NEWS RELEASE - Posted on behalf of Test Valley Borough Council
New Council for Andover recommended
Leader of Test Valley Borough Council, Councillor Ian Carr, will recommend a Parish Council for Andover to the Borough Council’s Cabinet at its meeting next week (Wednesday 25 November).
The Cabinet’s recommendation will then go forward to the full Council on the following day (Thursday 26 November), which could mean that a Parish Council for Andover is in effect from 1 April 2010, with the first elections taking place in May 2010. To bring the parish elections in line with normal local elections, the initial term of office recommended is five years. Further detailed discussions will continue into the New Year.
The Borough Council Leader’s recommendation is that a Parish of Andover is set up, divided into five wards which follow the boundaries of the existing borough wards for the unparished area of Andover . Four councillors will represent Harroway, Winton, St Mary’s and Millway wards, and three for the Alamein ward, giving a total of 19 Councillors.
Councillor Carr says: "At the outset we made a commitment to complete the complicated process of a community governance review for the town and make recommendations within 12 months. This has been a major undertaking and I am delighted to say that we have reached this point well within the timescale. I would like to thank all the residents and organisations who expressed their views.
"I have always said that this was a matter for the residents of Andover. Residents have now spoken through two stages of consultation and the result is clear - more than 50% of those responding said they were in favour of the idea I believe that my recommendation both reflects their wishes and satisfies the detailed legal requirements for a review of this sort
"Alongside the views of the community, we have had to look at the wider picture of community governance, including the role of the existing Andover Councillors’ Forum. Our recommendations also have to reflect the identities and interests of the community in the area and be effective and convenient.
"Government guidance means that I am recommending that the parish council be named the Parish Council of Andover. Once it is established, the new Council can change its status to a Town Council if it wishes to do so."
Allotment land will automatically transfer to the Parish Council and the Borough Council will negotiate the date of transfer to give the new council time to put the necessary arrangements in place. After the new council has been established discussions will take place about the possibility of transferring any other property, rights and liabilities.
The creation of a parish council will not necessarily mean the end of the Andover Levy. This charge is currently made by the Borough Council to meet the expenses of providing services that are or would be provided by a parish council. The Borough Council will need to continue to raise funds for all those facilities and services currently covered by the Levy which are not provided or delivered by the new Parish Council in the future. This will be in addition to the precept raised by the Parish Council.
Even if functions currently paid for by the Andover Levy are transferred to the new Parish Council some overhead costs currently charged to these functions may remain. In the short term, these costs, estimated to be in the region of £100,000, may have to be charged to council tax payers generally. However, in the medium- to long-term, the Council will have the task of managing these costs out of its revenue budgets. The impact will depend on the detailed proposals and this will be looked at in greater depth as part of the negotiations with the parish council, should they wish to take on some or all of the functions.
Once Council has agreed the way forward, a full review of the resource implications and financing options will be undertaken.
The total costs incurred to date to undertake the Community Governance Review for Andover are £46,738, exceeding the original earmarked reserve by £8,738. This additional unavoidable cost has been met from contingencies. The cost for elections in 2010 is estimated at £38,000 and will be a cost to the Council, however, in keeping with Council’s policy these costs will be recharged to the parish council. .
Ends.
For further information please contact Christine Brown, Communications Manager at Test Valley Borough Council on 01264 368108.
Note to Editors:
Council’s decision will be published in the week of 30 November. In the event that Council resolves to establish a parish for the area, the detail of the Community Governance Order will be considered by Council at its meeting on 14 January 2010.