The National Association of Local Councils (NALC) is aware of the recent news regarding Handforth Parish Council's Planning and Environment Committee meeting going viral.

Most of England's 10,000 local (parish and town) councils are run well by councillors, clerks and council staff, who collaborate to deliver their communities ambitions. People get involved in their local councils because they are passionate about their communities and committed to making a difference.

NALC is aware of the negative impact poor behaviour can have. NALC is committed to promoting and supporting good governance and the highest standards of conduct and behaviour in local councils, by councillors, clerks and council staff. NALC also continues to call for the strengthening of the standards regime by introducing sanctions, a single code of conduct and mandatory training.

Local councils and their 100,000 councillors play an essential and growing role in democracy, delivering public services and building stronger communities. They have continued to evolve, take on additional responsibilities and innovate by tackling challenges such as health, housing, climate change, transport and public spaces. Local councils mobilised quickly to be at the forefront of the national coronavirus response, stepping up to support local communities by using the flexibility of remote meetings, which NALC called for, to continue to make decisions and engage with their community.

Communities thrive when people volunteer to get involved and come together to take action on local issues. The upcoming local council elections in May 2021 provide a fantastic opportunity for more people of all backgrounds and experiences to stand as councillors and make a change in their community.

Cllr Sue Baxter,
NALC chairman