Transcript Challenges facing Towns & Parishes

Challenges facing Towns & Parishes
Trevor Leggo
Director Local Councils & Local Governance
Action in rural Sussex
Common issues across three counties
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Housing – affordable, impact on sustainability
Housing – predicted growth v infrastructure
Health – threat of hospital closures
Shops & P Os – loss, threat to communities
Transport – too many cars,insufficient public transpt.
Children & young people – attitude to youth culture
Safety – perceived fear of crime v reality
Preservation of ‘Green Space’
Creation of local employment
How can the LSP assist communities
LSPs are intended to be cross-agency,umbrella
partnerships that include all sectors of society including
public, private,community and voluntary bodies. The
LSP remit is aimed at working together to improve the
quality of life in a particular locality.
Govt sees LSPs as the main mechanism for the
coordination of delivery of better local services and as
the key partnership in a local area,responsible for the
Local Area Agreement
Commission for Rural Communities
What should towns and parishes be doing
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Be ready to take advantage of the opportunities arising from any form
of local government review
Understand the LDF, LSP and LAA
Either do nothing and keep the precept very low or be confident and
seek a mandate from the community to raise funds to benefit the
parish, not being afraid to budget properly.
Ensure that councillors and the clerk are properly trained and aware of
latest issues, ideally all councillors to receive training in first term of
office.
Seek to avoid tensions within the Council
Work effectively with principal authorities, other agencies and local
organisations
Recruit and retain a competent and enthusiastic clerk
Demonstrate effectiveness and efficiency; become a Quality Council
Be viewed as a worthwhile body, representative of the community