Issue - meetings

The Sub-Committee is invited to consider the Government’s discussion paper on making it easier to set up new town and parish councils. The discussion paper (attached) was published on 31^st October 2012 and the closing date for responses is 9^th January 2013. The Sub-Committee is invited to consider a response.          

The Sub-Committee considered a discussion paper by the Department for Communities and Local Government entitled ‘Making it easier to set up new town and parish councils’.

The paper set out what it saw as a number of problems with the current process for those wanting a new parish council:

• Too demanding for campaigners
• Doesn’t allow designated neighbourhood forums a distinct role
• Community governance reviews have too wide a scope
• Reviews take too long
• No right of appeal

Members agreed with the point about a right of appeal but considered that  the other points raised were not particular areas of concern.

The paper then set out three options to make the process for creating a new parish council simpler and better:

1.    Amend existing guidance

2.    Changing the law

3.    Making it easier for neighbourhood forums to start the process for creating a new parish council

With regard to option 1, Members agreed that guidance should be amended to make it clear that the right weight should be given to what is effective and convenient for the local community, separately from the local authority itself.

RESOLVED

That the officers draft a response and circulate it to members of the Sub-Committee for comments; the Chairman would then sign off the response subject to any amendments.