Stroud District Council is currently undertaking a review of ‘Community Governance’ . The process is used to consider whether existing Parish arrangements/boundaries should be changed in any way. Overall reviews like this are undertaken only every 10-15 years or so.
The stated aim of the review is to ensure that the arrangements across the district reflect ‘the identities and interests of the community in the area’ and are ‘effective and convenient’
Stroud Districit Council are particularly keen to hear from local people and parish councils with proposals as to where they believe parish arrangements should be reviewed. The consultation period lasts until Monday 26 November 2018.
The new development that is now well underway starting at the Shell garage, will quite soon cover land all the way into Stonehouse. This phase will comprise some 1300 new houses all built on land which is within Eastington Parish The new community will have to come under some form of ‘community governance’ (i.e. Parish or town council).
Having regard to ‘the identities and interests‘ of both the our existing community and the new community , do you think that arrangements are most likely to be ‘effective and convenient’ if :-
- a) The Eastington Parish Boundary remains as it is and Eastington Parish Council takes on more councillors to cope with all the new residents (to three times the current population) , OR
- b) The Eastington/Stonehouse Boundary is moved so that the new houses come under the governance of Stonehouse Town council , OR
- c) That the new development – which will eventually have facilities and a ‘centre’ of its own – should become a whole new parish (this may not be realistic in the short term, however, before such facilities – and even any residents, exist ) – OR
- d) some combination of the above.
Stroud DC want YOUR views on this, before the 26th November 2018. You can write to the Council, quoting ‘Community Governance Review’, or you can enter your views on a very simple form on the council website.
You can find it easily enough by visiting www.stroud.gov and clicking through the options: “Council and Democracy/Have your Say/Consultations/Community Governance Review.
This will affect us all, on a day to day level, – Please make your views known.