Community Governance Review for the Braintree District Council administrative area Terms of Reference 1.
Introduction
1.1
1.2
Braintree District Council is carrying out a Whole District Community Governance Review in accordance with Part 4, Chapter 3 of The Local Government and Public Involvement Act 2007. The Council is required to have regard for the Guidance on Community Governance Reviews issued by the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government. This guidance has been considered in drawing up these terms of reference.
2.
Reason for Review
2.1
The structure of governance across the District was established in 1974 and comprehensively reviewed in 1983. Since then there have been some isolated reviews to address specific issues and new community developments. There has not been any community driven demand for a review and as such the Council has maintained an overview of District governance.
2.2
The Local plan when adopted will however signal a significant period of development across the District and a full review is now considered appropriate to facilitate a system of Governance which can provide a sustainable base for the future.
3.
Scope
3.1
A review of Community Governance is a process used to consider whether the existing Town and Parish structure can be sustained or whether these should be amended. Following consultation, there are a number of options open to the Council and these include: i. No change to the existing arrangements ii. That the number of Parish Councillors be increased or decreased for a specific Parish iii. That the existing Town/Parish Council be abolished iv. That the Town/Parish boundaries be changed v. That warding arrangements be reviewed, abolished or introduced vi. To change the names of Parishes or Parish wards.
4.
Responsibility
4.1
The Council are keen to create an environment of openness and transparency and to this end has established a cross party review group. The group will report to Council with all decisions taken being clearly documented, published and communicated so that stakeholders remain informed.
4.2
Ultimately, Braintree District Council is responsible for conducting the review. Any final decisions as a result of this review will therefore be taken by the Full Council.
5.
Area of Review
5.1
The review area will be defined by the Braintree District administrative boundary as defined by the Local Government Boundary Commission for England, Principal Area Review July 2014. As its base, the review will used the data outlined at Appendix 1.
6.
Consultation
6.1
The Review Group will consult with and take the views of the community. We are required by the Act to consult with Local Government electors for the area under review and any other person, group, organisation or body who have an interest and to take their representation into account.
6.2
To support the consultation process, we will actively contact, where appropriate, the following inviting them to offer their views at each stage of the consultation: District Ward Councillors Essex County Councillors Members of Parliament Local Political Parties Essex County Council Parish Councils Braintree Association of Local Councils Essex Association of Local Councils Emergency organisations
6.3
The Review Group also welcomes the views and comments or representations from any other group or individual.
7.
Basis
7.1
Given that there has not been any significant demand for widespread changes, the Review group will, as its starting point, take the established Governance arrangements for the District. It will consider and reflect any issues which are raised as a result of the initial Local Plan proposals and develop sustainable governance proposals for inclusion in the Initial Consultation document.
7.2
To launch the Community Governance Review the Review Group will publish an initial Consultation paper setting out the vision for Governance across the District and invite views and representations which will receive consideration.
7.3
The following table details specific issues which have been brought to the Council’s attention by Parish Councils they wish to be considered as part of this CGR.
7.4
In addition there are a number of significant development sites within the Braintree District Local Plan and the Council invites comments in this regard.
Location
Parish Impact
Great Saling /Bardfield Saling
Great Saling Parish Council requests: 1.To extend the Parish Boundary of Great Saling to include the unparished area of Bardfield Saling 2. Increase Council size from 5 to 6 3. Rename “The Salings P.C”
Coggeshall
Coggeshall Parish Council requests 1. to merge existing North and East wards and rename (7 Councillors) 2. to merge South and West Wards and rename (6 Councillors) 3. To increase representation to the new South/West ward by 1 additional Councillor Kelvedon Parish Council requests that due to the impending development an increase in representation by 1 Councillor be supported
Kelvedon
Panfield
Panfield Parish Council requests an extension of the Parish Boundary to include an undeveloped rural area known as Panfield Wood
Rivenhall
Rivenhall Parish Council suggests that the Eastway Industrial Estate with the proposed extension under the Local Plan be part of Witham rather than Rivenhall Parish
Witham
Witham Town Council requests to Rename: a)Witham (West ward) to Witham (Spa) b)Witham (North ward) to Witham (Rickstones) c)Witham (South ward) to Witham (Maltings) Great Notley Parish Council requests an extension of their Northern boundary to include the currently unparished area of Braintree bounded by Queenborough Lane, the B1256 (by-pass)/ A120 and London Road.
Great Notley
Range of specific Consultation Bardfield Saling – Direct postal to households Great Sailing Formal consultation to Great Sailing Parish Council Formal consultation to Coggeshall Parish Council
Formal consultation to Kelvedon Parish Council Consultation with both Rayne and Panfield Parish Councils as no electoral representational issues identified Formal consultation to Rivenhall Parish Council and Witham Town Council Formal Consultation with Town Council as no electoral representational issues identified UnParished Braintree area – Direct postal to households Great Notley – Formal consultation with Great Notley Parish Council
No other issues have been identified from initial Parish surveys however the review is open to comments on any boundary or governance representation which Parishes, Groups or Individuals may wish to identify. Therefore there are no other proposed changes. Development site - Forest Road Witham /Rivenhall
Propose that the boundary of Witham Town Council be extended to include this area.
Development site – Oak Road Halstead
Propose that the boundary of Halstead Town Council be extended to include this area.
Development site – South Witham, Hatfield Peverel
Propose that the boundary of Witham Town Council be extended to include this area.
Development site East of London Road, Braintree
That the current review makes no change to the governance arrangements with the site with it to remain part of the Black Notley Parish. However that a future review should be undertaken once development has commenced with a view to considering whether that community should have its own parish council at that point or either remain in Black Notley Parish or be merged with Great Notley.
Formal consultation to Rivenhall Parish Council and Witham Town Council Formal consultation to Grinstead Green and Halstead Rural Parish Council and Halstead Town Council Formal consultation to Hatfield Peverel Parish Council and Witham Town Council Formal Consultation with Black Notley Parish Council and Great Notley Parish Council
7.5
The following elements of the review would require the Consent of the Local Government Boundary Commission of England prior to adoption as they relate to protected arrangements following the implementation of the Braintree (Electoral Changes) Order 2014/3335: The renaming of wards within Witham Development site - Forest Road Witham /Rivenhall Development site – Oak Road Halstead Development site – South Witham, Hatfield Peverel
7.6
At the conclusion of the Initial consultation the Council will publish Draft proposals for consultation before publication of the Final proposals for approval by the Council.
8.
Timetable
Action
Decision by
Approval of Terms of Reference Publish Terms of Reference Initial Public consultation Draft Proposals Draft Proposal consultation Prepare final proposals Council Approval Prepare and submit Community Governance Order
July 2017 July 2017 1 August 2017 to 30 September 2017 1 December 2017 1 January 2018 to 28 February 2018 23 July 2018
Council 24/7/2017
Council 11/12/2017
Council 4/6/2018 Council 23/7/2018
Appendix 1
Parish
Electorate at 1 January 2017
Alphamstone Ashen
170 276
Bardfield Saling
149
Belchamp Otten Belchamp St Paul Belchamp Walter Birdbrook Black Notley Borley Bradwell Bulmer Bures Hamlet Castle Hedingham Coggeshall (East Ward) Coggeshall (North Ward) Coggeshall (South Ward) Coggeshall (West Ward) Colne Engaine Cressing Earls Colne Fairstead Faulkbourne Feering (North Ward) Feering (South Ward) Finchingfield (Cornish Hall End Ward) Finchingfield (Finchingfield Ward) Foxearth Gestingthorpe Gosfield Great Bardfield Great Henny Great Maplestead Great Notley Great Saling
Councillors
Elector/ Councillor Ratio
418 546 622 966 833 1,066
3 5 Parish Meeting 4 7 7 7 9 Parish Meeting 7 7 7 9 3 4
610
2
305
1,135 816 1,405 2,868 171 80 362 1,264
4 7 9 11 3 2 1 8
284 117 156 261 57 40 362 158
236
3
79
963
6
161
229 333 1,200 1,029 117 284 4,648 266
5 7 9 7 3 7 8 5
46 48 133 147 39 41 581 53
146 304 182 336 1,750 82
57 55
37 43 26 48 194
60 78 89 107 278 267
Great Yeldham Greenstead Green & Halstead Rural (West Ward) Greenstead Green & Halstead Rural (Greenstead Green Ward) Halstead - Holy Trinity (North) Halstead - Holy Trinity (South) Halstead - St Andrews (North) Halstead - St Andrews (South) Hatfield Peverel Helions Bumpstead Kelvedon Lamarsh Liston Little Henny Little Maplestead Little Yeldham Middleton Ovington Panfield Pebmarsh Pentlow Rayne Ridgewell Rivenhall Shalford Sible Hedingham Silver End Stambourne Steeple Bumpstead Stisted Sturmer Terling Tilbury Juxta Clare Toppesfield Twinstead Wethersfield (Blackmore End) Wethersfield (Village) White Colne White Notley Wickham St Paul
1,374
9
153
230
3
77
310
4
78
2,617
3
872
2,121
3
707
2,442
3
814
1,973
3
658
3,442 363 2,702 147 43 32 206 290 106 45 712 448 190 1,824 433 598 650 3,374 2,760 330 1,267 520 407 605 119 431 141
13 7 11 3 1 1 5 6 3 2 7 5 5 11 7 7 7 13 13 7 9 7 6 8 3 7 3
265 52 246 49 43 32 41 48 35 23 102 90 38 166 62 85 93 260 212 47 141 74 68 76 40 62 47
376
3
125
648 391 423 253
6 7 7 6
108 56 60 42
Witham (Central Ward) Witham (Hatfield) Witham (North Ward) Witham (South) Witham (West Ward)
2,235 2,146 4,989 4,664 5,048
2 2 4 4 4
1118 1073 1247 1166 1262