NALC calls for abolition of 17 remaining charter trustee bodies

The National Assocation of Local Councils (NALC) has urged the Government to abolish all charter trustee bodies which have not become local (parish and town) councils by the end of the next parliament.

Charter trustee bodies have been variously created, parished or abolished since the Local Government Act, 1972. They have been traditionally created where an ancient borough or district has been abolished and a new one created – and are usually comprised of principal authority councillors covering the same warded areas.

Their role is to protect the civic tradition, mayoralty and regalia for the ancient area they represent. There are 17 charter trustee bodies remaining in England which have still not become local councils. The NALC now thinks the number is now up for these unaccountable local bodies.

The NALC argues that many charter trustee areas such as Bexhill (Sussex) have become a block on new local councils being created. Though elected as district councillors first charter trustees are not elected as charter trustees per se; many of these bodies incur large precepts which have recently increased and in the main charter trustee areas have not become local councils due to fiercely guarded local claims on heritage protection.

Cllr. Sue Baxter, NALC Chairman, said:

"Most charter trustee bodies seem to have lost their way and have forgotten that they were only ever supposed to be temporary bodies created as a half-way house to a local council being created. Some recent charter trustee bodies have become very large local councils and are doing an excellent job as fully elected bodies representing their communities – Banbury, Hereford and Kidderminster, for instance.

"That is why we think charter trustees have had their day and the Government should parish the remaining 17 charter trustee areas by the end of this parliament. If this has not happened by then, the Government should act to abolish all remaining charter trust bodies by the end of the next parliament."