Agenda item

To consider the recommendations of the Wilmslow Community Governance Review Sub-Committee and make a recommendation to Council.

The Sub-Committee will be meeting on 9^th December 2010. The report to be considered by the Sub-Committee is attached.

The recommendations of the Sub-Committee will be circulated in due course.

The Committee considered the recommendations of the Wilmslow Community Governance Review Sub-Committee following the second stage of public consultation.

The Sub-Committee’s minutes were circulated at the Committee’s meeting. These made recommendations on the creation of parish councils, numbers of councillors, warding arrangements and transitional arrangements. The Sub-Committee had also considered proposed budgets for the first year of operation of the new councils and had resolved that these be considered further and revised in agreement with the Chairman for recommendation to the Constitution Committee and Council. An addendum to the Sub-Committee’s minutes, setting out the budgets and indicative Council tax levels agreed with the Chairman, was circulated at the Committee’s meeting, together with a number of detailed indicative budgets which the Chairman had considered.

RESOLVED

That the Committee having taken into account all responses made during the Second Stage of consultation, and the recommendations of the Wilmslow Community Governance Review Sub-Committee, and having regard to the need to ensure that Community Governance within the area reflects the identities and interests of the Community, and is effective and convenient, Council be recommended to affirm its recommendations made on 22^nd July 2010 and that:

(1)   having regard to comparator information for Parish Councils in Cheshire East, and having regard to electoral equality, three new parishes be created and the number of Councillors to serve on each of the new Parish Councils be as follows:

a.   Handforth: 7 Councillors

b.   Styal: 7 Councillors

c.   Wilmslow: 15 Councillors

(2)   four wards be created for the Wilmslow Parish and named as follows, to provide as far as possible coterminous boundaries for electoral purposes:

i. Wilmslow West (comprising 5 Councillors: polling districts 8FH1, 8FJ1, 8FG1, 8FC1, 8FA1(part), 8FB1(part), 8FD1(part);

ii. Lacey Green (comprising 2 Councillors: polling districts 8EK1, 8EA1(part), 8FD1(part);

iii. Dean Row (comprising 4 Councillors: polling districts 8EA1(part), 8EB1, 8EC1, 8ED1, 8EE1); and

iv .Wilmslow East (comprising 4 Councillors: polling districts 8FD1(part), 8FA1(part), 8FB1(part), 8FE1, 8FF1)

(3)   three wards be created for the Handforth Parish and named as follows:

i. Handforth West (comprising 3 Councillors: polling districts 8EG1, 8EJ1)

ii.Handforth East (comprising 2 Councillors: polling district 8EH1); and

iii.Handforth South (comprising 2 Councillors: polling district 8EF1)

(4)   accordingly, and subject to the following, the detailed provisions of the draft Cheshire East Borough Council (Re-organisation  of Community Governance) Order 2010, as submitted to the meeting be approved  and that the Borough Solicitor be authorised to issue the Order and to make any necessary technical and detailed amendments as may be required:

a.      the transitional arrangements for the proposed town and parish councils be dealt with by the Wilmslow Community Governance Review Sub-Committee in consultation with relevant local Ward Members; and

b.      the proposed budgets for the first year of the new councils be as follows:

Wilmslow Parish Council   -   £244,275   Indicative Council tax of

£23.00 per Band D property

Handforth Parish Council   -    £85,000   Indicative Council tax of

£28.00 per Band D property

Styal Parish Council           -      £8,200     Indicative Council tax of

£28.00 per Band D property

(5)   in accordance with Section 96 of the Local Government and Public Involvement in Health Act 2007, the Borough Solicitor be authorised to make the necessary arrangements to publicise the outcome of the Community Governance Review.