Agenda item

To consider the receipt of a petition calling for a Community Governance review in respect of the unparished area of Handforth.

The Committee considered the receipt of a petition calling for a Community Governance review in respect of the unparished area of Handforth.

The petition, which had been received on 21 September 2009, had been signed by at least 10% of local government electors for the area and was therefore judged to be valid. The petition identified the following recommendations arising from a Review:

(1)   That a new parish be constituted under Section 87 of the Local Government and Public Involvement in Health Act 2007.

(2)   That the new parish should have a parish council to be known as Handforth Community Council.

(3)   That members of the Council will not be affiliated to any political party.

(4)   That the area to which the review is to relate be defined as being the electoral ward of Handforth as known in 2007.

(5)   That the Council will not precept the area, only use moneys granted, delegated, awarded or given for the benefit of the area.

It was noted that points  (3) and (5) above were outside the scope of any recommendations which could be considered by the Council as part of any community governance review.

Given that the area of Handforth formed part of the wider unparished area of Wilmslow (comprising the former electoral wards of Dean Row, Fulshaw, Handforth, Hough, Lacey Green and Morley and Styal), the Committee was asked to consider whether it would be expedient to extend the remit of the Community Governance Review to encompass the whole of the unparished area as specified. This would need to be made as a recommendation to Council.      

It was also reported orally at the meeting that a petition had been received on 14 October 2009, calling for a community governance review for the unparished area of Wilmslow. As of the date of the meeting, the petition had not been validated. The petition asked the Council to consider making the following recommendations:

(1)   That a new parish be constituted under Section 87 of the Local Government and Public Involvement in Health Act 2007.

(2)   That the new parish should have a parish council to be known as Wilmslow and Handforth Town Council.

(3)   That the area to which the review is to relate comprise the Electoral Wards of Dean Row, Fulshaw, Handforth, Hough, Lacey Green and Morley & Styal.

The Committee considered the detailed procedure and timetable for conducting the Review, the criteria to be applied and the options to be considered.

RESOLVED

That

(1)   for the purposes of Section 80 of the Local Government and Public Involvement in Health Act 2007 the petition from residents of Handforth be confirmed as valid and this be confirmed to the petition organisers;

(2)   a Community Governance Review be carried out in respect of the whole of the Electoral Ward of Handforth, as known in 2007, to be  completed by 20 September 2010;

(3)   the receipt of a petition from residents of Wilmslow be noted and Council be recommended that the Community Governance Review be extended to cover the whole of the unparished area of Wilmslow (i.e. the former Electoral Wards of Dean Row, Fulshaw, Handforth, Hough, Lacey Green and Morley and Styal); and

(4)   a Sub-Committee of six Members be established (4 C:1 LD: 1 L: 0 I) to oversee the Review and to make appropriate recommendations to the Governance and Constitution Committee.