Issue - meetings

To agree the draft proposals for public consultation.  

1.       That the draft recommendations for the Borough-wide Community Governance Review be ENDORSED for further consultation purposes.  

2.       That authority be delegated to the Borough Solicitor, in consultation with the Community Governance Review Working Group, to:

a.       consider the suggestion of forming a new Coopers Edge Parish Council covering the areas in the Borough that fall within the Parishes of Brockworth and Hucclecote and to make a recommendation to b included in the draft proposals report; and

b.       make any minor wording / accuracy changes prior to the draft proposals being released for consultation. 

69.1          The report of the Head of Democratic Services, circulated at Pages No. 215-256, set out the draft recommendations for the Boroughwide Community Governance Review which Members were asked to consider and endorse for consultation purposes. Members were also asked to delegate authority to the Borough Solicitor, in consultation with the Working Group, to consider the suggestion of forming a new Coopers Edge Parish Council covering the areas in the Borough that fell within the Parishes of Brockworth and Hucclecote and to make a recommendation to be included in the draft proposals consultation report as well as to make any minor wording/accuracy changes prior to the draft proposals being released for consultation.

69.2          The Executive Committee Chair welcomed the Chair of the Community Governance Review Working Group to the meeting. In introducing the report, the Head of Democratic Services explained that, in June 2021, the Executive Committee had agreed to carry out a Boroughwide Community Governance Review, approved the Terms of Reference and established a Community Governance Review Working Group. Following that, all Parish and Town Councils had been asked for their views on any changes they may like to see within their Parishes e.g. name, size, boundaries. The Working Group had subsequently worked through all the suggestions submitted with the aid of maps, and had been on a coach trip to visit the relevant areas, which had culminated in the draft recommendations which were attached at Appendix 1 to the report. The Committee report also sought a delegation to make any minor amendments to the draft recommendation report and further consider what, if anything, could be done to provide better representation for the residents of Coopers Edge that were within the Borough. The proposals involving residents outside of the Borough were outside the remit of the review. Following consultation on the draft recommendations, the Working Group would meet to consider any responses before finalising the recommendations for Executive Committee and Council. Tewkesbury Borough Council was not the determining body for all of the proposals as there were some elements that could only be decided by the Local Government Boundary Commission for England (LGBCE) – these included any changes that affected the Borough Wards / areas that had previously been considered by the LGBCE e.g. changes to Innsworth/Longford were within the Council’s gift as they were in one Borough Ward whereas Wheatpieces and Ashchurch Rural Parishes were in separate Borough Wards therefore any changes would have to be agreed by the LGBCE. The final proposals had to be sent to the LGBCE in May in order that they would be in place for the 2023 Borough and Parish elections.

69.3          The Chair of the Working Group thanked Officers for their preparation and the quality of the maps provided to the Working Group as well as the tour which had been arranged at short notice. He indicated that the information had been discussed in great depth by the Working Group so he was happy to answer any questions Members may have.  ...  view the full minutes text for item 69