Have your say on role of town and parish councils across Central Bedfordshire
Residents are being asked to take part in a review looking at how their communities are represented through town and parish councils.
And the review could see the number of councillors cut in some places – or changes to parish boundaries.
It has been organised by Central Beds Council as part of its Community Governance Review following feedback from the first stage of the consultation earlier this year.
The council’s General Purposes Committee has now agreed a set of draft recommendations which it says aim to ensure local governance arrangements remain effective, fair, and reflective of the identity and needs of communities across Central Bedfordshire.
The second stage of the consultation will run until January 26, with residents, local community organisations, businesses and town and parish councils encouraged to share their views.
The review covers key areas such as:
> Creating, merging, or changing parish boundaries
> Renaming parishes or changing their style (eg village, community)
> Adjusting the number of councillors in each parish
> Grouping smaller parishes to share resources.
Councillor John Baker, Executive Member for Finance and Highways, said: “A cross-party group of councillors met with council officers to produce bold draft recommendations that have since been approved by the General Purposes Committee for public consultation.
“We are confident that the draft recommendations will spark a meaningful debate and encourage residents and councils to consider how they can improve their efficiency in the interests of a vibrant democratic process.
“We understand that democracy is a duty and not an inconvenience, and some councils that rarely hold elections are keen to ensure there's a clear democratic mandate for decision making. We hope these draft proposals will help achieve this noble aim.”
The draft recommendations and details of how to take part in the consultation are available on the council’s website