Issue - meetings

Report of the Leader

The Leader of the Council, Councillor Jordan, introduced the report which had been circulated with the agenda. He reminded Members that on 11 December 2017, Council had agreed the principle of altering the boundaries of four parish council areas namely Charlton Kings, Leckhampton, Up Hatherley and Prestbury. Council had also agreed the consequential parish warding, polling districts and representation and resolved that that additional consultation should be progressed as follows:

·         That householders residing in the properties originally written to are informed of the outcome of the consultation and the intentions of Council;

·         That additional consultation is undertaken regarding the request to further extend the boundary of Leckhampton with Warden Hill Parish Council to part of Leckhampton Hill.

The report summarised the results of the consultation and brought back the necessary Reorganisation Orders to Council for approval. It was noted that in paragraph 5.1 the third entry in the table should read “precept for newly parished areas’ and not ‘precept for new parish council’ as stated in the report.

The Leader referred to the four objections that have been received. One objection had been received from a resident who had been included in error as they were not within the proposed parish area and they had been sent an apology.  Details of the remaining three objections had been circulated to Members in the chamber. 

One general objection had been regarding the short timescales and whilst agreeing that the timescale for this latest consultation had been short the Leader advised that this had not been the first consultation and the timescale was necessary for Council Tax setting.

The second objection with reference to Up Hatherley had expressed a cynical view about the process and did not agree with the views of their Parish Council. The Leader advised that this was a matter for the resident to take up with the Parish Council and as the objector did not request a response he had nothing more to add.

The third objection with reference to Leckhampton objected to the timing of the consultation over the Christmas period and that the current results indicated only a small number of votes in favour from the small proportion of households who had responded. The Leader acknowledged the timescales had been short but there had been no objections to including the extra area.  

The Leader thanked everyone involved in this long and complex process and asked for Members to support the recommendations.

Councillor Harman as Leader of the Conservative group indicated full support from his group for the recommendations.

RESOLVED (unanimously)

That the following Reorganisation Orders be agreed:

·         The Cheltenham Borough Council (Reorganisation of Community Governance) (Charlton Kings Parish) Order 2018 (appendix 2);

·         The Cheltenham Borough Council (Reorganisation of Community Governance) (Leckhampton with Warden Hill Parish) Order 2018 (appendix 3);

·         The Cheltenham Borough Council (Reorganisation of Community Governance) (Up Hatherley Parish) Order 2018 (appendix 4);

·         The Cheltenham Borough Council (Reorganisation of Community Governance) (Prestbury Parish) Order 2018 (appendix 5).