29 Oct 2026
The National Association of Local Councils (NALC) has launched NORA, a new AI-powered assistant designed to help parish and town councils across England access trusted information and guidance more quickly and easily.
Launched in October 2026, NORA (NALC’s Online Resource Assistant) is a new addition to NALC’s membership services, providing councils with a simpler way to access the organisation’s extensive library of resources.
Parish and town councils play a vital role in their communities, particularly in rural areas where they often provide essential local services, manage community assets and represent residents’ interests. However, many councils operate with limited staff and resources, making quick access to reliable information particularly valuable.
Making trusted information more accessible
NORA uses artificial intelligence to understand questions asked in everyday language and identify relevant information from NALC’s own resources.
Rather than searching through multiple documents or website pages, members can simply ask NORA a question and receive a clear response with links to supporting guidance. They do not need to know which document contains the answer or the specific terminology used.
The assistant covers a wide range of topics relevant to parish and town councils, helping councillors and officers find the information they need to support their work.
Unlike general-purpose AI tools, NORA draws on NALC’s own resources, providing responses grounded in sector-specific information. Users are encouraged to check the original guidance and seek further advice from their county association where appropriate.
Developed with the sector, for the sector
NORA has been developed in partnership with technology provider Pixl8, with input from NALC’s AI Working Group, county associations and member councils.
A programme of member testing helped shape the assistant, with feedback informing improvements to its responses, functionality and user guidance ahead of launch.
The project reflects NALC’s wider commitment to making better use of digital technology to improve membership services and support councils of all sizes.
Helping councils work more effectively
For parish and town councils, where administrative capacity and resources can often be stretched, tools such as NORA offer opportunities to save time and make information more accessible.
NORA is available to NALC member councils as part of their membership, helping ensure that access to AI-supported information is not dependent on a council’s size or budget.
While AI cannot replace professional advice or the expertise of county associations, NORA demonstrates how emerging technology can complement existing support services and help councils work more effectively.
Find out more
Read more about NORA’s launch and development, watch the video guide or explore the NORA guidelines.
