Parish Council's view on devolution

Parish councils are being encouraged to take ownership of and responsibility for various local assets and services.

Cheshire East is considering 'devolving' services such as litter picking and road sweeping, which it has a statutory duty to provide, along with a range of services which it is not obliged to provide such as: allotments, community halls, Christmas lights and trees, hanging baskets, street names, bus shelters, play areas, and public toilets.

The process is well underway and the Council are currently in discussion with a number of town and parish councils who have expressed an interest in taking on assets and services, but Alderley Edge Parish Council have chosen not to get involved in the consultation yet.

Councillor Mike Williamson, chairman of Alderley Edge Parish Council, attended a Cheshire East briefing about the devolution of services at the end of March.

He told me "Alderley Edge Parish Council has been ahead of this policy by a few years. When it became clear that Macclesfield Borough Council intended to close the Festival Hall, the Parish Council was determined to see that this did not in fact happen, but rather pressed the Borough Council to return the Hall to the Parish Council so that we could run it, at a local level, for the benefit of the community.

"Following the successful transfer, the Parish Council has been working on a plan to construct a new Medical Centre, and if possible modernise the Hall. Unfortunately, we have not been able to start this project, though considerable progress had been made.

"It was clear from our experience with the Hall, that taking over these assets is a considerable undertaking, and that this new process currently underway is of a different nature to that which Macclesfield Borough Council used to transfer the Festival Hall back to the Parish Council. We have taken a back seat, so to speak, while Cheshire East works through this process, to watch and learn from the experiences of other councils.

"It is the intention of Alderley Edge Parish Council to join a second wave of transfers, which will take place upon completion of the current phase. Assets we might consider are Alderley and Beech Road parks, the Chorley Hall Playing Fields, the allotments and public toilets. These are things which Parish Council powers already encompass. Some Councillors would like to take the car parks as well, but these are not assets Cheshire East is considering relinquishing at this time.

"In addition, Cheshire East is planning to trial the transfer of services which it has a statuary obligation to provide. If this trial is successful, than Alderley Edge Parish Council may become involved in that aspect as well. I have no information on the extent or timescale of this trial I am afraid."

Councillor Wesley Fitzgerald said: "Conclusions are being reached through one-to-one discussions with each council which has expressed an interest, of which there are 25.

"The outcomes of all discussions and negotiations will be summarised by the end of May with recommendations to councillors at a future Cabinet meeting. At that point they will determine what options are available regarding the future of these services.

"Any transfers are planned by April 2012 and if towns and parish councils have elected to provide services locally they will build this into their local precept - thereby ensuring that local residents pay for the very local services they receive. At the same time, such services will not be levied through the Cheshire East council tax."

Tags:

Cheshire East Council, Festival Hall, Medical Centre, Parish Council, Transfer of Assets & Services