• Thu. Mar 28th, 2024

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Durham County CouncilA County Durham community will not create a new council after a consultation saw the public reject the plans.

Durham County Council carried out a Community Governance Review after receiving a petition from the Pelton Fell Community Partnership, which sought to set up a new parish authority.

The last stage of consultation with households found more than half of those who responded thought local governance should stay as it is, and that only just over one in ten households actively supported the proposal.

Colette Longbottom, the council’s Head of Legal and Democratic Services, said: “Having taken into account the results of the consultation exercises, together with the guidance and statutory obligations, the council’s draft recommendation is that the current governance arrangements in Pelton Fell remain unchanged.”

Community Governance Reviews enable the local authorities to review and change parish or town council arrangements, for example by creating, merging or abolishing local councils.

The government has emphasised that the aim of any such review should be to bring about improved community engagement, more cohesive communities, better local democracy and a more effective and convenient delivery of local services

The final stage of this consultation attracted 204 responses from the 893 households in the Pelton Fell area, of which 110 were in favour of making no changes.

Introducing a new community council had more opposition (12.32% of the total households consulted) than support (10.52%).

The final recommendation will be considered and made by the council in the autumn.

For more information about such reviews visit: www.durham.gov.uk/communitygovernance

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