Page 60 - br-apr-2021

April 2021 April 2021

DORSET COUNCIL- WEST PURBECK REPORT
Ode from A Dog

I love to go chasing squirrels, Community Governance
It’s really quite a lark. Review
When I see them up a tree, During the last few months, the Council
I stand at the bottom and bark, has received a number of queries from
And bark and bark and bark and bark, Parish Councils asking how they can
And bark and bark and bark. c h a n g e t h e i r g o v e r n a n c e
arrangements, all of which can be

considered as part of the forthcoming
Community Governance Review CGR) ,

this will cover

Creating, merging, altering or abolishing parishes (grouping or de-grouping

parishes)

Un-locked  Increasing or decreasing the number of Councillors

As the hair on your head starts to thin, If you’re guilty of repetition,  Creating ward boundaries or changing existing Warding arrangements
Via fifty shades of grey, Try to be circumspect,  Changes to Parish names
You recall, “old age doesn’t come By saying, the reason you repeat
alone”, yourself,  Correcting minor boundary anomalies.
As something, your mother would say. Is for emphasis and effect.  Changing a parish council into a parish meeting
Don’t think of yourself as dis-tressed, You can say what you want in your The responsibility of undertaking CGRs falls to the principal council (Dorset Council
If these things you have clocked. dotage. in this case) The legislation that covers CGRs requires any Review to be completed
Grass doesn’t grow on a busy street. Don’t be mortally wounded or shocked. within 12 months of DC publishing its Terms of Reference which is the document
Just think of yourself as un-locked. Grass doesn’t grow on a busy street. that sets the process running. Please note, any changes to governance
Just think of yourself as un-locked. arrangements agreed as part of the Review cannot take effect until the next
It can be a gradual process, scheduled elections in May 2024.
And you can put it down to age, Paul J Openshaw (February 2021) The process that DC will follow will be:
As you while away a moment or two, Publication of Terms of reference that sets out what will be covered – in this case it
Waiting for your brain to engage. will be a review of all parishes that sit within the Dorset Council area (July 2021).
Be open to all possibilities,
Which, up until now have been Public consultation for 12 weeks seeking proposals/initial submissions. (5 August to
blocked. 28 October 2021)
Grass doesn’t grow on a busy street. Consideration of consultation responses and preparation of draft
Just think of yourself as un-locked. recommendations. (to be agreed by Full Council - December 2021)
Public consultation on draft recommendations. (20 December 2021 – 28 February
2022)

60 13