Meeting documents

To consider a report of the Corporate Manager, Democratic & Electoral Services.

The committee noted that the Steering Group for Democratic Improvement had carefully considered the consultation report and their final recommendations.  There had been a number of concerns expressed by respondents to the consultation regarding the proposed total number of parish councillors.  Although 29 councillors was not considered a disproportionate council size, it was clear, that reducing the number of councillors would require a full boundary review to ensure electoral equality. 

This process would delay the creation of the Parish Council and on balance it was the view of the Steering Group that it was more beneficial to establish the Parish Council at the same time as the abolition of the Borough Council and strongly encourage the new parish council to carry out a boundary review at a later date.    

In response to questions regarding the Dorset Area Joint Committee’s decision around the future proposed election cycle, it was agreed to slightly amend the recommendation to  Full Council to reflect this comment.

It was proposed by Cllr A Reed seconded by Cllr J Cant

Recommendation to Full Council

(i)        That the final recommendations for a new Parish Council for Weymouth summarised below, and set out in detail in the proposals document with supporting information at Appendix 2, are agreed with a view to establishing a new Parish Council at the same time as any new Unitary Council for Dorset, but the matter is not progressed further unless the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government announces a decision regarding local government reorganisation that would result in the Borough Council being abolished:

·           The creation of a single Parish Council covering the Weymouth area.

·          The name of the proposed new Parish Council will be Weymouth

       Town Council

·           The first election to the proposed new Parish Council to be in 2019 and then every fourth year thereafter, or at such other time specified in any Structural Change Order made by the Minister for Housing; Communities and Local Government;

·           The number of councillors to be elected to the proposed new Parish Council (Council size) will be 29;

·          The proposed new parish will be divided into 12 wards for the

       purposes of electing councillors;

·           The boundaries of the wards of the proposed new Council will be as indicated on the maps attached at Appendix A to the proposed recommendation document, and follow the boundaries of the Borough Council Wards;

·          The name of the proposed Wards and the number of Councillors to

       be elected to the proposed wards be as indicated at Appendix B to

the proposed recommendation document and replicate the names of the existing Borough Wards; and

(ii)        Should Members agree recommendation (i), and the Secretary of

            State make a decision as detailed in (i) above, that the Group Leaders

(or a substitute) be tasked with producing proposals, including a draft

Reorganisation Order, for consideration by the Steering Group prior to

Management Committee, then Full Council.