Issue - meetings

The Executive Board considered the attached report.

RECOMMENDED: That 

(1)         it be recommended to Council that, in accordance with the provisions of Section 53 of the Local Government and Public Involvement in Health Act 2007 the date of the next election for Halebank Parish Council be 3^rd May 2012; and

(2)         it be recommended to Council that, in accordance with the provisions of Section 17 (2) of the Local Government and Rating Act 1997, the number of Parish Councillors on Halebank and Sandymoor Parish Council be increased to eight with effect from 3^rd May 2012

            The Executive Board considered a report of the Chief Executive which outlined requests from Halebank Parish Councils to increase the number of Councillors on Halebank Parish Council from 5 to 8 and to move the date of the next election from 2010 to 2012 and from Sandymoor to increase the number of Councillors on the Parish Council from 5 to 8.

            It was reported that the Local Government and Rating Act 1997 empowered District Councils to vary the number of Members on Parish and Town Councils.

            RESOLVED: That

(1)      in accordance with the provisions of Section 53 of the Local Government and Public Involvement in Health Act 2007 the date of the next election for Halebank Parish Council be 3^rd May 2012; and

(2)      in accordance with the provisions of Section 17 (2) of the Local Government and Rating Act 1997, the number of Parish Councillors on Halebank and Sandymoor Parish Council be increased to 8 with effect from 3^rd May 2012.

            The Board received a report from the Chief Executive which asked them to consider the following requests from Halebank and Sandymoor Parish Councils:

1.       Halebank – to increase the number of Councillors on the Parish Council from five to eight and to move the date of the next election from 2010 to 2012.

2.       Sandymoor – to increase the number of Councillors on the Parish Council from five to eight.

The Local Government and Rating Act 1997 empowers District Councils to vary the number of members of Parish and Town Councils.  Halebank Parish Council had also requested that the Council consider moving the date for the next election to 2012, making it the normal four year cycle for a Parish Council term rather than two.

The Parish Council had advised that when it was established in 2009 there was a natural expectation, amongst electors, that the Council was being elected to fulfil a four year mandate.   The Parish Council believed another election in 2010 was likely to confuse voters and undermine the transparency of the democratic system.  The Council believed that there was a strong argument as to why a newly established Council should, in principle, be able to fulfil a four year mandate.  An election in 2010 would give the Council only one year in which to set its own precept and begin to establish itself within the community.  An election in 2012, would give the Council and its elected members, time to find their feet, develop their roles and establish a record, which could be properly subject to the democratic verdict of local voters.

RESOLVED:  That

1)     It be recommended to Council that, in accordance with the provisions of Section 53 of the Local Government and Public involvement in Health Act 2007, the date of the next election for Halebank Parish Council be 3 May 2012; and

2)     It be recommended to Council that, in accordance with the provisions of Section 17 (2) of the Local Government and Rating Act 1997, the number of Parish Councillors on Halebank and Sandymoor Parish Council be increased to eight with effect from 3 May 2012.