Issue - meetings

The report of the Chief Executive is attached.

It was RESOLVED that:

a)         Rushcliffe Borough Council’s commitment to working collaboratively with Bingham Town Council to achieve the best outcomes for residents in response to the petition be confirmed;

b)         a cross-party Cabinet-led Member Working Group be set up to consider the request contained within the petition for a Community Governance Review in Bingham;

c)         the Member Working Group report back to Cabinet by September 2021, with its views and suggested Terms of Reference on resolution a) above;

d)         the Chief Executive writes to Bingham Town Council and Nottinghamshire County Council sharing the contents of this report and setting out what is agreed by Cabinet; and

e)         the Member Working Group be supported by the Chief Executive, the Monitoring Officer, and external independent peer and legal support.

In the absence of the Leader, the Cabinet Portfolio Holder for Business and Economic Growth, Councillor Edyvean presented the report of the Chief Executive outlining the next steps to be taken in relation to the request for a Community Governance Review contained within the recently received petition.

Councillor Edyvean confirmed that the Council had received a petition containing 635 valid signatories from registered electors in Bingham, calling for a Community Governance Review of Bingham Town Council.  Cabinet noted that such a review could be undertaken by a principal authority and details of the legislation were highlighted in the report.  Councillor Edyvean advised that the petition called for the dissolution of Bingham Town Council and for the Borough to take over the operation until new elections could be held, and to reset the culture and strengthen the procedures at the Town Council, to ensure that the concerns previously mentioned did not continue.    

In conclusion, Councillor Edyvean advised that a thorough investigation of the issues raised would be required by any principal authority before undertaking a review.  Cabinet noted that it was an unusual request to specifically call for the dissolution of a town council and the Borough Council had sought advice, which formed the basis of the recommendations outlined in the report.

In seconding the recommendation, Councillor Moore referred to both the unusual and serious circumstances and stated that the situation should not be taken lightly, and it was pleasing to see the course of action recommended and that the issues would be dealt with swiftly.

It was RESOLVED that:

a)         Rushcliffe Borough Council’s commitment to working collaboratively with Bingham Town Council to achieve the best outcomes for residents in response to the petition be confirmed;

b)         a cross-party Cabinet-led Member Working Group be set up to consider the request contained within the petition for a Community Governance Review in Bingham;

c)         the Member Working Group report back to Cabinet by September 2021, with its views and suggested Terms of Reference on resolution a) above;

d)         the Chief Executive writes to Bingham Town Council and Nottinghamshire County Council sharing the contents of this report and setting out what is agreed by Cabinet; and

e)         the Member Working Group be supported by the Chief Executive, the Monitoring Officer, and external independent peer and legal support.