Locality, in partnership with Power to Change and Local Trust, worked with four local authorities on an action research project to show how councils can drive forward a radical new localism agenda.

71% of people feel they have little or no control over local decisions.

They’ve worked with community organisations, Big Locals, councillors and council officers in Cornwall, Southwark, Stevenage and Wigan to find out more about the drivers, enablers and barriers to localism.

How councils can shift power to communities
Locality’s report ‘Power Partnerships’ outlines the key ways for local authorities to shift power to people, build local capacity and ownership, and put neighbourhoods in the lead. This includes a six-step roadmap for councils to:

• Co-create the vision for localism with communities
• Match the ambition with internal organisational change
• Map community assets and governance capacity
• Invest directly in community infrastructure
• Embed the power partnership in community engagement and local governance
• Provide flexible funding for local social action.

To read more on this article and the full report please click here

Village halls provide the communities of England with ideal locations for local people to take part in the VE Day 75 celebrations taking place over the weekend of the 8^th – 10^th May 2020, in celebration of the 75^th anniversary of VE Day.

Town and Parish Councils are taking the lead throughout England in the organisation of local celebrations marking the 75^th Anniversary of the end of the war in Europe on the 8^th – 10^th May 2020.  After six years of fighting, the end of hostilities in Europe were officially announced on the 8^th May 1945 by Prime Minister Winston Churchill. That date has since become enshrined in history as VE Day.

VE Day 75, on the weekend of 8^th – 10^th May 2020, will be an international celebration of peace – a time to remember, reflect and pay tribute to the millions who played such a vital part in achieving it. This includes the Armed Forces personnel from many countries who gave their lives or were physically and mentally injured; the hard-working women and men who kept the factories, mines, shipyards and farms operating throughout the years of turmoil; the ARP wardens, police officers, doctors, nurses, firemen, local defence volunteers and many others safeguarded the home front.

SSAFA the Armed Forces Charity – which has been supporting service personnel, veterans and their families since 1885 – are the charity partner for this series of VE Day 75 commemorative events.

To view the planned activities over the 8th-10th May 2020 please visit– www.veday75.org to see the complete overview for this anniversary. It includes:

• The Playing of Battle’s O’er & VE 75 Years
• The ‘Nation’s Toast to the Heroes of WW2’
• The ‘Cry for Peace, around the World’
• Churches & cathedrals ‘Ringing out for Peace’
• Street parties and parties in pubs, clubs, Hotels, on town and village greens and in halls etc.
• Services of commemoration and celebration in churches, including the reading of the ‘Tribute to the Millions’ and the playing of the Last Post

If you are a parish, town council or village hall/community building in Berkshire and are running an event to celebrate VEDay75 please get in touch with us at admin@ccberks.org.uk or via our Twitter and Facebook accounts so we can share your news and help publicise it.

In common with other Government Departments, Defra issues advice on preparing for Brexit. The www.gov.uk website carries the most up-to-date advice on a range of topics, including:

• Importing and exporting food
• Food and organic produce labelling
• Marketing standards
• Your employees
• Chemical regulations
• Using personal data and Brexit
• European Temporary Right to Remain
• French Customs Guidance

You can sign up to receive email updates from Defra HERE.