In today’s planning environment, collaboration is not a luxury — it is essential. Whether navigating neighbourhood planning, or engaging with developers and local authorities, in many cases it falls to town and parish councils to ensure that decisions made about the future of its settlement delivers local community value. Some go as far as bringing together residents, local authorities and developers to shape shared futures. Something devolution will make more important.

The Government published its ‘ English Devolution White Paper ’ last December. As a ‘ White Paper’   its contents are not published for...