Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, if her Department will consider the adoption of new formal partnership mechanisms with Town and Parish Councils in new unitary authorities formed through Local Government reorganisation in England.

The government values the role currently played by town and parish councils in local government. We strongly encourage all local authorities to involve their town and parish councils in their plans to ensure that their contribution to local public services is recognised in future arrangements.

Whether or not an area has town and parish arrangements in place, they will be expected to imbed neighbourhood working into new unitary councils empowering frontline councillors to be the community convenors they were elected to be.

Local authorities operate independently of central government. The government believes that individual local authorities are best placed to determine how they can most effectively collaborate to support the wellbeing of their citizens.