Issue - meetings

Community Governance Review of Bishop’s Stortford Town Council

Meeting: 16/05/2018 - Council (Item 10)

10 Community Governance Review of Bishop’s Stortford Town Council pdf icon PDF 1 MB

Additional documents:

Minutes:

Council considered a report on the Community Governance Review (CGR) of Bishop’s Stortford Town Council.  The Executive Member for Finance and Support Services presented the responses received during the initial consultation period for the CGR of Bishop’s Stortford Town Council, together with the recommendations of the Executive.  He referred to the criteria for making recommendations and the timetable for a further round of consultation on the recommendations agreed by Council.

 

Councillor G Williamson moved, and Councillor S Rutland-Barsby seconded a motion that the recommendations as printed in the report now submitted, be approved, except for recommendation (B)2 being split into (a) and (b) to separate the St Michael’s Mead and the land south of Whittington Way issues.

 

In response to Members’ questions and comments, it was confirmed that the consultation period would begin by the end of the next week in May and run until the last week in July 2018.

 

The Chairman agreed to a request that each recommendation be put individually for Council to determine.

 

After being put to the meeting, and a vote taken individually, the recommendations now detailed were declared CARRIED.

 

Council approved the recommendations now detailed.

 

RESOLVED – that (A) the responses received to the initial consultation on the Community  Governance Review of Bishop’s Stortford Town Council, together with the recommendations of the Executive in relation to the review, be received; and

 

(B)       the draft recommendations of the Community Governance Review be approved as the basis for a further round of public consultation as follows:

 

(1)                 that the detailed ward boundary changes within the existing area of Bishop’s Stortford Town Council, as proposed by the Town Council and shown in the maps included in Essential Reference  Paper B of the report submitted, be agreed;

 

(2)                 (a)       that the whole of the St Michael’s Mead development be incorporated within Bishop’s Stortford; and

 

(b)       the proposed area of further housing development south of Whittington Way be incorporated within Bishop’s Stortford;

 

(3)                 that Thorley Street and the areas east of London Road and the railway, including Pig Lane and Twyford Bury Lane remain part of Thorley parish;

 

(4)                 that the revised parish boundary between Bishop’s Stortford and Thorley be as shown in the plan at paragraph 7.35 of the report now submitted;

 

(5)                 that the Local Government Boundary Commission for England be recommended to amend the district ward boundaries accordingly;

 

(6)                 that the revised area of Thorley Parish Council be unwarded; and

 

(7)       that the revised Thorley Parish Council comprise of five parish councillors.

 

(see also Minute 9)


Meeting: 24/04/2018 - Executive (Item 454)

454 Community Governance Review of Bishop’s Stortford Town Council pdf icon PDF 102 KB

Additional documents:

Minutes:

The Executive considered a report detailing the responses received during the initial consultation period for the Community Governance Review (CGR) of Bishop’s Stortford Town Council, together with the comments of Overview and Scrutiny Committee.  The Executive was invited to forward its comments to Council for its consideration when agreeing the draft recommendations of the review. 

 

The CGR request was based on the issues of the parish boundary between Bishop’s Stortford and Thorley and the ward boundaries within the town.  The Electoral Services Officer detailed the consultation responses and referred to the comments of Overview and Scrutiny Committee, at its meeting held on 17 April 2018.  He advised that Council on 16 May 2018 would be requested to determine draft recommendations which would then be subject to further consultation.  These consultation responses would be reported to Council in October 2018, when any Community Governance Reorganisation Order would be made.  If any changes to electoral arrangements were required, these would be implemented for the elections in May 2019.

 

The Electoral Services Officer also advised that any changes to parish boundaries would not automatically change the district ward or county division boundaries.  Such changes would have to be approved by the Local Government Boundary Commission for England (LBGCE).

 

Councillor G McAndrew expressed concern over the future viability of Thorley Parish Council and referred to the cohesion and identity of the local community.  He also referred to the level of consultation responses and the evident tensions arising from the emerging District Plan.  Various other Members also expressed similar concerns and spoke of the distinct local characteristics of Thorley parish.

 

Councillor S Rutland-Barsby referred to the number of consultation responses that appeared to have been made on planning grounds rather than governance matters.  She acknowledged the concerns for the future of Thorley parish and suggested a compromise whereby only the St Michael’s Mead development and the proposed area of further housing development south of Whittington Way be incorporated within Bishop’s Stortford. 

 

Other Members supported this view and referred to the anomalies of the boundary cutting through St Michael’s Mead.

 

Councillor G Williamson moved, and Councillor S Rutland-Barsby seconded, a motion that:

 

(A)       the responses received to the initial consultation on the community governance review of Bishop’s Stortford Town Council, together with the comments of the Overview and Scrutiny Committee in relation to the review, be noted;

 

(B)       the Council be recommended to include the proposed ward boundary changes in the draft recommendations of the review; and also to recommend the Local Government Boundary Commission for England (LGBCE) to amend the district ward boundaries accordingly;

 

(C)       the Council be recommended to include in the draft recommendations of the review a change to the parish boundary between Bishop’s Stortford and Thorley, such that the whole of the St Michael’s Mead development and the proposed area of further housing development south of Whittington Way be incorporated within Bishop’s Stortford; and

 

(D)      the Council be recommended that Thorley Street and the areas east of London Road and the railway,  ...  view the full minutes text for item 454