Decision details

The Principal Performance and Intelligence Officer presented a report considering the responses to the first stage of the public consultation carried out as part of the Community Governance Review having regard to the South Lakeland Community Governance Review Terms of Reference as agreed by Council on 24 July 2018.

The first consultation period had commenced on 10 August 2018.  As part of Stage 1, as well as key stakeholders (including the Local Government Boundary Commission for England (LGBCE), Cumbria Association for Local Councils (CALC), Cumbria County Council, Lake District National Park Authority (LDNPA) and Yorkshire Dales National Park Authority (YDNPA)), Town and Parish Councils, residents associations, community groups and local people had been asked to make representations in connection with the Review.

The Review had to ensure that the proposed community governance reflected the interests and identities of the community.  It also had to make certain that the arrangements were effective and convenient for the electors of that community.  Parish wards had to be contained within district wards and county electoral divisions; that is parish wards, could not cross principal council ward and/or division boundaries.

After this round of consultation, the review would consider any submissions made on the draft recommendation, culminating in the provision of final recommendations for approval.  The second stage district-wide consultation, as detailed in the terms of reference, had commenced on 4 March 2019 and would end on 26 May 2019.

Final recommendations would be considered by Full Council on 23 July 2019, with any reorganisation order issued in August 2019.

Following consideration of the responses received in the first consultation round, draft recommendations had been drawn up, as set out in Appendix 1 to the report.  These draft recommendations had been presented at Full Council on 18 December 2018.  They contained a number of potential changes, including:-

·         reducing the number of councillors on Arnside Parish Council from 11 to eight;

·         the potential altering of the parish boundary of Kendal Town Council to include an area of proposed development of land north of High Sparrowmire - a map was provided at Appendix 2(D) to the report;

·         the potential altering of the parish boundary of Kendal Town Council to include properties on Natland Mill Beck Lane and The Beeches, and to include a small area of proposed development on land at Watercrook – maps were provided at Appendix 2(E) and Appendix 2(F) to the report;

·         abolishing the current wards of Dent and Cowgill and having Dent Parish Council as an un-warded parish - a map was provided at Appendix 2(A) to the report;

·         the creation of a new Parish which amalgamated the parish of Fawcett Forest with the parish of Whitwell and Selside to create the Parish of Selside - a map was provided at Appendix 2(B) to the report;

·         that the ward of Grange West be abolished and Grange Town Council be made up of two wards: Grange North and Grange South - a map was provided at Appendix 2(C) to the report;

·         changing the naming of the wards in Kirkby Ireleth Parish Council;

·         altering the election cycle and reducing the number of councillors on Lower Allithwaite Parish Council;

·         a number of boundary changes to the parish of Natland - a map was provided at Appendix 2(G) to the report;

·         altering the election cycle of Skelwith Parish Council to ensure that the elections were held on the same day as South Lakeland district elections for the ward of Ambleside and Grasmere; and

·         reducing the number of councillors on Windermere Town Council from 20 to 13.

Members of Overview and Scrutiny were being asked to consider these potential changes in line with the second consultation stage.  The Council was seeking further submissions and comments on the draft recommendations, which it would take into account when drawing up the final recommendations.

At the close of the first consultation period, responses had received from a number of parish councils, details of which were provided in Appendix 1 to the report, together with the recommendations.

Details of all the responses and recommendations were set out at Appendix 1 to the report.  The second round of consultation was based on the draft recommendations.  The Council welcomed views from all stakeholders whether for or against the proposals.  The Council would then consider all responses and would draw up final recommendations on Parish governance arrangements for the District.  The final recommendations would be made in response to the outcome of the next consultation and could significantly change the draft proposals.

Oxenholme Village Residents Group made a submission with a proposal for Oxenholme to be a new parish with its own parish council.  The boundaries of this parish would not include any properties west of the railway line which currently lie in the Oxenholme ward of Kendal Town Council.  Full details can be found in Appendix 1 and Appendix 2 (H). In summary, the Oxenholme Village Residents Group feel that the residents of Oxenholme would be better served through the establishment of a Parish Council to help deliver on the prioritised needs of the Oxenholme community.  It is the intention of the second consultation to widely canvas residents and further stakeholders (including adjoining Parishes and elected representatives) to gauge the strength of opinion of the proposal by the Oxenholme Village Residents Group. The proposal from the Oxenholme Village Residents Group identifies the area east of the railway line up to the Station Inn, Park Farm and the following roads within the village - Helmside Road, Bleaswood Road, Scar View, Bolefoot, Helm Court, Hill Place, Helmside Gardens, Fell Foot, the new Oakmere development of Helm View on the A65, High Park and the caravan site as the proposed parish area.  Full details can be found in Appendix 2 (H). The Principal Performance and Intelligence Officer advised Members that full consultation would take place with all residents of the identified areas and if a new parish was created this would take the ward out of Kendal Town Council and the new Parish Council would have five Parish Councillors.

The Principal Performance and Intelligence Officer responded to questions raised by Members and in response to a query regarding the proposed amalgamation of the parish of Fawcett Forest with the parish of Whitwell and Selside the Principal Performance and Intelligence Officer confirmed that the recommended name for the amalgamated parish was Selside however this was open to discussion and the Member responded by proposing Selside and Fawcett Forest.  

RESOLVED – That

(1)        the consultation responses received to Stage 1 of the consultation be noted; and

(2)        the draft recommendations considered by Council in December 2018 as set out in Appendix 1 to the report be noted.