Elwick Parish Council Community Governance Review

What is the Community Governance Review?

A community governance review is the process used to consider whether existing parish arrangements should be changed in any way. This includes:

• Altering the boundaries of existing parishes;
• Changing the names of existing parishes;
• Creating a new parish or abolishing an existing parish;
• Creating or abolishing parish councils;
• The electoral arrangements for parish councils (including the number of councillors and arrangements for parish warding);
• The grouping or de-grouping of parish councils (and consequential changes to their electoral arrangements);
• The “style” of a parish (enabling an area to be known as a town, community, neighbourhood or village rather than a parish).

Why is the Elwick Parish Council Community Governance Review happening?

Hartlepool Borough Council received a petition from 281 residents proposing that the area of the existing parish, immediately to west of Close Beck Wynyard (see map below) be removed from Elwick Parish Council and that a stand-alone Wynyard Parish Council (Hartlepool) be established in relation to that area. Upon receipt of valid petitions the Council must, as a matter of law undertake a community governance review and must do so in accordance with the statutory guidance.

Consultation:

There have been two periods of consultation (23/10/20 – 04/12/20 and -18/12/20 - 29/02/21) and responses have been invited from all local government electors in the area under review, the parish council, local businesses and public and voluntary organisations (such as schools and health bodies). Letters were sent to all residents and the consultation was also publicised in the Hartlepool Mail and on the council’s social media accounts.

Of the 745 consultation letters sent, 93 responses were returned (12.5% response). Of those responses 97.8% (91 people) have been supportive of the proposal. Only 2.2% (2 people) have objected to the proposal, both of whom point to the additional level of bureaucracy that an additional parish would create. These consultation responses  were also considered alongside the 281 residents of the area who had signed the original petition.

Outcome:

A consistent theme in the support for the proposals is that Wynyard has evolved into a community with a clearly identifiable and cohesive character that is separate and distinct from the rural nature of Elwick. The responses also point to benefits of decisions being made on a local level and that a newly formed parish will be best placed to make and implement those decisions.

The proposal had the support of the Wynyard Residents Association and Elwick Parish Council.

On 25 February 2021 Full Council considered and approved the proposal and as a consequence the Hartlepool (Reorganisation of Community Governance – Elwick) Order 2021 has been made.

 The Hartlepool (Reorganisation of Community Governance - Elwick) Order 2021