Agenda item

The report of the Chief Executive is attached.

The Cabinet Portfolio Holder for Business and Growth, Councillor A Brennan presented the report of the Chief Executive detailing the Barton in Fabis Community Governance Review.

Councillor Brennan stated that with the growth of a significant new community in Fairham, currently in the parish of Barton in Fabis, a petition was brought forward to trigger a Community Governance Review, to ensure that local governance arrangements better reflected these communities. She advised that a Task and Finish Group had undertaken the review, with its findings detailed in the report. The Group had met three times, an initial consultation had taken place, with details of that process set out in paragraph 4.5 of the report. Councillor Brennan confirmed that the majority of respondents were in favour of establishing a new parish for Fairham. Following on from that, a further consultation had taken place, with the final meeting of the Group considering responses to that consultation, together with discussions on boundaries, and the name and makeup of the new council. Councillor Brennan thanked fellow members of the Task and Finish Group and officers for their support and confirmed that the Group was recommending that a separate parish council be established, named Fairham Parish Council, comprising of nine Councillors. If agreed, then a Reorganisation Order would be sent to the Secretary of State, with a view to the first elections being in May 2027.

Councillor R Walker seconded the recommendation and reserved the right to speak.

Councillor Plant stated that as a member of the Task and Finish Group she had found the legislation and processes very interesting and hoped one day that a review would take place for West Bridgford. She agreed that Barton in Fabis and the new development at Fairham would be two completely different communities, with differing needs and priorities, which would be best served by having two separate parish councils.   

As a member of the Task and Finish Group, Councillor Thomas agreed that this had been a very constructive process and stated that Fairham Parish Council would initially need to be supported, particularly by local Ward Councillors.

Councillor S Mallender was pleased to see this sensible approach being taken, with two very different communities having their own representatives, and agreed that this was needed in West Bridgford, especially with LGR coming forward.

Councillor Chewings supported the report and its findings, he stated that there was a clear process to trigger a Community Governance Review, which the residents of Barton in Fabis had followed and he suggested that residents in West Bridgford did the same and started a petition.

Councillor Brown stated that as a Ward Councillor and a member of the Task and Finish Group he fully supported the recommendation, and that he looked forward to working with the new Parish Council.

Councillor Barney agreed that the two communities were very different, he fully supported the recommendation and thanked members of the Task and Finish Group for putting forward this proposal.

Councillor R Walker was pleased that there was broad support for this proposal and agreed with Councillor Chewings that other communities who wanted to take the same approach needed to take the initiative and follow this process.

Councillor Brennan thanked everyone for their support this evening.

It was RESOLVED that:

a)              a separate parish for the area defined by the map in Appendix Three be created and that:

·         this area be named Fairham;

·         this area has a parish council;

·         this council be called Fairham Parish Council;

·         Fairham Parish Council has nine members; and

b)          delegated authority be granted to the Chief Executive to undertake the necessary steps to formalise the creation of a separate parish for Fairham.