Issue - meetings

Crewe Community Governance Review

Meeting: 04/09/2012 - Community Governance Review Sub-Committee (Item 61)

61 Crewe Community Governance Review pdf icon PDF 34 KB

The Sub-Committee is asked:

 

1.      to consider the draft budget and precept for the first year of the parish council (attached);

 

2.      to consider the draft order (attached);

 

3.      to determine its final recommendations to the Constitution Committee, including the composition and warding of the new parish council and the position with the unparished part of Leighton; and

 

4.      to seek authority for the Sub-Committee to undertake all necessary actions in preparation for the new parish council.

 

 

Additional documents:

Minutes:

Draft Budget

 

The Sub-Committee considered a draft budget for the first year of the proposed parish council.

 

In considering this matter, Members asked what would happen with the bank account and assets held by the Crewe Charter Trustees. Officers undertook to investigate and report back.

 

Members also sought clarification of the precepting mechanism. Subject to further advice from Finance officers, the officers present advised that once the precept had been included in the order, Cheshire East Council would issue the bills to households.

 

RESOLVED

 

That

 

(1)  it be recommended that the draft budget be approved subject to the following amendments:

 

(a)        the deletion of the budget headings for general grant and councillors’ allowances;

 

(b)        the inclusion of the following additional budget headings and amounts:

 

Christmas Lights

£30,000

Town Centre Management

£36,000

Floral Displays

£25,000

Councillors’ Expenses

£500

Community Grants

£13,000

 

(2)  it be noted that the revised budget will also include the provisions for public conveniences and allotments as approved earlier in the meeting.

 

This would bring the budget total to £342,000. The Chairman urged Opposition Members present to discuss within their Group whether this amount would be sufficient for the first year of the new parish council.

 

Draft Order

 

The Sub-Committee considered a draft reorganisation order for the unparished part of Crewe.

 

Officers advised that it may be necessary to include in the order reference to the unparished part of Leighton for which separate arrangements were proposed. Officers had arranged a meeting with representatives of Minshull Vernon and District Parish Council on 12th September to discuss the matter. There was some discussion about whether it would be necessary to hold parish elections in Leighton, given that the 400 or so electors to be added to that parish would not have voted in the parish elections but would presumably be paying a parish precept. Some Members considered this unlikely and that in all likelihood the parish council would co-opt if an additional parish councillor for the enlarged parish was considered necessary.

 

The Council’s Legal Officer at the meeting advised that any decision of the Sub-Committee on the draft order would by implication relate to any relevant assets, including the allotments. Councillors Cartlidge and Hogben, having declared disclosable pecuniary interests as allotments holders earlier in the meeting, left the meeting prior to a decision on this matter.

 

RESOLVED

 

That the draft order be recommended for approval subject to the inclusion of reference to the arrangements for the unparished part of Leighton.

 

Councillors Cartlidge and Hogben were invited to return to the meeting.

 

Councillor and Warding Arrangements

 

RESOLVED

 

That the matter of the number of councillors and distribution of wards within the proposed Crewe parish be left for the Constitution Committee to consider and make recommendations to Council.

 

Preparatory Role for Sub-Committee

 

RESOLVED

 

That the Constitution Committee be recommended to extend the terms of reference of the Community Governance Review Sub-Committee to enable the Sub-Committee to take all necessary actions in preparation for the new Crewe parish council.