Agenda item

The Community Governance Review Sub-Committee considered the attached report, at its meeting held on 7 October 2014 and agreed that the Macclesfield Local Service Delivery Committee be informally consulted on the outcome of the consultation for the Macclesfield Community Governance Review.  The informal views of the Committee would then be reported to the next meeting of the Constitution Committee, to inform the decision making process.

The Committee’s views are, therefore, sought on the attached report.

As explained by the Chairman earlier in the meeting,  The Registration Service and Business Manager re-iterated that the Community Governance Review Sub Committee, at its meeting on 7 October 2014, had agreed that this Committee be informally consulted on the outcome of the Macclesfield Community Governance Review, and that the informal views of the Committee be reported to the next meeting of the Constitution Committee (which was scheduled for 19 November 2014) in order to inform the decision making process. The members of the Committee were also invited to attend the meeting to express their views. A copy of the draft minutes of the Meeting of the Sub Committee held on 7 October 2014 was circulated for information.

A copy of the published report for the Constitution Committee meeting on
19 November 2014 was circulated at the meeting. The Registration Service and Business Manager outlined the key recommendations which would be required at that meeting to be made to the Council, together with a draft timetable outlining the steps which would be required, should the option to proceed with establishing a Town Council be agreed.

The Committee noted that  in the event of a decision being made to support the creation of a Town Council, it would be called a Parish Council at that stage. It would then be a matter for the Parish Council to determine if it wished to be called a Town Council once established. The Council was legally required to make a recommendation for the outcome of the review,  which would then be published. That recommendation needed to include various matters,  including proposed electoral arrangements for any proposed Parish Council. Electoral arrangements included the number of Councillors to be elected, warding arrangements and the date for elections.

The Registration Service and Business Manager summarised the legislative requirements and the National Association of Local Councils’ guidance on the number of Parish Councillors to be elected.  In terms of the number of Parish Councillors to be elected and the warding arrangements, the Committee felt there was a strong case to replicate the arrangements of  the current Borough Ward boundaries, with either 12 or 24 Councillors being elected.

The Chairman gave the opportunity for each Member of the Committee to express their views. Councillor Druce asked for his view to be recorded that the Council’s presentation of the options and the way the Council went about the review were atrocious.

The Chairman then invited members of the public to make further comment, if they wished.

The Chairman said, if the Council approved the establishment of a Town Council, further meetings of the Local Service Delivery Committee would consider the detailed arrangements for the transfer of functions and assets. He added that although he thought the referendum had failed to produce a sufficient mandate for a constitutional change, if a Town Council is to be established, he would strive to ensure the people of Macclesfield secured the best possible arrangement for the new Town Council.

It was suggested that discussion should also take place in respect of accommodation / venue for Parish Council meetings and arrangements for the appointment of a Parish Clerk.

Concern was expressed that the forthcoming meeting of the Constitution Committee on 19 November 2014 had not been convened to take place in Macclesfield. The Head of Governance and Democratic  Services indicated that as the agenda for that meeting had now been published, and public notice given of the date, time and venue, it was not possible to change the arrangements.

RESOLVED:

That having taken into account representations received, the Constitution Committee be asked to recommend to Council that a Single Parish Council be created for the whole of the unparished area of Macclesfield;  and

 (Note: 8 members voted for the above motion ; 2 members voted against, and 1 member abstained from voting)

i)             That a new Parish be constituted for the unparished area of Macclesfield;

ii)         That the name of the new Parish shall be the Parish of Macclesfield;

ii)            That the Parish shall  have a Parish Council named Macclesfield Parish Council;

iii)           That the Parish Council shall  not have an alternative style (defined as Neighbourhood, Community or Village), but the Parish Council  be advised to consider its designation as a Town Council;

iv)           That the Parish shall be divided into 7 Wards, the boundaries of such Wards to be co-terminous with the  current Borough Ward boundaries ( but excluding Polling District 4BFR which is already parished);  and  shall have the same number of  Councillors as per the Borough Wards as follows:

Broken Cross and Upton    -           2 Councillors

Macclesfield Central           -           2 Councillors

Macclesfield East                 -           1 Councillor

Macclesfield Hurdsfield      -           1 Councillor

Macclesfield South              -           2 Councillors                                                                                            (excluding polling district 4BFR)

Macclesfield Tytherington -           2 Councillors

Macclesfield West and Ivy -           2 Councillors

v)            That elections of all parish councillors for the Parish of Macclesfield be held on 7 May 2015;

vi)           That the term of office of every parish councillor elected on 7 May 2015 for the Parish of Macclesfield shall be four years, and thereafter  coincide with the ordinary day of election of parish councillors every four years.