The National Association of Local Council (NALC) represents England’s 10,000 local (parish and town) councils and their 100,000 local community leaders and councillors.

Their role has changed dramatically in the last few years reflected in a doubling of their yearly council tax share to £600m and they now contribute around £2billion in community investment.

They are increasingly expanding their role into health and well-being - supporting vulnerable and lonely people and building dementia friendly communities. They are playing a key local role in tackling the climate crisis - reducing car use, planting trees and investing in parks and open spaces. Their neighbourhood plans support local towns centres and the provision of affordable housing.

The coronavirus pandemic has had a severe impact on all our communities, and the test for the future is how we recover as a country and society, and how we rebuild our communities. Local councils were at the heart of the initial response to the pandemic and will play a vital role in the local leadership needed through the recovery and beyond.  NALC is calling for local councils to be at the centre of recovery planning and the new drive on devolution.

NALC is a member of the Rural Coalition and supports their campaign to strengthen rural proofing and call for an effective national rural strategy.

NALC lobbies government and others to raise awareness of the potential role local councils can play. It provides support to councils with legal advice and resources to make them more effective. It has a range of publications and guides for councillors. It supports a network of 43 county associations across the Country which provide day to day support to councils and councillors and work closely with other local organisations.

You can find out more about our work at www.nalc.gov.uk and follow us on Twitter at www.twitter.com/nalc

Or why not attend our new programme of on-line events? 

www.nalc.gov.uk/rebuildingcommunities