Community Governance Review Draft Reorganisation Order- Sutton Coldfield Parish Council

Overview

This survey forms part of the consultation on Birmingham City Council’s Community Governance Review.   A Community Governance Review was carried out following the submission of a validated petition from the residents of Sutton Coldfield for a Town Council.   On 15 September 2015, Birmingham City Council considered the recommendations of the cross- party Community Governance Review Group and approved the creation of a parish for Sutton Coldfield (for the purposes of local government) and the establishment of a parish council.  This is the first step towards the creation of a Town Council.  Once a Parish Council is elected it can decide to call itself a Town Council.  

The Recommendation to establish a parish council for Sutton Coldfield followed a postal consultative ballot for all residents on the electoral register in Sutton Coldfield that took place between 25 June 2015 and 16 July 2015. Residents were asked “Should a Town Council be established for the Parliamentary constituency of Sutton Coldfield within the City of Birmingham”. 39.6 % of those eligible to vote took part in the postal consultative ballot.

69.9% (20,871) voted YES

30.1% (8,980) voted NO.

The results of the ballot together with a Statement of the Recommendations of the Review, approved at City Council, were published on the Council’s website www.birmingham.gov.uk/sutton-coldfield-ballot  and residents were invited to submit views on the Recommendations.

The Recommendations of the Review formed the terms of the draft Reorganisation Order, the legal document, that sets out the mechanics for the establishment of the Sutton Coldfield Parish Council and details:-

·         The area to be covered by the Parish Council

·         The date on which the Parish Council will come into effect

·         The electoral arrangements

·         The date of first elections to the Parish Council

·         The precept for the Parish Council for the  2016/17 financial year

·         The arrangements for an Interim Parish Council to be created on 1 March 2016 until councillors are elected to the new parish of Sutton Coldfield in May 2016.

The draft terms were approved by Council Business Management Committee on 17 November 2015.  The City Council is seeking residents’ views on the terms of the Reorganisation Order prior to final approval of the Reorganisation Order in December 2015. 

It is important to note that the terms of the Reorganisation Order were considered alongside the electoral  review that is currently being carried out by the by the  Local Government Boundary Commission, therefore the arrangements proposed are interim arrangements and subject to possible change from 2018 following the outcome of  the Boundary Commission Review.