their communities, yet they are rarely included in devolution discussions and don't even have direct access to levelling up funds for projects at hyper local level. It's a missed opportunity.
Today, leading this subtle local revolution, are local councillors and their clerks. Most are getting it right. It's striking how professionalised the sector has become. Many clerks are university graduates and about nine in 10 of them have had sector specific training and qualifications compared to only one third of clerks in 1991. Professional management of local councils demands a complex range of skills around community engagement, policy making, planning law, budgeting, HR, management of open spaces and venues, etc. Previous perceptions of a minute taking role in a dusty village hall are long gone.
The report recognises sector accomplishments but the challenges too and makes some clear recommendations. It calls for a review of antiquated legislation, better collaboration with national government, further improvements on standards, improved democratic representation, better discourse with principal authorities, and more focused engagement with young people. More parish councils are needed where there is currently no such local democratic body. Also, high on the list for change is the need for a strategic review of the sector and its role within local government, one that includes wide national consultation.
SLCC will be taking the findings forward with the Improvement and Development Board (IDB), a pan sector body incorporating the Society, the National Association of Local Councils (NALC), the Local Government Association (LGA) and the Department of Levelling Up Housing and Communities (DLUHC). We'll be working with Once Voice Wales (OVW) too, particularly important as similar research was conducted in Wales in 2018.
These findings are a reminder that a long overdue change is needed in the positioning of local councils within local government. Better dialogue is needed on this and a seat at the table would be a good start.
Rob Smith is chief executive of the Society of Local Council Clerks (SLCC)
