Agenda item

A report of the Head of Democratic Services was presented to seek the Committee’s agreement to proposed Terms of Reference and consultation documents to enable a Community Governance Review to commence in Middlesbrough.

 

At the Council meeting held on 28 July 2021, consideration and agreement of Terms of Reference for the Community Governance Review, and consideration of any consultation responses, was delegated to the Corporate Affairs and Audit Committee.  Recommendations would be referred back to Council for approval.

 

Guidance issued by the Secretary of State and the Boundary Commission.   Indicated that it was good practice for Councils to consider conducting a Community Governance Review every 10 to 15 years.   Middlesbrough’s last Review was undertaken fifteen years ago.  A request had been made by Nunthorpe Parish Council to reconsider its current boundaries and it was therefore considered timely to conduct a review of the whole of the Council’s area.  Any decisions to make changes to parish arrangements would be implemented at the next full parish elections in 2023.  It was proposed that Community Councils were included in the Community Governance Review, since they played an equally strong part in representing communities and acted as a mechanism for the Council to consult at a local level.

 

A Community Governance Review was a review of the whole part or part of the district area to consider one or more of the following:

 

a)   Creating, merging, altering or abolishing parishes;

b)   The naming of parishes and the style of new parishes;

c)   The electoral arrangements for parishes (the ordinary year of election; council size; the number of councillors to be elected to the council, and parish wards)

and

d)   Grouping parishes under a common parish council or de-grouping parishes.

 

The purpose of a Community Governance Review was to secure an arrangement that would bring about improved community engagement, better local democracy and result in more effective and convenient delivery of local services.

 

The Council had to consult the local government electors for the area under review and any other person or body (including a local authority) who appeared to have an interest in the review.

 

There were a number of requirements relating to the conduct of the review that had to be observed as follows:

 

• Terms of Reference identifying the focus for the review and the area under review had to be drawn up.
• Consultation had to take place with local people, representative groups active in the area, and any people/groups that could be reasonably expected to have an interest in the review.
• The Council had to take account of the representations received;
• The review had to be completed within twelve months of the Council publishing the Terms of Reference.

 

In order to ensure that interested persons or groups had the opportunity to input and respond to the review,  the following actions would be undertaken:

 

• Display notices at a number of council buildings.
• Information on the Council website.
• Article in Middlesbrough News.
• Members’ Briefings.
• Letter to parish and community councils including information that they could use in order to publicise the review within their parishes. (This information could then be publicised through their magazines/newsletters/intranet, notice boards or website).

• Letter to other known community groups within Middlesbrough (using information from the Council’s stakeholder database).
• Letter to MPs representing constituencies within Middlesbrough and local constituency offices of registered political parties.
• Information on social network sites.
• Online Community Consultation meetings.

 

The Head of Democratic Services proposed an amendment to paragraph 3 of the Terms of Reference appended to the submitted report as follows:

 

“In response to a request from residents concerned about the mis-alignment of Nunthorpe’s parish and ward boundaries, Nunthorpe Parish Council asked for a reconsideration of a very small part of the Parish boundary (two streets) it is therefore considered timely to conduct a review of the whole of the Middlesbrough Council area and that any decisions to make changes to parish arrangements would be implemented at the next full parish elections in 2023.”

 

In addition, where “Council” was referenced in the Terms of Reference this would be amended to read “Middlesbrough Council” for clarity.

 

A copy of the proposed timetable for the review was tabled and circulated at the meeting. 

 

As part of governance review and the consultation plan there would be an opportunity for Council Officers to visit Community and Parish Councils to explain the purpose of the review.    In response to a query, it was confirmed that Parish and Community Councils could of course provide further information to residents in their area. 

 

It was also confirmed that further work would be undertaken on the consultation documents and the questionnaire, in discussion with concerned parties, prior to them being made public.

 

AGREED as follows that:

1.   Corporate Affairs and Audit Committee approved the Terms of Reference, as amended, and noted the proposed consultation and questionnaire documents, subject to minor amendments to ensure clarity and balance.

 

2. That the Head of Democratic Services be delegated authority to approve any minor amendments, to enable Middlesbrough Council to meet the proposed publishing timetable.