The Pre-Decision Scrutiny Questions and officers responses were noted.

DECISION

1.    To note the report.

Action by:

CHIEF EXECUTIVE (W. TUCKLEY)

(Head of Democratic Services (M. Mannion)

Strategy, Policy and Performance Officer (S. Morton)

The Cabinet considered the report of Will Tuckley, Chief Executive, regarding the Spitalfields and Banglatown Community Governance Review Update.  The Chief Executive explained that the council had received a valid petition last summer requiring the Council to conduct a governance review to determine whether a parish council should be established.

As part of that process the Council had submitted its Draft Recommendation (to reject the proposal for a parish council and instead look to strengthen existing forms of governance) to a consultation exercise which completed in late May 2019. The report set out the results of that consultation for Member review.   

The Mayor invited lead campaigners for a parish council to speak on the report findings.  A summary of points raised included that:

·         Campaigners were disappointed with the consultation exercise and rejected the findings. The authenticity of the paper responses was challenged.

·         They believed that residents had been misled about the size and sources of funding required in setting up a parish council.

·         They described ‘Banglatown’ as being a ‘political football’ that connected politics to race and fostered division.

·         It was claimed valid analysis by the campaigners had been rejected by the council.

·         Campaigners urged the Mayor to reject the report and defer the decision pending independent expert advice.

·         Campaigners argued that the current administration was not functioning well and the creation of a parish council would have tackled issues around austerity.

·         A parish council could have brought residents together and allowed them to take ownership of local services rather than having to rely on the Member Enquiries system. 

·         Campaigners urged the Council to hold a referendum to determine whether a parish council should be set up.

·         They suggested that Parish councils were generally seen as a positive community asset.

·         Petitioners queried why the establishment of a parish council faced such strong opposition in Tower Hamlets when they were seen in a positive light by the rest of the country, including the mainstream political parties whose manifesto’s endorsed the devolution of powers.

During discussion Councillor Andrew Wood, Leader of the Conservative Group, questioned whether parish councils created a community cohesion impact. The Mayor then confirmed he was open to the principle of a parish council and that no group ‘Whip’ was in place in respect of how councillors would vote at Council. He noted the pre-decision scrutiny questions and officer responses.

The Mayor thanked speakers for their comments and reminded Cabinet and members of the public that the creation of a parish council was a Council decision.  The Chief Executive said he would take into consideration the comments heard at Cabinet and findings from the consultation in his report to Council on 17 July 2019.

RESOLVED

1.    To note the report.