Westminster launches consultation on new parishes
Author: Jim Dunton, LGC |
Westminster City Council has launched a community governance review to look at the potential for establishing new parish councils and other additional forms of elected representation in the borough.
The review, which will run until early next year, will examine community identities, interests and “effective and convenient” governance of the city’s neighbourhoods.
Terms of reference released by the authority reveal the move will also consider a petition on behalf of residents in part of the borough for the establishment of a community council.
“For the purposes of this review, these considerations will also include the new proposed governance arrangements under the Localism Bill, namely neighbourhood forums,” it said.
“The review will therefore consider the emerging relationship between neighbourhood forums and community councils.”
The council said the cabinet members would take decisions on the introduction of any new elected bodies following the consultation but that their introduction would be dependent on the passage of the Localism Bill.