Agenda item

A presentation on the process of undertaking a Community Governance Review –  Carol Russell, Democratic Services Manager and Phil Davies, Principal Corporate Support Officer.

To consider a draft timetable for the review (to be circulated at the meeting).

A copy of the report approved by Council on 2 November 2010 is attached for  information.

As background the Committee received a report of the Chief Executive which had been agreed by the full Council on 2 November 2010 approving the undertaking of a Community Governance Review of the Buckshaw area. This was following a request received to create a Parish Council for the Buckshaw area of Chorley Borough.

Officers gave a presentation on the process of undertaking a Community Governance Review and circulated a draft timetable.

• The Local Government and Involvements in Health Act 2007 gives Councils the power to undertake Community Governance Reviews of parish boundaries and to introduce changes, without requiring approval from the Boundary Commision for England.

• At present the Chorley Borough area covering Buckshaw Village is covered by the two parishes of Euxton and Whittle-Le-Woods. There is also part of Buckshaw that is in the District of South Ribble which is not parished. Legislation does not allow the Borough Council to make changes across the district boundaries and therefore the review would consider the Chorley areas only.

• The actual areas affected are parts of the North East ward of Euxton parish and the West ward of Whittle-Le-Woods parish. For electoral administration purposes these areas were identified on the electoral registers as polling districts 02C and 10C. It was however, pointed out that in each case the polling district boundaries were not coterminous with the parish ward boundaries, with the parish wards being greater in size than the polling districts.

• The report and presentation outlined the processes that made up a Community Governance Review including consultation, resources and officer support and also some potential outcomes of a Community Governance Review of this area.

• The Community Governance Review process would look at whether the current parishing arrangements best serve the local community. This would include whether they achieve community engagement, better democracy and more convenient and effective delivery of local services. Reviews can take some time to complete although they must be concluded with 12 months.

• The Community Governance Review process cannot look at Borough ward boundaries or Parliamentary constituency boundaries, Changes to these would require a full Boundary Commission Review. Whilst the Boundary Commission had been asked to look at the Borough Council boundary around the Buckshaw area, they had informed the Council that it would be some years before this could be scheduled and the forthcoming Parliamentary Boundary Review would receive priority.

• Members were advised of the process that would be adopted when undertaking a Community Governance Review as set out in Government guidance and was summarised as follows:

·        agree and publish the Terms of Reference

·        briefings to inform key interested parties

·        receipt of submissions

·        produce and publish draft recommendations

·        produce and publish final recommendations

·        if there are any changes, Council makes Reorganisation Order

·        implementation of any new arrangements

·        elections for new arrangements (if necessary)

·        It was further explained to the Committee that the Terms of Reference was a key document that would form the basis of the review and would include:

·        consultation process – strategy and timescales

·        electorate and demographic information

·        current parish information and arrangements

·        the way forward for the review

·        Appendices – maps, electorate statistics, precept information and consultation questions, etc

·        The consultation arrangements needed to be robust and at the preliminary stage, submissions would be invited from those directly affected, including the Parish Councils and Buckshaw Village Community Association. The consultation process on the draft recommendations would involve those affected include:

·        County Council, Borough Council and Parish Council

·        Residents of those areas

·        Partners with an interest in the area

·        Those involved in the wider picture of community governance for the area, for example the management agreement operated by Red Row

RESOLVED

1.         That the polling areas of 02C and 10C form the basis of the governance review.

2.         That the draft timetable as circulated at the meeting be approved as an outline plan for the review with the next two meetings of the Community Governance Committee being

·        31 January 2011

·        11 April 2011

3.         That the preliminary stage of the review to include the Management Company for Buckshaw Village.