Does 3 in to 1 Go? Community Governance Review

Following the last meeting of Cowes Town Council, I have investigated whether there was any merit taking this matter forward. The IW Council has advised me that if Cowes Town Council was to merge with the neighbouring Parish Councils a few ‘obstacles’ stood in the way, namely:

1. There would need to be a mandate from the community to review existing parish/ town council boundaries.

2. What is the cost of the review and who pays?

3. There was support for a review from all Councils involved. (Would merging the local councils save money for ratepayers, is this considered a priority for local parish and town councils expenditure, would Gurnard and Northwood communities feel ’less’ involved and how would having fewer Councillors sit in the current Big Society/ Localism Agenda of the current government?)

4. If the local Councils agreed for a review, there would then need to be a further consultation/ referendum.

5. If the Consultation/ Referendum agreed, this would then need to be referred to the IW Council for their consideration.

6. Would the Boundary Commission Support the findings, and how long is this likely to take?

I undertook some preliminary research and noted that most recently in Somerset two similar sized neighbouring Councils Langport Town Council and Huish Episcopi Parish Councils saw the Community Governance review as an opportunity to call for wider consultation. This followed the presentation of a petition by 250 residents for the review. Following a consultation most residents were not in favour of merging both Councils the main reason for this was due to the fact that Huish residents objected to the prospect of Langport, with their higher precept ‘taking over’ the rural Huish Episcopi Parish Council.

This was very briefly discussed by Northwood Parish Council and like Gurnard no Councillor supported taking further action. I suggest a better way of recognising the local needs of all three Councils would better be served by having regular liaison meetings. There are a number of issues which I feel relevant and interlinked by all three Councils. Issues such as Northwood House, Design Statements, Housing Issues, Planning & Transport Matters are all issues that the three Councils share common ground over, and I sense by working together a great deal more could be achieved.