Lytham Town Council – UPDATE

LYTHAM TOWN COUNCIL

Lytham Voice was invited to attend the Community Focus Scrutiny Committee at the Town Hall on Friday 1 December 2023.

We presented to the Committee the feedback from Lytham residents on the establishment of a Town Council for Lytham and handed over the petition demonstrating 842 local residents in support.

Additionally, Lytham Voice offered its help and support in taking this matter forward.

We thank the Committee for the invitation, the open and constructive discussion and for the generous time allowed for Lytham Voice.

Outcome:

The Community Focus Scrutiny Committee voted unanimously in favour of undertaking consultations on the creation of Town Councils in both Lytham and Ansdell.

The findings of the Community Focus Scrutiny Committee were subsequently presented to the Executive Committee of Fylde Borough Council on Tuesday 5 December.

Lytham Voice are delighted that the Executive Committee accepted the recommendations for a public consultation and provisioned a budget to complete this work.

Minutes – Executive Committee – 5 December 2023

Community Governance Review of Lytham St Annes

Councillor Gaunt, Lead Member for Finance and Resources, introduced the report into a proposed governance review for the unparished areas of Lytham St Annes.

She advised that Community Focus Scrutiny Committee had established a task and finish group to consider the public consultation arrangements for the Community Governance review.

Councillor Settle, Chairman of Community Focus Scrutiny Committee, advised that following detailed consideration of the various options about how further, and more extensive consultation, should be undertaken in relation to community governance proposals to establish new parish councils for Lytham & Ansdell, the Executive Committee was requested to consider recommendations from the scrutiny spotlight review.

Following a brief discussion, it was RESOLVED

1. That Fylde Council runs the proposed consultation via a mix of online and paper-based surveys along with some local events and sessions to promote the consultation exercise.

2. That the Council engage external consultation support to undertake all relevant analysis and reports on the survey data including, preparing and delivering stakeholder engagement sessions, qualitative analysis and reporting, survey project management and feedback session(s). (Identified as level 4 of the options presented to the task and finish group).

3. That if practicable, the Council commission the distribution of promotion of the survey via the Council Tax 2024/25 bills (to affected households only) issued in March 2024 and if that is deemed to be impractical, this be undertaken by a stand-alone mailing exercise to all households in Lytham and Ansdell.

4. That the consultation material should include information on the powers of the new parish councils along with the likely precept which will be set for the first year.

5. That the Executive Committee agree to an indicative timetable for the proposed consultation based on a projected date of Spring 2025 for the creation of any new parish councils.

6. That the consultation exercise (estimated at an appropriate cost of £10,000) be funded from other revenue budget savings.

Fylde Council copyright