Maryport Town Council (Flimby) Community Governance Review
Allerdale Borough Council received a valid petition from local government electors in the Flimby Ward of Maryport Town Council seeking a Community Governance Review with the view to establishing a separate parish council for Flimby.
The written request is:
‘We the undersigned residents of Flimby want community representation and to have the opportunity to influence decisions within our ward and to have local input with the running of the area in which we live and to implement our own independent Parish Council’.
Residents and stakeholders of Flimby and Maryport can contribute to this review by engaging with public consultations.
The first consultation will run from 7 November 2022 to 24 December 2022, following this consultation draft recommendations are published for further consultation.
Allerdale Borough Council will then make final recommendations to the new Shadow Cumberland Council which will make the final decision, this is as per the Structural Changes Order (Cumbria 2022).
If Cumberland Council make the decision to proceed with the creation of the Flimby Parish Council, Elections to the Council will be held in May 2024.
Consultation on the proposals
The first consultation ran from 7 November 2022 to 24 December 2022.
This consultation has now closed.
Download a copy of the responses (please note that postcode details have been removed for data protection reasons)
You can download a copy of the parish map to accompany the consultation
More information and FAQs
In undertaking the review the Council will be guided by the relevant parts of the Local Government Public Involvement in Health Act 2007, the relevant parts of the Local Government Act 1972 and Guidance on Community Governance Reviews issued by the Department of Communities and Local Government and the Electoral Commission. These terms of reference will set out the matters on which the review is to focus.
The Council has received a valid petition from local government electors in the Flimby ward of Maryport Town Council seeking a Community Governance Review with the view to establishing a separate parish council for Flimby.
The review will consider
- the electoral ward boundaries of Maryport Town Council
- the electoral arrangements of Maryport Town Council in respect of the number of councillors representing each ward
- whether to establish a separate parish council for Flimby, and the electoral and all other arrangements of a new parish council
All local government electors for the area under review and any other person or body who appears to have an interest in the review will be consulted on the proposals and their representations will be taken into account as part of the review.
The Council must have regard to the need to secure that the community governance arrangements for the area reflect the identities and interests of the community in the area and are effective and convenient.
The Council wants to ensure that there is clarity and transparency to the area that the Town Council represents and that the electoral arrangements are appropriate, equitable and readily understood by the electorate.
In its White Paper, Strong and Prosperous Communities, the Government emphasised that “Ultimately, the recommendations made in a community governance review ought to bring about improved community engagement, more cohesive communities, better local democracy and result in more effective and convenient delivery of local services.”
In arriving at its recommendations in a review, the Council will need to take account of the views of local people. The Local Government and Public Involvement in Health Act 2007 requires the Council to consult the local government electors for the area under review and any other person or body who appears to have an interest in the review and to take the representations that are received into account by judging them against the criteria in the Local Government and Public Involvement in Health Act 2007.
The Council will consult in an appropriate manner within the review area ensuring that those affected are given the opportunity to respond. In accordance with the Local Government and Public Involvement in Health Act 2007, representations received in connection with the Review will be taken into account, and consultees will be informed of the outcome of the Review.
Any decisions made and the reasons for those decisions will be published following the review. The mechanism for this will be through the Council’s website, the Town Council’s website, issuing press releases, personal communications where appropriate and through posting notices within the area affected by the review.
The Community Governance Review Working Group Terms of Reference
1. The Working Group will consider and determine the following stages of the Community Governance Review for Maryport Parish area:
(a) Agree the Review Terms of Reference for publication as the first phase of
consultation;
(b) Consider responses from the first phase of consultation;
(c) Consult on proposals to amend ward boundaries and electoral arrangements and establish a parish council for Flimby as the second phase of consultation;
(d) Consider responses from the second phase of consultation;
(e) Consider and determine any other matters in connection with the Review with the exception of 2 below.
2. The Working Party will make final recommendations to Council on the content of the draft Community Reorganisation Order for Maryport Parish area
3. The Working Party will comprise the six members of the following Allerdale Borough Council wards:
- Flimby
- Maryport North
- Maryport South
4. The quorum for the Working Party will be three members.
How to contact us or make a representation
Contact details at the Council for the duration of the review are as follows.
Any representations should also be sent to this address. Representations should include the full name and contact details for the person or organisation making the representation: -
Lee Jardine
Senior Specialist - Elections
Or by post at:
Electoral Services
Allerdale House
Workington
CA14 3YJ
A principal council (for example Allerdale Borough Council) can undertake a review to establish whether any existing town and parish council arrangements should be changed in any way, including
- The creation of a new parish or town council
- The establishment of a separate council for an existing parish
- The amendment of parish boundaries
- The dissolution of a parish council.
Community Governance Reviews can also be triggered by local people presenting a petition to the Council.
A valid petition was submitted to Allerdale Borough Council in requesting that a community governance review be conducted into the establishment of a Parish Council for Flimby. As the petition met all required conditions it is a statutory duty of the Council to carry out the review.
Residents of Flimby and Maryport are governed by Maryport Town Council. The Council is represented by 18 elected councillors and the Town Council area is divided into 7 wards.
The proposed Flimby Parish Council area is the existing ‘Flimby Ward’, represented on Maryport Town Council by three elected Councillors.
Cumberland Council. Prior to this Allerdale Borough Council will make a recommendation, which could either be to proceed with the new Council for Flimby or for Flimby to remain under the Governance of Maryport Town Council
We are encouraging anyone with an interest in Maryport and/or Flimby to complete, this includes residents and those who work/own businesses in the area.
Parish and town councils are the most local tier of government in England. There are currently about 10,000 parishes in England – around 8,900 of which have councils served by approximately 70,000 councillors. Town and Parish Councils have a wide range of powers which relate to local matters such as looking after community buildings/assets, statues/memorials, parks/open spaces, allotments, play areas, bus shelters, Christmas lights and community events/festivals. Parish and Town Councils also support local charities and community groups with grant funding.
If Flimby Parish Council were to get approval, the residents living within the ‘Flimby Ward’ of Maryport Town Council will no longer be governed by Maryport Town Council. The current ‘Flimby Ward’ will become Flimby Parish Council.
Residents of the Flimby Parish Council will pay a proportion of their Council Tax to Flimby Parish Council, not Maryport Town Council.
The residents of the six remaining wards (Brooklands, Glasson, Ewanrigg, Netherton, Ellenborough, Ellenfoot) will remain under the governance of Maryport Town Council and pay a proportion of their Council Tax to Maryport Town Council.
A new parish Council would be funded by parish precepts, grants and any rent from allotments, wayleaves and land.
If a further consultation is required, indicative finance information will be provided.
Specific detail will be consulted on (if required) in future consultation.
Details relating to assets will be provided as part of future consultations (if required).
The first consultation focuses on the principle as set out in the petition, issues related to financial information will be provided as part of future consultations (if required).
