REPORT TO PICKMERE PARISH COUNCIL
20th July 2021
AGENDA ITEM 9.9 CEC COMMUNITY GOVERNANCE REVIEW
1 REPORT
1.1 CEC have recently issued the following communication:
Dear Parish Clerk,
From previous correspondence, I am sure you will be well aware of the work which my
Council has been doing over the last two years or so, on the community governance review
of town and parish council governance.
Whilst it is quite possible that the outcome of the review will not result in widespread
changes for town and parish councils, where changes in governance are made, this could
result in the re-drawing of boundaries, changes to the number of councillors, the grouping
of parishes, the absorption of one parish into another etc.
On Tuesday of last week, Cheshire East Council met to consider commencing a full
consultation upon initial draft proposals for town and parish council governance. Council
approved the commencement of the consultation process, which will have a duration of
12 weeks.
Some preparatory work needs to take place before the consultation can begin. As soon as
the consultation has formally commenced, we will let you know.
Conscious that it has been some time since the review process commenced, I thought you
might find it helpful to have access to some key reports which have been considered by
the Council. Links to them are set out below, and you will see that these provide
information about what draft proposals have been developed by the Council, upon which
the consultation will be based.
Here is the link to the report to the Constitution Committee which met on 6th April
2021. This contains all relevant detail of the review, together with the proposals which
will form the basis of the formal consultation.
http://moderngov.cheshireeast.gov.uk/ecminutes/ieListDocuments.aspx?CId=487&MId=
8618&Ver=4
For further information and background, here is the link to the meeting of the Committee
on 22nd November 2018:
http://moderngov.cheshireeast.gov.uk/ecminutes/ieListDocuments.aspx?CId=487&MId=
7088&Ver=4
I do hope that this is helpful, and that you will consider informing your chair and members
that my Council has now approved the formal consultation.
1.2 The Community Governance Review Draft Recommendations are circulated with this report.
In relation to Pickmere, the draft recommendations state as follows:
Pickmere
Based upon the evidence currently available, Cheshire East Council, on balance, considers
that a community governance change would:
NOT help to better reflect the local identities and interests of the community;
NOT help to secure a more effective and convenient governance of the area.
In addition, the current and forecasted size, population and current boundaries support
the recommendation to maintain the current governance.
Through the pre-consultation survey we received an individual representation, which
requested a change outside the remit of a community governance review.
Cheshire East Council remains open to considering alternative recommendations and
would welcome feedback about the perceived benefits and impacts of this option.
2. RECOMMENDATION
2.1 That the report be noted.
J Steel
Clerk to the Parish Council
