Good morning. This week: a green-space evidence call, neighbourhood planning support, precept transparency, and four verified funding routes for councils.
The Clerk Supplier Directory. Choosing a supplier is easier when you can see who already works with councils. Our independent directory lists established providers across software, insurance, audit, HR, websites and play.
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Green-space protections are being reviewed. MHCLG is gathering evidence on how protections for public recreational green spaces work in practice, including parks and playing fields. If your council manages recreation land, keep examples of leases, disposals, asset-transfer issues, village greens, playing-field protections and planning overlaps ready before responding by 13 September. Read the summary.
Neighbourhood plan councils have a survey to complete. NALC is surveying the 2,850 parish and town councils currently leading or managing neighbourhood plans. The survey closes on 25 September and is intended to evidence what councils need after general and technical support funding ended at the close of 2025/26. Take a look.
Precept explanations should be ready for budget season. NALC has backed council-tax enforcement reforms while pressing for parish and town council precept changes to be shown in pounds and pence, not only as percentages. RFOs can use this as a prompt to prepare plain-English budget notes before autumn precept discussions begin. Read the response.
Herefordshire Nature and Biodiversity Community Grant Scheme, up to £35,000. Parish councils and other eligible Herefordshire not-for-profit organisations can apply for £500 to £10,000 for habitats, wildlife and access-to-nature projects. Exceptional projects may receive up to £35,000. Applications close at midnight on 31 August 2026. Check the scheme.
South Norfolk Nature Conservation Fund, up to £10,000. Town and parish councils in South Norfolk can apply for biodiversity projects such as mini forests, ponds, circular walks and tree planting. Applications are open until Friday 18 September 2026, and projects must be delivered by 31 March 2027. Read the guidance.
Rushcliffe Community Wellbeing Fund, £500 to £2,000. Town and parish councils in Rushcliffe can apply for projects tackling loneliness, wellbeing, volunteering, social action, food-sharing, green space and cost-of-living support. The deadline is Friday 2 October 2026, but the fund may close earlier if allocated. Check the fund.
Theatre Improvement Scheme, up to £20,000. Town councils and other eligible not-for-profit theatre operators can apply for capital works or equipment that improve environmental sustainability in qualifying theatre buildings. The deadline is noon on Friday 11 September 2026. Read the criteria.
LGA workbook on working with town and parish councils. The Local Government Association's free workbook is written for principal-authority councillors, but clerks can use it as a relationship-builder with ward members, new unitary leads or councillors who are still learning how the parish tier works. Open the workbook.
Ashington's no-booking free swim sessions. Ashington Town Council is funding free summer swimming at the local leisure centre, with two fixed one-hour sessions each week during the school holidays and 80 places available on a first-come basis. The useful lesson is operational simplicity: the council is not building a new service from scratch, it is buying accessible slots through an existing venue, keeping the offer easy to explain and removing booking friction for families. For other councils, the same model could work with leisure, arts, community transport or warm-space partners if capacity, insurance and safeguarding are agreed upfront. See the council notice.
The Clerk Supplier Directory. A quick, independent starting point for the software, insurance, audit, HR, websites and play suppliers councils use most. Browse the directory.
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