News

Beedon young people: lead the way
Guidance on Compacts Please login to view: This guidance document, jointly developed by Compact Voice and NALC, is designed to provide information about the purpose and benefits of local Compacts to local (town and parish) councils.
Community Fund for Empty Homes Projects Announced: Andrew Stunnell today announced details of the fund for Community and Volunteer Groups to bid for money for projects to bring empty homes back into use.
New Edition of Community Digital - out now!: CCB's digital magazine 'Community Digital' is OUT NOW.
250 New Fruit Trees for Wokingham Borough: uring November 2011, 250 fruit trees were planted at four sites in Wokingham Borough, funded by the Big Lottery’s Local Foods programme. Volunteers from Swallowfield, Wargrave, Twyford and Dinton Pastures Country Park gave their time to plant the trees, many of which are varieties traditionally grown or developed in the local area.
Dealing with the problems of late night drinking: Dealing with the problems of late night drinking The Home Office has put out a consultation about two measures in the Police Reform and Social Responsibility Act 2011 that will be implemented through regulations: early morning restriction orders ('EMROs') and the late night levy ('the levy'). This consultation seeks views on certain aspects of EMROs and the late night levy, including the process of adopting an EMRO and/or the levy; categories of business which will be exempt from any EMRO; categories of business which individual licensing authorities may choose to exempt from, or afford a reduction in relation to, the late night levy; and the kinds of services a licensing authority may fund with the 30 per cent of net levy receipts it may retain from the net levy revenue.
Policy consultation on allocation of accommodation: The Localism Act makes fundamental changes to the social housing system. The Government has drafted guidance on the allocation of accommodation for local housing authorities. The guidance makes clear that the Government expects social homes to go to people who genuinely need them. It encourages councils to adopt a modern measure of overcrowding – so families in crowded housing will find it easier to move into suitably sized homes; and it encourages housing authorities to prioritise tenants who want to downsize. To seek broader views and input from the sector on the draft guidance, the Government (specifically Communities and Local Government) are engaging in a formal consultation on it. Several housing authorities are already starting to introduce a new flexible approach to allocations This guidance steers others to follow suit. It also seeks to help authorities reward those who contribute in other ways, such as people who are looking to adopt or foster a child in need of a stable, loving family. The consultation documents can be downloaded from the following link on the Communities and Local Government web-site http://www.communities.gov.uk/publications/housing/allocationofaccommodation . This Communities and Local Government consultation on the Allocation of Accommodation ends in late March and the National Association will be formally responding in due course. Since many local councils will have strong views on the draft guidance, the Association wants to give them the chance to inform its own formal response. County Associations and member local councils are strongly encouraged to submit their own responses to the consultation. In order to help shape our own submission we would welcome your responses by Noon on Wednesday 21 March, 2012 to chris.borg@nalc.gov.uk . The National Association always accepts and includes responses from individual clerks and councillors (there is no expectation that responses must simply come from councils as bodies corporate). We also understand the difficulty in responding during the month of August, but we have to operate within both consultation timings and the deadlines of Central Government Departments.
PAYE arrangements for clerks Please login to view: NALC have issued more advice for councils on when and how to register with HMRC as an employer
Eight Bells for Mental Health: holds Digital Switchover open day
Superfast Berkshire Needs Your Help!: The six Berkshire unitary authorities and the Thames Valley Berkshire Local Enterprise Partnership (LEP), supported by CCB, are working together to promote Superfast Berkshire, a programme of work to deliver the local element of the Government’s programme.