Agenda item

1.      Recommendations from the Community Governance Review Sub-Committee

To receive the minutes of the Community Governance Review Sub-Committee meeting of 5 October 2009.

2.      Report of Partnerships and Chief Executive’s Business Manager on Community Governance Arrangements for Crewe

To note the report of the Partnerships and Chief Executive’s Business Manager (to follow).

3.      Recommendations to Council

For the Committee to make recommendations to Council upon the Community Governance Review.

The Committee considered the recommendations of the Community Governance Review Sub-Committee in relation to the Crewe Community Governance Review.

The Sub-Committee had been established by the Committee in May to carry out a Community Governance Review in respect of the whole of the Electoral Wards of Coppenhall, Delamere, Grosvenor, Maw Green, St Johns, Valley and Waldron; and those parts of the following Electoral Wards which do not already fall into an existing parish:  Alexandra, Leighton, St Barnabas, Wistaston Green, the Review to be completed by 30 March 2010.

The Sub-Committee had met on 5 October to consider:

(1)   A briefing paper on the process to be followed in conducting the governance review; and

(2)   the outcome of the first stage consultation with a view to making recommendations to the Governance and Constitution Committee.

(1)   Briefing Paper Formulating the Council’s Draft Recommendation  

The briefing paper was based on statutory guidance issued by the Department for Communities and Local Government and set out the factors which needed to be taken into consideration in formulating the Council’s draft recommendation.    

The Sub-Committee resolved that the procedures to be followed in conducting the Review based on the statutory guidance issued by the Department for Community Governance review be noted. 

(2)   Crewe Community Governance Review – First Stage Consultation

Stage 1 of the consultation process had concluded on 30 September 2009.  The results and the feedback received from stakeholder organizations were submitted to Members for consideration as follows:

(a)       The petition signed by 10% of the electorate requesting a Town Council for Crewe;

(b)       Results of the consultation with electors;

(c)        Results of the consultation exercise with stakeholders;

(d)       Other representations received;

(e)       Notes of the two public meetings held on 1 September 2009; and 

(f)        Feedback from the Crewe Charter Trustees meeting held on 24September 2009. 

The Borough Solicitor had advised the Sub-Committee that on 15 October 2009, Council would consider any recommendations of the Governance and Constitution Committee.

The Sub-Committee debated the outcome of the consultation process and resolved that:

(1)   the matter be remitted to the Governance and Constitution Committee together with the results of the Review without any recommendation from the Sub Committee; and

(2)   information be garnered on other alternatives for community governance for discussion by the Governance and Constitution Committee.   

In considering this matter, Members of the Committee had before them the full set of papers considered by the Sub-Committee on 5 October, including, by way of background information, the report considered by the Sub-Committee on ‘Formulating the Council’s Draft Recommendation’, and the various papers comprising the outcome of the first stage of consultation. Members had also received a Briefing Note prepared by the Chief Executive’s and Partnerships Business Manager on the existing community governance arrangements in Crewe, which sought to satisfy the requirements of the Sub-Committee’s resolution (2).

The Committee proceeded to consider the matter in light of the information provided.

Members sought clarification of what would happen in the event that the Council decided not to pursue a proposal to establish a town council for Crewe. The Borough Solicitor advised that in that event, the Council’s stance would form the basis of the second stage of consultation and that at the conclusion of that consultation the matter would be referred back to Council in December for a final decision.

RESOLVED

That

(1)   the resolutions of the Community Governance Review Sub-Committee and the additional Briefing Note circulated by the Chief Executive’s and Partnerships Business Manager be noted; and

(2)   Council be recommended to accept the vote from the people of Crewe and to reject the notion of a town council for Crewe at this time.