Issue - meetings

The Leader of the Council presented the Community Governance Review report. He said that government guidance recommended that a council carried out a Community Governance Review every 10-15 years and referred to paragraph 2.2 of the report which showed what was in the remit of a Community Governance Review.

The Leader of the Council said that in 2022, the Local Government Boundary Commission carried out a review of East Herts Council and recommended that a Community Governance Review be carried out in Ware, Wareside, Thundridge and Rush Green. He said that Council agreed that these reviews be carried out in July 2023, but the timetable had now elapsed due to staff resources and the elections in May and July. He said that this review proposed starting again but taking in all town and parish councils across the district.

The Leader of the Council said that the council wrote to all town and parish councils in May to seek informal views as to whether they’d like to be included in the review and once the statutory process had been triggered, the council would consult with the public on the proposals.

Councillor Crystall proposed that the recommendations in the report be supported. Councillor Horner seconded the proposal.

Councillor Jacobs said he welcomed the review and the approach. He asked for the level of response from the initial write out and said it would be useful to understand the next steps.

Councillor Deering said he echoed the Leader’s comments and was supportive of the recommendation.

Councillor Parsad-Wyatt asked if there would be any public consultation in areas where the parish council had not requested any changes.

Councillor Goldspink said that Bishop’s Stortford Town Council were interested in the review as they had some anomalies on their boundary.

The Head of Legal and Democratic Services confirmed that adjacent parish councils would be consulted if they were impacted by changes suggested by other councils. He said that the process was laid out at paragraph 2.13 of the report.

Councillor Holt asked about the impact of changing parish boundaries on district and county wards.

Councillor Horner said at the last Community Governance Review, any impacts on district and county boundaries were picked up by the Local Government Boundary Commission at an appropriate time.

Councillor Crystall reminded group leaders to appoint Members to the group.

The motion to support the recommendation having been proposed and seconded was put to the meeting and upon a vote being taken, was declared CARRIED.

RESOLVED - That a Community Governance Review working group be established to commence the review process.