Cheshire West and Chester Council is undertaking a borough wide “Community Governance Review” which means it will explore and examine what existing governance arrangements are in place. This will enable local residents to have their say in what happens in their local areas and, if necessary, the Council can propose changes.

Some communities in Cheshire West and Chester are represented locally by parish or town councils, funded through a separate charge on residents known as a parish precept. Town and parish councils are elected corporate bodies and their activities fall into three main categories: representing the local community, delivering services to meet local needs and improving quality of life and community well-being. They can provide and maintain a variety of local services including allotments, bridleways, burial grounds, bus shelters, car parks, open spaces, community transport schemes, events and festivals, footpaths, leisure and sports facilities, litter bins, public toilets, street cleaning and lighting, tourism activities, traffic calming measures, village greens and youth projects.

Other communities are represented by different forms of community governance arrangements e.g. community meetings, neighbourhood management, tenant management organisations, residents’ and tenants’ associations and community associations. These groups or organisations consider services such as winter gritting routes, grass cutting, bus services, the local environment or can host or stage local events. They are not funded through a separate precept. Areas represented by community governance arrangements, other than parish or town councils, are referred to as “unparished areas”.

Since April 2011, the Council has undertaken reviews of areas which were already represented by town or parish councils and, as a result, some changes to boundaries and parish council arrangements have been made. The Council is now embarking on a community governance review of the unparished area of Chester as shown outlined on the map.
Listed below are the wards which come under this
Blacon Boughton
Chester City Garden Quarter
Handbridge Park Hoole
Lache Newton

Since 2009, the City of Chester Charter Trustees have carried out ceremonial functions in Chester including the unparished area. They do not have wider community governance functions. The impact on the Charter Trustees of any new proposals for new parishes or parish councils would need to be considered.

This is Phase One of the consultation. Depending on the results of this consultation,
further consultation may follow.
The consultation period closes on 14 December 2016. There are a range of ways to
express your views:

• Complete this form or go online to: www.cheshirewestandchester.gov.uk/CommunityGovernanceChester
• Email: Democraticserviceswest@cheshirewestandchester.gov.uk and quote ‘Community Governance Review Chester’ in the subject field
• Telephone: 01244 972283
• Write to: The Research Team, Cheshire West and Chester Council, 4 Civic Way, Ellesmere Port, CH65 0BE