Community Governance Review for Pendle 2021 to 2022

Parish and Town Councils play a vital role in engaging with local people and helping to shape their communities.

Pendle has 5 town councils, 13 parish councils and 1 parish meeting

We are currently reviewing our Community Governance arrangements. This gives us an opportunity to look at and make changes to governance arrangements at parish level. It also makes sure they reflect the identity and interest of local communities and that they are working effectively.

What can the Community Governance Review change?

A Community Governance Review can make a number of changes to parish governance when there is clear evidence to do so:

It can make changes to parish areas – including:

• changes to boundaries between parishes
• mergers of two or more parishes 
• creating a new parish out of part of one or more existing parishes

It can make changes to electoral arrangements within parish areas – including:

• changes to the number of parish councillors
• introducing or changing parish warding arrangements
• It can change the name of a parish
• It can group together a number of parishes under a common parish council

Why are we doing a review?

• In 2019, the Local Government Boundary Commission for England review of Pendle Council’s electoral arrangements decided there will be 12 Borough electoral wards from May 2021. As part of that review, changes to wards of some parishes were introduced by the Commission. It makes sense to take the opportunity to review these and the wider governance arrangements in those parishes.
• It is some years since a full review of community governance in Pendle has taken place.
• The role of parish and town councils has developed significantly in recent years. Many have taken on services and facilities from Pendle Council. A review is an opportunity to ensure effective community governance is in place, so that parish and town councils can make full use of their powers and responsibilities.

We have a legal duty to ensure that community governance arrangements are:

• Reflective of the identities and interests of the community in the area
• Effective and convenient (this relates to the ability of parishes to provide services for its residents).

Any proposed changes will need to be considered in that light.

How does the Community Governance Review work?

Town and parish councils, local residents, groups and organisations, have been asked to give us their suggestions for any changes (including no change) they would like to see considered in the review.

A Working Group of Pendle councillors considered them, and will now put forward a set of draft recommendations for public consultation as appropriate.

The Working Group will then consider the detailed results of the public consultation and make final recommendations to a meeting of Pendle Council. Following the decisions of the Council we will make the necessary legal Order and take the other steps required to implement them.

Timetable for the Review

Community Governance Review update - September 2021

A Working Group of Borough Councillors considered the suggestions received and decided that the Review should comprise the following:

• The abolition of the Bracewell and Brogden parish and amendment of the boundary of the Barnoldswick parish to incorporate it
• The amendment of the boundary between Barnoldswick and Salterforth parishes so that the whole of Dales View Park is within the Salterforth parish. This would also involve altering the boundary between the Borough wards of Barnoldswick and Earby and Coates
• An increase in the number of councillors on Roughlee Booth Parish council from seven to nine
• A parish boundary amendment in the area of Rainhall Crescent, Barnoldswick to align the Barnoldswick Town Council wards with the boundary between Barnoldswick and Earby and Coates Borough wards
• A review of the Brierfield Town Council wards with a view to reducing them from five to three

We will now consult all the residents and town and parish councils that are affected by the proposed changes. All representations received will be considered before final decisions are made. 

Community Governance Review – consultation on reduction of Brierfield Town Council wards

Part of the proposal for the Governance Review, is the reduction of wards for Brierfield Town Council from five to three. The total number of town councillors would remain at 13. The Town Council thinks this will reduce confusion for electors.

The current wards are Central, East, North, South and West. The Town Council’s proposal is:

• to combine the existing East and North wards into a new ward to be called East with 5 councillors
• to combine  the existing South and Central wards into a new ward to be called South with 5 councillors
• to keep the existing West ward as it is at present with 3 councillors

Current Brierfield Town Council wards

Proposed Brierfield Town Council wards

If you need any more information, contact andrea.mullin@pendle.gov.uk. 

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