Welcome to 2026!
The SALC team wishes all our members and partners a happy 2026. We look forward to supporting, advising, training, and catching up with more of you in the coming months.
Government shifts to a multi-year settlement approach to continue to exempt parish and town councils from referendum principles:
The government has published its Provisional Local Government Finance Settlement 2026/27 to 2028/29. The settlement confirms that parish and town councils should remain exempt from referendum principles on excessive council tax increases, this time over a three-year period. The final settlement is expected to be laid before the House of Commons for approval in late January or early February.
One more year to Somerset’s local council elections!
2026 includes the run-up to the 6th May 2027 city, town, and parish council elections. To start promoting the elections, SALC member councils will be able to access editable resources to encourage more people from all backgrounds and experiences to put themselves forward. See the Somerset Council weekly briefings for detail on election costs.
SALC is shortlisted for County Association of the Year!
We are delighted to announce that the Somerset Association of Local Councils is a NALC Star Council Awards 2025/6 finalist in the category, County Association of the Year.
Following a record number of nominations from across the country, an expert panel of judges shortlisted finalists, highlighting exceptional and improved services to local councils and communities.
The achievement acknowledges SALC’s work carried out under the Community Health & Wellbeing Programme, the successfully revitalised Somerset Parishes Conference, the provision of extensive advice services including the new website, regular newsletters, new forums, and effective partnership working, as well as an extensive training offering for officers and councillors.
The winner will be announced at a Parliamentary Reception hosted by Baroness Bennett of Manor Castle. This prestigious event will take place in February 2026 at the House of Lords.
Will your council showcase its achievements in 2026?
Participation in the Local Council Award Scheme (LCAS) offers significant advantages to councillors and officers of parish and town councils.
The scheme not only enhances the council’s reputation, but it contributes to the national reputation of parish and town councils, showcasing achievements, professionalism, and commitment to continuous improvement.
Congratulations to those Somerset parish and town councils that have proven their high standards and demonstrated their successes:
Taunton Town Council – the first council in Somerset to be awarded the Gold award under the new Gold criteria.
Cheddar Parish Councils – Foundation
Milborne Port Parish Council – Foundation
Trull Parish Council – Foundation
Crewkerne Town Council – Quality
Frome Town Council – Quality Gold
Through the awards process, councils already confident in their excellent performance can verify that status, and councils aspiring to enhance their performance can engage in a structured framework to bring improved performance and confidence.
If your council wants to find out more, SALC members can benefit from a free online training session with NALC’s LCAS team to provide an introduction to the Scheme. The sessions on 16th February will show the benefits of accreditation and how to prepare an award-winning application. It will focus on the core principles and aims of the scheme with a chance to explore Somerset’s experiences, and will look at the different award levels to guide you through the assessment process. See the SALC training page for details and booking.
Somerset Council – Community Working Review
Following feedback from Somerset councillors at the 26th November
Scrutiny Committee – Corporate and Resources, the Citizen Network team are organising workshops to help Somerset Council rethink, and where necessary redesign, its approach to community engagement and development
Over recent months, the team has gathered views from a broad cross-section of people and organisations. It has conducted surveys and spoken with 145 people including those from community groups, town, city, and parish councils, and partner agencies. This wide range of diverse views collectively presents a design challenge that the team will now address.
Some of these representatives will join two workshops in west and east Somerset at the end of January and early February,
“to develop practical proposals to more effectively engage with communities in Somerset”. The objectives are:
- To share the outcomes of the consultation and research work
- To focus on the goals, commonalities, and tensions within the findings that together form the design brief
- To develop creative solutions, drawing on best practice where possible
- To generate a set of recommendations to be evaluated at the next phase
SALC will contribute to this vital work and provide member updates in our newsletters.
Government Consultation Response – Strengthening the Standards and Conduct Framework for Local Authorities in England
The government has
published its response to the consultation held on strengthening the Standards Framework in England.
The response includes the following summary of the position accepted by the government and states that it intends to legislate for a whole system reform of the current regime as set out in Localism Act 2011 – “
legislation will be brought forward when parliamentary time allows.”The measures will include:
- the introduction of a mandatory code of conduct, which will include a behavioural code, for all local authority types and tiers
- a requirement that all principal authorities convene formal standards committees, to include provisions on the constitution of standards committees to ensure objectivity, accountability and transparency
- the requirement that all principal authorities offer individual support during any investigation into code of conduct allegations to both the complainant and the councillor subject to the allegation
- the introduction at the authority level of a ‘right for review’ for both complainant and the subject elected member to have the case reassessed on grounds that will be set out in legislation
- powers for authorities to suspend elected members for a maximum of 6 months for serious code of conduct breaches, with the option to withhold allowances during suspension for the most serious breaches and introduce premises and facilities bans either in addition or as standalone sanctions
- in response to the most serious allegations involving police investigation, or where sentencing is pending, the introduction of powers to suspend elected members on an interim basis for an initial period of 3 months which, if extended, will require regular review
- a new disqualification criterion for any elected member subject to the maximum period of suspension more than once within 5 years
- the creation of a new national appeals function, to consider appeals from elected members to decisions to suspend them and/or withhold allowances, and for complainants if they consider their complaint was mishandled. Any appeal submitted will only be permitted after complainant or elected member has invoked their ‘right for review’ of the local standards committee decision has been invoked and that process is completed
You can read a press release on this consultation response
here.
SALC represents city, town, and parish councils on both the Somerset Board (the single high-level strategic partnership board for health, care, and wellbeing for the county), and the Somerset Council Standards Committee.
National Recruitment Campaign Toolkit
NALC has worked with the Local Government Association to deliver a national recruitment campaign called Make a Difference, Work for Your Local Council.
Funded by the government, the campaign aims to attract new talent to city, parish, and town councils and highlight the rewarding careers available in local government.
Part of the campaign includes a dedicated toolkit tailored for the parish sector to provide everything your council needs to promote vacancies quickly and professionally, while linking your recruitment to the national campaign.
The toolkit includes ready-to-use social media posts and graphics, customisable posters, leaflets, and pull-up banners, job advert templates with suggested wording, and guidance on how to use the materials and get the most from the campaign. All files are supplied in editable formats so you can add your council logo, contact details, and vacancy information. These resources will save you time and money while helping build a positive public image of parish and town councils as great places to work.
SALC members can download the toolkit from the “council as employer” page in the Knowledge hub of the SALC website.
Six-months unfair dismissal protection for employees
The unfair dismissal qualifying period is being reduced from two years to six months. This is a major change that will affect how councils manage employees from day one, and puts an emphasis on the importance of a good induction and a well-managed probationary period.
The unfair dismissal qualifying period will change in early 2027, when the compensation cap for unfair dismissal will also be removed.
Councils should take steps now to ensure future closer management of:
- Recruitment processes
- Induction periods (with detailed management of the period, sound handover, and clear objectives)
- Updates to employee policies
- Review of contracts of employment
- Review of probation and performance management processes.
SALC member councils can access free HR guidance and templates via the website, and can access free confidential HR support – email info@somerset-alc.org.uk
Have your say in a public health survey about food
Somerset Council’s public health team is reviewing the Somerset food system and its impact on health and wellbeing.
Part of this work is a food survey for anyone living in Somerset to complete to help the team better understand food choices and local people’s priorities on food.
There is the chance to win a £100 shopping voucher for completing the survey. via this link: Somerset Food Survey – Somerset Council – Citizen Space.
The survey closes on 20th January 2026.
Request for responses to public toilet survey
The British Toilets Association (BTA) would like to understand the general trends on public conveniences (financial/operational/asset and liability transfer) currently managed by parish and town councils, and, separately, those likely to be transferred to parish and town councils as a consequence of local government reorganisation.
As part of this process, please complete this linked short snapshot survey about public conveniences (one response each per council, please)
Survey closes 23:45 on 14th January 2026.
