Agenda item

To consider a report on the final outcome of the Macclesfield Community Governance Review.

The Committee considered a report on the final outcome of the Macclesfield Community Governance Review.

Council at its meeting held on 11^th December 2014 had approved the recommendations for the final outcome of the Macclesfield Community Governance Review and had granted delegated powers to the Constitution Committee to determine the final outcome of the Review, including all necessary powers to make the Re-Organisation Order.

The public and anyone with an interest in the review had been invited to make comment on the Council’s recommendations by Thursday 15^th January 2015. Responses received were considered by the Community Governance Review Sub-Committee on 16^th January 2015 and were attached at Appendix 1 to the report. Having taken the representations received into account, the Sub-Committee had recommended to the Constitution Committee that Council’s recommendation for the final outcome of the review be endorsed.   

In accordance with the wishes of the last meeting of the Sub-Committee and those of Council, a meeting of the Macclesfield Local Service Delivery Committee was held 8^th January to discuss which assets might be transferred from Cheshire East to the proposed Macclesfield Parish Council, having regard to officer and legal advice. The Minutes of that meeting were attached at Appendix 2 to the report. The Committee’s views were considered by the Community Governance Review Sub-Committee on 16^th January 2015 and the Sub-Committee’s minutes were circulated at the meeting as Appendix 3 to the report. The Sub-Committee had also agreed a draft budget for the new parish council, which was set out at Appendix 4, together with the draft re-organisation order which was set out at Appendix 5. The order had included details of the land and property to be transferred to the new council. The recommendations of the Sub-Committee were set out in the minutes of the Sub-Committee’s meeting.

Following determination of the final outcome of the Community Governance Review by the Committee, arrangements would be made to publish the decision and to notify statutory bodies as required by the Local Government Public Involvement in Health Act 2007.  

The work of the Community Governance Review Sub Committee would continue over the coming weeks, in terms of making transitional arrangements, including the convening of the Annual Parish meeting, which must be held within 14 days of the Councillors taking office.           

The Chairman informed the Committee that Councillor L Brown had submitted her comments in writing as she was unable to attend the meeting. In relation to the draft budget for the new parish council, Councillor Brown expressed concern that the grants allocation had increased from £15,000 to 80,000. She also expressed surprise that a contingency fund of £100,000 had been included as her recollection was that the Macclesfield Local Service Delivery Committee had opposed the inclusion of a contingency fund.

In response, Councillor D Marren, Chairman of the Community Governance Review Sub-Committee, commented that Nantwich and Congleton Town Councils each had a grants budget of about £80,000, and that those towns were considerably smaller than Macclesfield. It was also prudent to have a contingency fund within the budget to allow for unforeseen expenses. There would be no obligation on the new council to spend the money.

The Committee proceeded to consider the matter, taking into consideration the outcome of the final round of public and stakeholder consultation, the views of the Macclesfield Local Service Delivery Committee and the recommendations of the Community Governance Review Sub-Committee.

RESOLVED

That

1.    in the interests of effective and convenient local government and having taken into account the representations received and the views of the Macclesfield Local Service Delivery Committee, a single parish council be created for the whole of the unparished area of Macclesfield in accordance with the following:

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;

iii) that the parish shall  have a parish council named Macclesfield Parish Council;

iv) 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;

v)  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 for 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

vi)           that elections of all parish councillors for the Parish of Macclesfield be held on 7 May 2015; and

vii)         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.

2.    the budget sum of £575,640 be included in the Re-Organisation Order   for the Parish Council’s first year of operation, leading to a precept of £32.98 being raised per band D property;

3.    the budget comprise of the following net Operational costs (in addition to Administrative costs of £137,580 and Management and support  costs of 15% of gross operating expenditure, excluding CCTV):

§  Allotments                                                  £10,000

§  Weston Community Centre         £20,000

§  Public Conveniences                  £50,000

§  Town Centre Management          £59,000

§  Christmas Lights                           £45,000

§  Street Furniture                                £1,270

§  Floral Displays                               £10,000

§  CCTV                                               £31,450

§  Grants                                              £80,000

§  Contingency                                £100,000

4.    the following assets be included in the Re-Organisation Order for transfer on the dates indicated:

§  Allotments                                                            1 April 2015    

§  Weston Community Centre                  1 October 2015

§  Public Conveniences                            1 October 2015

5.  the wording of the draft Re-Organisation Order be approved as submitted, and that the Head of Governance and Democratic Services be authorised to make any minor or consequential amendments to the Order, in consultation with the Chairman of the Committee, prior to the legal seal being affixed; and to take such other steps as may be necessary in order to give effect to the wishes of the Committee.