Issue - meetings

To consider a report by the Head of Administration on progress of the Review of Parish Arrangements in Huntingdonshire.

The Panel received and noted a report by the Head of Administration (a copy of which is appended in the Minute Book) which contained an update on progress of implementation of recommendations made following the conclusion of the review of parish arrangements in Huntingdonshire.  Following approval by the Council at its meeting on 20th February 2008 of a series of recommendations for changes to parish electoral arrangements, the necessary Orders had been made, which brought these changes into effect.  Copies of the Orders had been sent to the councils affected and to various other bodies prescribed in legislation.

At the time the review was completed the Council did not have the powers under the legislation then in force to implement a significant number of its recommendations.  Consequently these had to be submitted to the Secretary of State and the Electoral Commission to act upon.  The situation changed when the Local Government and Public Involvement in Health Act 2007 came into force and the Council now was responsible for implementing this kind of change.  However, under the associated transitional arrangements, on this occasion, the Department of Communities and Local Government had undertaken to implement the recommendations.  Once this process had been completed the Council would be responsible for taking resulting consequential actions.  There was expected to be a small number of other minor boundary changes that the Electoral Commission would have to make.  The Panel requested that those parishes affected by the recommendations were informed of progress.