Consultation on making it easier to set up a parish council

Communities are being urged by the Government and the National Association of Local Councils to get their voices heard and run local services through neighbourhood democracy.

New measures announced by the Government will make it easier for people to set up a local parish council – the most local form of government in England.

The Department for Community and Local Government has released a further consultation paper setting out the Government’s proposals to make it easier to set up local (parish and town) councils. The proposed measures are intended to reduce the burdens which result from the current processes and aim to make it easier for local communities and campaigners to take the first steps towards setting up a local (town or parish) council. There are three key proposed amendments:

• To lower the threshold of signatures required to make a valid petition
• To reduce the amount of time the Local Authority can take to complete a Community Governance Review (CGR)
• To allow Neighbourhood Forums to trigger a Community Governance Review. 

Despite welcoming the spirit of these measures, NALC continued to voice strong concern over the lack of appeal mechanism when a principal council turns down a request by local people for a local council. 

Questions that councils may wish to respond to include:

1. Do you think the proposal to reduce the threshold of electorate signatures required to trigger a CGR will help to reduce the burdens with the current process?

2. Do you think the proposal to shorten the time-limit to complete a CGR will reduce the burden on campaigners seeking to establish a new town or parish council?

3. Do you think that Neighbourhood Forums which have had a neighbourhood plan passed by referendum should be able to trigger a review?

The formal consultation documents, including the full set of questions, can be downloaded here
 
NALC would appreciate any responses by 8th May to Victoria.pymm@nalc.gov.uk