As previously reported Tidbury Green Parish Council wrote to Solihull Metropolitan Borough Council, on the 11th September 2019, requesting that they undertake a Community Governance Review to increase the number of Parish Councillors from five to six. The request was later increased to seven.
Tidbury Green Parish Council have always had five Councillors. However given the growth in homes and Parishioner’s and the increased demands that the Parish Council has observed, the Parish Council are finding it increasingly difficult to fulfil their roles, with only five Councillors.
Referring to the Communities and local Government – The Government Boundary Commission Guidance on Local Community Governance Review it states that “The 1972 Act, as amended, specifies that each Parish Council must have at least five councillors and there is no maximum number.
Tidbury Green Parish Council has operated for many years with the minimum number of five Councillors, however this has become increasingly difficult with the Population increases observed in Tidbury Green over recent times.
More homes and increased Parishioners inevitably results in increased workloads for the Parish Council. With the new homes already developed in the area, we have already observed increases in workloads, in the form of additional queries, increased planning applications and greater communication commitments and this is likely to increase further as more homes are built and occupied.
Consequently the Parish Council needs to increase its numbers to allow the workload to be spread over a larger base and to ensure that councillors have the time to effectively respond to the issues and concerns of the community that they represent.
The Parish Council request for a Community Governance Review can be found here.
The request was submitted to the Solihull MBC Governance Committe on the 24th September 2019, who agreed to the request.
Solihull MBC carry out the Community Governance Review and the Council’s Governance Committee is responsible for the process and considering recommendations before any Community Governace order is made.
Solihull MBC drew up and published the Terms of reference, which can be viewed on their Council website – www.solihull.gov.uk/tidburygreencgr.
As part of the process Solihull MBC will wrote to all Tidbury Green Parishioners requesting your views, by the 10th November 2019.
Latest Update – Consultation
Solihull MBC has drawn up and published the Draft Proposal and is now consulting local residents on increasing the number of parish Councillors in Tidbury Green from five to seven. The consultation on the draft proposals will end on Friday 6 December 2019.
Further details, including How to make a representation, can be found on Solihull MBC’s website by clicking Here
