News

Avon Local Councils' Association

NALC response regarding costs to parish and town councils from increased employer National Insurance

NALC is deeply concerned that the government does not intend to compensate parish and town councils for the increase in the rate of employer National Insurance Contributions (NICs) from 13.8% to 15% from April 2025, announced in the Autumn Budget 2024.

The chancellor of the exchequer, Rachel Reeves MP, delivered her first Autumn Budget to parliament on 30 October 2024. The most significant announcement which will affect parish and town councils is that the government is increasing the rate of employer NICs from 13.8% to 15% and reducing the per-employee threshold at which employers become liable to pay National Insurance (the Secondary Threshold) from 6 April 2025 to £5,000.

Since the Budget, NALC has been pressing the Ministry for Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG) to clarify whether our member local councils will be included in compensation to public sector employers for employer NICs bills. NALC is disappointed in the response received from MHCLG officials that parish and town councils will not be compensated for this increase.

We will provide a briefing shortly, including what further representations we will be making in collaboration with NALC and how parish and town councils can help.

Consultation: MHCLG - Enabling remote meeting attendance and proxy voting

This short consultation has been launched to obtain views on the detail and practical implications of allowing remote and hybrid attendance and proxy voting at local authority meetings in England.

Please visit the MHCLG website for further information and examples of extracts from the online survey.

Local councils can respond directly to the survey using the following link:

 

Government is consulting on introducing powers for local authority members to apply to the relevant authority for a dispensation to attend formal council meetings remotely and vote by proxy in certain circumstances.

If any changes to legislation are made as a result of this consultation, they would apply to all local authorities (including all Town and Parish Councils) in England.

 

Local councils can submit a response online until 23:59 on Thursday 19th December.

NJC Pay Award 2024/25

The Local Government Association has informed NALC that the National Joint Council for Local Government Services (NJC) has agreed on pay rates applicable from 1 April 2024 to 31 March 2025.

Some of the key information includes:

  • With effect from 1 April 2024, an increase of £1,290 (pro rata for part-time employees) will be paid as a consolidated, permanent addition on all NJC pay points 2 to 43 inclusive.
  • With effect from 1 April 2024, an increase of 2.50 per cent on all pay points above 43.
  • With effect from 1 April 2024, an increase of 2.50 per cent on all allowances.
  • Backpay for employees who have left employment since 1 April 2024. If an ex-employee requests it, we recommend that employers pay any monies due to that employee from 1 April 2024 to the employee’s last day of employment.
  • When salary arrears are paid to ex-employees in the Local Government Pension Scheme (LGPS), the employer must inform its local LGPS fund. 

 

For further information, please visit the NALC website to read the Briefing Note that had been issued as part of advice to local councils. 

Consultation on Hedgerow Regulatory Approach and Use of Civil Sanctions for Hedgerow Management (DEFRA)

DEFRA has opened this consultation as part of its Agricultural Transition Plan and local councils are invited to respond by 23:59 on Tuesday 10th December.

In addition to a national response bt NALC, there will also be an opportunity for local councils to contribute to a response by ALCA representing its members in the former Avon area.

Please follow the link below for further information and to submit a response:

 

Consultation on the regulatory approach and use of civil sanctions for hedgerow management - Introduction - Defra - Citizen Space

Featured

Domains Helper Service | UPDATE

 

Reaching the halfway point - a note on funding

In this financial year, almost 500 councils have claimed their funding, and this figure is increasing by about 80 -100 more each month. Our current projection suggests all funding will be allocated by February 2025. We can also now confirm that funding will not be available in future years.

This being the case, please do encourage your members to engage with us as soon as possible. We know decisions take time and we want to make sure that those with the ambition to move in this financial year don’t miss out. As a reminder, all funding is allocated on a first-come, first-served basis.  

We will continue to keep you posted on the latest funding position across the next few months.

Looking ahead to the new financial year

At the moment, the Domains Helper Service provides comprehensive support to all councils moving over to a .gov.uk domain - there are virtual workshops and drop-in sessions as well as practical reference material. However, just like funding, this level of support will only be available in this financial year. We are still working on how the service will look in the future but wanted to let you know as soon as possible. For councils that need hands-on support, as well as funding, the time to engage really is now. 

We recently issued a blog covering both the funding position and future service model which summarises our current position. You’ll find this on the NALC website, please do signpost this to your members.

Help to explain the basics of .gov.uk domains

We know that not everyone finds explaining the ‘what and why’ of .gov.uk domains so easy, so we have created a short presentation with voice-over to introduce the subject. Running at about 4 minutes, it includes:

  • the top three reasons why councils should have a .gov.uk domain
  • the available support to help councils make the move
  • A call to action reminder about the finite nature of funding

It can be included as a link in an agenda or played at a meeting to introduce the topic of .gov.uk domains - we hope councils find it a valuable tool. We have included the link in our most recent blog on both SLCC and NALC websites (see above) but also attach it here for your information. Please do share with your members: About .gov.uk Domains

A big thank you to Kerrin Wilkinson at Gloucestershire ALC for this idea - we hope we’ve done it justice!

Changes to the .gov.uk Approved Registrar shortlist

Following a review of the shortlist of Approved Registrars, we have reduced the number from 35 to 20. Now, the only companies that appear, are those that have been working with councils via the Helper Service since it was launched in February. This means that councils have a much more focused list of Approved Registrars familiar with the Helper Service’s processes. Here’s the new shortlist for your information. 

A market response to the change in wholesale price of a .gov.uk domain

We note with interest that many of our shortlisted Approved Registrars are responding positively to the change in the wholesale cost of a .gov.uk domain and have started to pass savings to their customers. In their feedback, councils still tell us that cost is a big barrier so we are hoping the changes we are seeing will continue to make a difference. We encourage all councils to use the shortlist, shopping around to find the right Approved Registrar for their budget and service needs. There are savings to be made!

More continued improvement to virtual sessions

Thinking about costs, we are reviewing the way we explain those associated with a move to a .gov.uk domain during our virtual sessions. We hope to simplify our messaging so that attendees can more clearly understand the different options available to them. We are particularly keen to stress that there is absolutely no difference in cost for a .gov.uk email as there would be for any other professional email set-up.  

We know that many councils use free email providers such as Google or AOL, and it might be difficult to see past moving from this to a paid for service. However, with a professional set-up, administration and change are easier to manage; they are more secure and users won’t be bombarded with intrusive adverts and cookies. Even ‘free’ services come with a cost!

Featured

Updated version of 'The Good Councillor Guide' now available

 

NALC has published an updated edition of The Good Councillor’s Guide for member councils, an electronic copy of which can be downloaded from the NALC website.

Featured

Transition from Analogue to Digital Landline Services

BT Group announced last week their intention to delay the date for the switching off of the Public Switched Telephone Network (PSTN).  The original date around which plans have been made was early December 2025.  BT Group announced today the rescheduled date of 31 January 2027.  This additional 13 months allows more time for Communications Providers (CPs) to safely migrate their vulnerable customers from the Public Switched Telephone Network (PSTN).

 

What does this mean for local councils?
You should by now have an inventory of all your lines and associated Service Provider(s). If you’re not already talking to your Service Provider, please make plans to do so ASAP.

Please continue to audit any safety devices on your estate, whether that’s a lift alarm, monitoring service or telecare device. Reach out to your device suppliers and get help and advice on the compatibility of these devices on a digital network.

The urgency for switching customers onto digital services grows by the day because the 40-year-old analogue landline technology is becoming increasingly fragile and harder to maintain service. We encourage you to continue with your current plans to switch to digital as soon as possible.

What about the vulnerable?
We’ve been working closely with CPs to develop a new ‘Prove Telecare’ service which would help to ensure that telecare devices still work after an engineering visit to upgrade an end customer to a digital service. This service will be trialled later this year.

BT Business plan to launch a new service (available until 2030) called ‘Pre-digital Phone Line’. BT Business are inviting CPs to register their interest to become resellers of this service to their customers. This service will give end customers an analogue type of voice service, with power on the line via their master socket. This is a temporary solution rather than a long-term alternative to digital.

Pkease check the BT Group updated FAQs here if you have any questions.

Featured

SAAA Report on the Results of Auditors' Work at Smaller Authorities (2022/23)

Essential reading for Clerks/RFOs when considering any findings and recommendations for their own council., particularly for Finance Committees, 

2022-2023 was the first year of the second five-year appointing period during which SAAA was responsible for appointing auditors to Smaller Authorities. In 2021, SAAA appointed four audit firms, BDO, Mazars, Moore and PKF Littlejohn, for the five financial years beginning on 1 April 2022. This report gives details of their work with Smaller Authorities for the financial year 2022-2023.

The full report can be accessed here: SAAA 2022 to 2023 Report

Councillor Training "At Your Place"

You can book the Essential Councillor and Planning in Plain English Trainers to come to your council at your own venue and at a time convenient to your council.

We will run the session for your all your own councillors or you can work with other councils (participant limit is 15 when working with other councils).

There is a set fee for the training of £275 for up to 15 Councillors, plus trainer expenses.

Please contact the Chief Officer at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. for further details and to make bookings.

Effective Community Engagement Research

What is effective community engagement and what can be learnt from for local practice?

Infrastructure Levy Consultation

NALC policy consultation briefing to all member councils

Infrastructure Levy consultation NALC Briefing

Closing date 9th June 2023

 

Avon Gardens Trust events

The Ornamental Wilderness in the English Garden with Dr James Bartos  22nd April

Garden visits:

Wednesday, 28 June 2023 - 10:30 am - 4:30 pm - Garden visit to High Glanau Manor and Wyndcliffe Court

Monday, 24 July 2023 at 2:00 pm - 4:00 pm - Garden Visit to Caisson House, Combe Hay, Bath, BA2 7EF

DETAILS

Please help with this dissertation research

Please help with this research

Diverse voices?  Are local councils in England and Wales attracting councillors with non-visible disabilities?”  This research aims to investigate whether the trend of under representation of disabled people in public and political life is reflected in the local council sector (town, parish and community councils in England and Wales)

LINK

Thank you.

Civility and Respect news March 2023

A WORD FROM NALC AND SLCC CHIEF
EXECUTIVES
We are delighted that the number of councils signing up to
the civility pledge is over 1,000, a tremendous start, and we
encourage all councils to consider signing up to it.

Newsletter C&R newsletter 2023

OPEN SPACES SOCIETY - OPEN SPACES AND PATHS: A NEW GUIDE TO PROTECTION

Introducing a new guide to help local councils protect precious green spaces and paths, Kate Ashbrook, general secretary of the Open Spaces Society(1), Britain’s oldest conservation body, says:

‘Often town, parish and community councils (local councils) are unaware of all the extensive powers they have to deal with problems on open spaces and paths.

‘These powers are scattered in different and sometimes obscure pieces of legislation.  This is why we have brought them together in one document, What local councils can do for public access to town and countryside.


nalc logo teal 200 sq


 training strategy sq200


 

CiLCA sq200

We have 1775 guests and 6 members online

alca logo low

In order to provide you with the best online experience this website uses cookies.

By using our website, you agree to our use of cookies.