Issue - meetings

To consider the responses received to the Stage 2 consultation and to make a recommendation on the final outcome of the review to the Governance and Constitution Committee on 21^st January 2010. The final decision on the outcome of the review will rest with Council at its special meeting on 25^th January 2010.

37.1    Opening Remarks

The Sub Committee considered the report of the Borough Solicitor which set out the responses received under Stage Two of the consultation process in respect of the Crewe Community Governance Review. 

In introducing the item, the Elections and Registration Team Manager drew Members attention to the summary of responses set out on page 10 of the agenda, the Sub Committee noting that three further responses had been received following the expiry of the deadline which had not been included in the analysis.  Members were reminded that, when reaching a decision, the Sub Committee had to take into consideration the representations received during the process, to ensure that the model chosen for community governance in Crewe reflected both the identity and interests of the community. 

Before the debate was opened, a Member requested that it be recorded that any criticism which might had been levied at Council Officers in respect of the way the review had been conducted was wholly unjustified and that the process had been handled fairly and equitably under difficult circumstances.  The Sub Committee unanimously supported the comments made. 

37.2         Discussion

A Member began the debate by speaking in favour of a Town Council arguing that the responses received had indicated that there was still an appetite for this option amongst the public.  He then turned his attention to other bodies such as Local Area Partnerships, dismissing their capability to deliver the governance arrangements required.  In his opinion, to manage risk and support the needs of the locality, the only viable option for Crewe was the introduction of a Town Council. 

Having discussed the arguments for, an opposing view was then expressed by a Member which considered that the number of respondents to the consultation exercise could not be considered to be representative of the electorate of Crewe and that there was insufficient support to justify the setting up of a Town Council at this point in time. 

A Member reminded the Sub Committee of comments made on previous occasions that the Stage One Consultation process had been flawed.  He stated that, in the responses received during Stage Two, a number of individuals had confirmed that they had voted for the wrong option due to the wording used on the voting paper.  As the driver for the process had been the number of people supporting the option for ‘no change’, he considered that this cast doubt on the validity of the proceedings and as a result, the Sub Committee was not in a position to make a recommendation to Governance and Constitution Committee.    

The Chairman considered that the concerns raised had been debated fully on previous occasions and would not prevent the Sub Committee from reaching a reasoned conclusion.  Having considered the arguments put forward, he was of the opinion that insufficient evidence had come forward to disregard the Council’s draft recommendation to reject the notion of a town council for Crewe at this time and he invited Members to move to the vote.