Stonehenge
Wiltshire residents are being asked to comment on some proposed changes to parish boundaries during a consultation which includes a series of public meetings.
People have until 20 May 2016 to have their say on the Community Governance Review (CGR) which is being carried out at the request of a number of parish, town and city councils.
Wiltshire Council is required to regularly review the whole or part of the council’s area to consider one or more of the following issues:
* Creating, merging, altering or abolishing parishes
* The naming of parishes and styles of new parishes
* The electoral arrangements of parishes (including the number of councillors to be elected to the council and parish warding)
* Grouping or de-grouping parishes
The draft proposals for consultation relate to:
* The boundaries around Trowbridge and the surrounding parishes
* In Salisbury, a possible merger between the City Council and Laverstock and Ford parish or some re-alignment of the boundary between those two councils in the Hampton Park/Bishopdown Farm area
* Some boundary changes between Corsham and Box
Stuart Wheeler, chairman of the Community Governance Review working group, said: “In carrying out the review we must ensure that community governance within the area under review reflects the identities and interests of the community in that area, and is effective and convenient.
“Consequently, a CGR must take into account a number of factors, including the impact of amended parish boundaries on community cohesion, and the size, population and boundaries of a local community or parish.”
Public meetings have been arranged during May for the Trowbridge and Salisbury proposals, at which members of the public will be given the opportunity to make their opinions heard. In areas where homes are directly affected, individual letters have been sent to residents outlining details of how they can take part in the consultation.
A working group containing a representative of each political group on the council has been appointed to carry out the review and to make recommendations to the council in due course. Other members may also attend the working group’s meetings where an item specifically affects their electoral division.
For full details of forthcoming public meetings and a link to the consultation, people should visit www.wiltshire.gov.uk/communitygovernancereview
People are asked to email committee@wiltshire.gov.uk if they are planning to attend one of the meetings.
