BILLINGHAM residents are invited to take part in a public consultation about how the town should be governed in the future.
The decision to hold a Community Governance Review was taken at a full meeting of Stockton-on-Tees Borough Council on Wednesday (16 September).
Councillors were legally required to consider the review after the Council received a valid ‘Community Governance’ petition calling for the abolition of Billingham Town Council.
By law, all principal councils have a legal duty to carry out a Community Governance Review if they receive a petition signed by the required percentage of electors.
In this case, the petition had to be signed by a minimum of 7.5% (2031) of the local government electors from the area covered by Billingham Town Council (27,080). The threshold was met, making the petition valid.
The consultation period will run until 31 October 2015 so every registered elector in Billingham will shortly receive a letter about the Community Governance Review. It will explain how they can take part and give their views, possible options and when the outcome of the review will be known.
The findings will be considered at Stockton-on-Tees Borough Council’s Cabinet and full Council meetings before consultation on the draft proposals is held early next year.
The final recommendation and reasons for the decision will be published at the end of April 2016.
Further information can be found at www.stockton.gov.uk/communitygovernance and is available from Billingham Library and Customer Contact Centre.