Issue - meetings

At its meeting on 23 October 2017 the Community Governance and Electoral Issues Committee considered a report on a suggested timetable and process for future community governance reviews. The report of the head of legal and democratic services is attached.

In agreeing to undertake a review every four years with changes agreed for implementation at the next scheduled elections, the committee agreed the following:

“To recommend that Council rescinds its resolution agreed on 16 July 2014 that a significant development proposal that sits adjacent to or straddles a parish boundary should automatically trigger a community governance review, such a review to take place on the inclusion of a site in a document that forms part of the approved Local Plan or when planning permission has been granted for the development of the site”.

Council is invited to consider the committee’s recommendation.

Council considered a recommendation from the Community Governance and Electoral Issues Committee to rescind a Council resolution agreed at the Council meeting on 16 July 2014 (minute 28(j) /07/14 refers) in respect of an automatic trigger for a community governance review. As an alternative, the committee had agreed to undertake a review every four years with changes agreed for implementation at the next scheduled elections.

RESOLVED: to rescind the following resolution:

“that a significant development proposal that sits adjacent to or straddles a parish boundary should automatically trigger a community governance review, such a review to take place on the inclusion of a site in a document that forms part of the approved Local Plan or when planning permission has been granted for the development of the site”.

To consider the report of the head of legal and democratic services on a suggested timetable and process for community governance reviews - attached.

The committee considered the report of the head of legal and democratic services regarding recommendations for a revised timetable and process for community governance reviews.

Councillor Emily Smith, Vale of White Horse District Council ward member for Botley and Sunningwell, spoke in support of the recommendations, referencing the recent proposals to amend the boundary of Sunningwell parish, which was discussed at the previous meeting, as an example of how the current system is unsatisfactory.  Her points included the following:

·         The current process is confusing, piecemeal and not sufficiently transparent.

·         Undertaking a review every four years would simplify the process, improve neighbourly parish relations and address the problem of insufficient resource to carry out reviews.

The committee agreed that this approach would improve relations between parish councils seeking further changes following review consultations and would be a far better system of carrying out community governance reviews on a timetabled basis every four years.

RESOLVED:

1.    To agree that the council undertakes a community governance review every four years with changes agreed for implementation at the next scheduled parish elections; and

2.    To recommend that Council rescinds its resolution agreed on 16 July 2014 that a significant development proposal that sits adjacent to or straddles a parish boundary should automatically trigger a community governance review, such a review to take place on the inclusion of a site in a document that forms part of the approved Local Plan or when planning permission has been granted for the development of the site.