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Last week's NALC Annual Conference 2009: 'Putting People First' showed local councils now have the opportunity to further develop their role and services to enhance their position as advocates and representatives of their communities.

Stuart Burgess, our chair and the Government's Rural Advocate, spoke to the conference about the opportunities for collaboration with NALC to help strengthen the role of local councillors:

“We're pleased to have the opportunity to continue to work with NALC. We've already supported guidance to help councils engage with unitary authorities and put into action some of the recommendations from our inquiry into how the role of local councillors can be strengthened."

"Together with NALC we've also commissioned research to support parish and town councils and county associations to engage effectively with the new unitary councils."

“The research shows that the experience of the parish sector in engaging with the then shadow unitary authorities has mainly been positive, but it also concluded that much of the value and benefit of unitary structures is to be achieved following their creation.”

Download Stuart's speech to the conference

Visit NALC's website to read other presentations ands speeches from their conference