To receive any apologies for absence.

Apologies for absence were received from Councillor Elizabeth Gould and Councillor William Smith.

To confirm the Minutes of the last meeting held on 28 March 2018.

The Minutes of the meeting held on 28 March 2018 were confirmed as a correct record and signed by the Chairman.

The duties to register, disclose and not to participate for the entire consideration of the matter, in respect of any matter in which a Members has a disclosable pecuniary interest are set out in Chapter 7 of the Localism Act 2011.  Members are also required to withdraw from the meeting room as stated in the Standing Orders of this Council.

No declarations were made.

The Executive Manager for Governance reminded the Sub-Committee that it was very likely that all Members would have their own views on one or all of the proposals before them today and advised that those Members should only take part in the debate if they had an open mind and were prepared to make a decision based on the evidence before them, and had not made strong statements about how they intended to vote.

Report of Councillor Mark Robinson, Executive Member Governance.

The report asked Members of the Sub-Committee to consider the responses to the Stage 2 consultation and agree recommendations to go forward to the next stage.

The Executive Member for Governance provided background information on how the Council had agreed in November 2017 to carry out Community Governance Reviews for the parishes of Carbrooke, Great Ellingham and Thetford. Two meetings had since been convened of the Community Governance Review Sub-Committee, the first meeting had been held to set the Terms of Reference for the Community Governance Review followed by a second meeting on 28 March 2018 to consider the consultation responses to the first stage of the Community Governance Review.  The draft recommendations on the proposed changes for each of the parishes were then published by the Council followed by a second period of consultation from 16 April to 22 June 2018.

The detailed responses to the 2^nd stage consultation for each of the reviews had been attached to the report at Appendices 1, 2 and 3.

Prior to explaining the proposals, the Democratic Services Manager felt that it was worth reiterating a number of key points outlined in the guidance from the Department for Communities and Local Government (DCLG) and the Local Government Boundary Commission for England (LGBCE).  The aim of any Community Governance Review was to improve community engagement and local democracy and to facilitate efficient, effective and convenient delivery of local services as well as ensuring that electors were treated equitably and fairly.  The Council was required to consider these key points as set out in the legislation and were paramount when considering Community Governance Reviews. The Council was also required to ensure that community governance within the areas under review would be effective and convenient and reflective of the identities and interests of the community in that particular area.  When considering these factors, the Council must have regard to two key principles; firstly, the impact the community governance arrangements would have on community cohesion and secondly, the size population and boundaries of the community or parish.

The views of local communities and inhabitants should be given suitable weight in any final recommendation.  Final recommendations should be supported by evidence taking account of all the aforementioned criteria.  The Democratic Services Manager also reminded Members that the principal Council, i.e., Breckland Council, could not amend District Ward boundaries as that power rested with the LGBCE and any Ward Boundary changes would require their authority; therefore, even if any of the forthcoming reviews concluded that the administrative boundaries of any of the Parishes should be changed, the current District Ward boundary would remain unchanged until such time the LGBCE gave its consent. 

It should also be noted that if, as part of any Community Governance Review, the principal Council wished to alter the electoral arrangements for a Parish/Parish Ward whose existing electoral arrangements had been put in place within the previous 5 years,  again the consent of the LGBCE would be required.  It was highlighted that the current  ...  view the full minutes text for item 14.

To make the necessary arrangements for the next meeting.

The date and time of next meeting to be confirmed.