(i)         that the following be recommended to Council to be agreed as the draft recommendations of the Community Governance Review of Torbay, to be the subject of a second phase of consultation with local electors, residents, organisations and interested parties to run for a period of 8 weeks, from Monday 2 September to Friday 25 October 2019:

(a)          that two new parishes be created within Torbay – one entitled Torquay Parish covering the wards of Barton with Watcombe, Cockington with Chelston, Ellacombe, Shiphay, St Marychurch, Tormohun and Wellswood and the other entitled Paignton Parish covering the wards of Clifton with Maidenway, Collaton St Mary, Goodrington with Roselands, Kings Ash, Preston and Roundham with Hyde.  For the ward of Churston with Galmpton, that further consultation be undertaken to determine whether it should be within the Paignton Parish, or whether it should be included within the boundaries for Brixham Town Council;

(b)          that councils be established to serve the new parishes of Torquay and Paignton with effect from 1 April 2020 (note that once established a parish council may decide to call itself a town council);

(c)          that the new parish/town councils for Torquay and Paignton each be divided into wards for the purposes of electing parish councillors – the ward boundaries and number of councillors to be elected for each ward to be the same as the existing arrangements for those wards on Torbay Council;

(d)          that Torbay Council set a maximum Band D precept of no more than £90.00 per annum for each of the new parish/town councils in their first year of operation; and

(e)          That no changes be made to the status or electoral arrangements for Brixham Town Council, with further consultation to be undertaken to determine whether the ward of Churston with Galmpton should be within the Paignton Parish, or whether it should be included within the boundaries for Brixham Town Council; and

(ii)        that the Council be recommended to amend the terms of reference for the community governance review by the adoption of the revised timetable attached at Appendix 1 to the submitted report and republished.

To enable the second phase of consultation to proceed.  By law a community governance review must be concluded within 12 months of its commencement. 

The proposals are intended to facilitate further consultation on the potential benefits that could flow from the establishment of new parish/town councils whilst addressing some of the concerns raised during the first phase of consultation in relation to costs and precept levels.

Alternative options were set out in the submitted report.

The recommendations of the Cabinet will be considered at the Council meeting on 18 July 2019.

On 14 January 2019 the Council launched a community governance review of the whole area of Torbay, to consider if any changes should be made to existing community governance arrangements including whether new parish/town councils should be created in areas of the authority that are currently unparished. 

The Council decided to undertake the review because, not only was it considered that the establishment of parish/town councils have the ability to raise income through the precept mechanism which could allow for the continued provision of local services (that Torbay Council will be unable to sustain in the future due to resource and demand pressures), but also that Parish/town councils promote community engagement and effective local government at the most local level.

The proposals contained within the submitted report will commit the Council in respect of undertaking the second phase of consultation and the report outlined the proposed approach to the second phase to ensure that the public are fully informed as to the likely future of Council Services, and the wider community engagement benefits of Parish/Town Council.

At the Cabinet meeting on 9 July 2019, Councillor Steve Darling proposed and Councillor Cowell seconded a motion which was agreed by the Cabinet (unanimously) as set out above.

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