Agenda item
Motion B: Community Governance Reviews - Proposed by Councillor Ruth Smith
New developments on the boundaries between towns and villages and between larger and smaller villages bring with them the question of what structure of town and parish governance would best reflect the identities and interests of the new residents and the newly-shaped communities.
A Community Governance Review gathers evidence and viewpoints from the communities involved and may result in ‘reparishing’; the redrawing of parish boundaries; changes to the number of councillors, changes to ward boundaries, changes to the name or type/style of ‘parish’ council, grouping or ungrouping parishes and even the creation of new councils.
West Oxfordshire District Council has not routinely conducted such reviews since the Local Government and Public Involvement in Health Act 2007.
Council resolves to adopt, by the end of 2024, a policy for Community Governance Reviews, based on recommendations to be brought to the Executive when officers have considered it, to include:
- The expected interval between reviews, per parish and as a whole district
- The size of proposed developments that should trigger a CGR for parishes
- Other considerations in line with the Local Government and Public Involvement in Health Act 2007 and the joint guidance on community governance reviews published by the Communities and Local Government Department and LGBC [Local Government Boundary Commission].
Links:
The webpage for the Vale of White Horse Community Governance and Electoral Issues Committee https://democratic.whitehorsedc.gov.uk/mgCommitteeDetails.aspx?ID=542
Examples of recent local CGRs and evidence of a policy for regular reviews (Vale says every 4 years)
- Vale: https://www.whitehorsedc.gov.uk/community-governance-review/
- Cherwell: https://www.cherwell.gov.uk/info/11/elections/315/community-governance-review
- Vale and South working together every 4 years https://www.whitehorsedc.gov.uk/democracy/have-your-say-on-proposed-changes-for-parishes-in-south-oxfordshire-and-the-vale-of-white-horse/
A 2011 NALC roundup of lessons from CGRs. https://www.nalc.gov.uk/library/our-work/create-a-council-resources/1357-community-governance-reviews-some-lessons-from-recent-practice/file
Government Guidance on Community Governance Reviews (2010) https://www.lgbce.org.uk/sites/default/files/2023-03/community-governance-review-guidance.pdf
Minutes:
Councillor Ruth Smith introduced the motion which sought the Council’s commitment to adopt a policy for Community Governance Reviews. Councillor Smith asked for a minor change to the motion wording to “by the end of 2024/25”. Councillor Smith gave a brief overview of the Community Governance Review and how adopting this review would benefit the districts towns and parishes. The review would ensure community involvement and a possible redrawing of boundaries.
The debate followed and raised the following points. Members felt that the district had experienced a large change due to new housing estates and a “bottom up” approach would form the basis of a review for towns and parishes.
The review should be approached in an evolving way and not a catch up way.
The review with the minor amendment 2024/25 would work with the ongoing District Boundary Review, Local Plan and the Publica Transition Plan.
Councillor Ruth Smith proposed the motion be adopted by Council. Councillor Smith thanked all Members for their support of the Motion and the importance of going forwards with the review. This was seconded by Councillor Andy Graham, The Leader, was put to a vote, and was unanimously agreed by Council.
Council Resolved to pass the following Motion:
New developments on the boundaries between towns and villages and between larger and smaller villages bring with them the question of what structure of town and parish governance would best reflect the identities and interests of the new residents and the newly-shaped communities.
A Community Governance Review gathers evidence and viewpoints from the communities involved and may result in ‘re-parishing’; the redrawing of parish boundaries; changes to the number of councillors, changes to ward boundaries, changes to the name or type/style of ‘Parish’ council, grouping or ungrouping parishes and even the creation of new councils.
West Oxfordshire District Council has not routinely conducted such reviews since the Local Government and Public Involvement in Health Act 2007.
Council resolves to adopt, by the end of 2024, a policy for Community Governance Reviews, based on recommendations to be brought to the Executive when officers have considered it, to include: -
- The expected interval between reviews, per parish and as a whole district;
- The size of proposed developments that should trigger a CGR for parishes;
- Other considerations in line with the Local Government and Public Involvement in Health Act 2007 and the joint guidance on community governance reviews published by the Communities and Local Government Department and LGBC [Local Government Boundary Commission].
Links:
The webpage for the Vale of White Horse Community Governance and Electoral Issues Committee
https://democratic.whitehorsedc.gov.uk/mgCommitteeDetails.aspx?ID=542
Examples of recent local CGRs and evidence of a policy for regular reviews (Vale says every 4 years);
· Vale: https://www.whitehorsedc.gov.uk/community-governance-review/
· Cherwell:https://www.cherwell.gov.uk/info/11/elections/315/communitygovernance-review
· Vale and South working together every 4 years: https://www.whitehorsedc.gov.uk/democracy/have-your-say-on-proposedchanges-for-parishes-in-south-oxfordshire-and-the-vale-of-white-horse/
A 2011 NALC roundup of lessons from CGRs. https://www.nalc.gov.uk/library/ourwork/create-a-council-resources/1357-community-governance-reviews-some-lessonsfrom-recent-practice/file
Government Guidance on Community Governance Reviews (2010) https://www.lgbce.org.uk/sites/default/files/2023-03/community-governance-reviewguidance.pdf
- To adopt, by the end of 2024/25, a policy for Community Governance Reviews, based on recommendations to be brought to the Executive when officers have considered it, to include: -
· The expected interval between reviews, per parish and as a whole district.
· The size of proposed developments that should trigger a CGR for parishes.
· Other considerations in line with the Local Government and Public Involvement in Health Act 2007 and the joint guidance on community governance reviews published by the Communities and Local Government Department and LGBC [Local Government Boundary Commission].