The most common and most likely answer to this crossword clue is the 12 letter word MUNICIPALITY
I've seen this crossword clue in The Daily Telegraph
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Buddy explains!
The cryptic/wordplay part
In cryptic crossword there's often an wordplay/cryptic part as well.This part involves a more complex hint, such as an anagram, homophone, hidden word, etc.
Sadly, We don't have an explanation for this specific crossword clue yet.
What does MUNICIPALITY mean?
MUNICIPALITY noun- A district with a government that typically encloses no other governed districts; a borough, city, or incorporated town or village.
- The governing body of such a district.