What are the options?
Local Area Partnership (LAP)
The Local Area Partnership in Crewe is one of seven across
Cheshire East, bringing together a wide range of people from the
legal, private, voluntary and community sectors to focus collective
effort on what really matters in the local area. Their key role is
to improve services, ensure local people influence decision making,
and to actively engage and empower communities. They focus on local
issues that cannot be tackled by one organisation alone, bringing
together all those with an ability to make a difference. Area
assemblies are held to engage local partners and residents, and
local people are involved in a number of working groups.
The facts
An area management group made up of local partners manages the
business of the LAP; they are not set up to represent local
communities to the principal council (Cheshire East Council) on
things like planning applications and highways, although the
Council must consult with the area management group on these
issues; they help to influence service delivery but do not have the
power to deliver local services; they can’t raise money to deliver
local services.
This LAP arrangement will continue to function alongside any
governance arrangement in Crewe, and is included here for
information of how local communities are supported by Cheshire East
Council to engage with local service providers.
1. No change – continue with Local Service Delivery Committee
and Charter Trustees
Local Service Delivery Committee
Cheshire East Council has set up a local service delivery area
committee for this area of Crewe (because there is no Parish/Town
Council) to ensure that the provision of services is fair and
consistent across the borough. So that this area has the same
opportunities and choices as other areas with Parish/Town Councils
regarding the provision of services, this committee will likely
introduce a Special Expenses Levy (charge) on the residents of
Crewe to deliver these services.
The current value of these services is estimated to be
approximately £12. These committees are often considered as a
foundation towards the creation of a Parish/Town Council.
The facts
it is run by seven Cheshire East councillors (not necessarily
locally elected councillors); they do not specifically represent
the interests of the local community to the principal council
(Cheshire East Council) on things like planning applications and
highways; they help in the delivery of services that can improve
the local area (e.g., public toilets, allotments, Christmas
lighting, floral arrangements); they can raise money (a special
expense part of your council tax) to deliver those services. The
Local Service Delivery Committee is an example of an Area
committee.
Charter Trustees
Charter Trustees preserve the historic identity of an area by
carrying out ceremonial functions (e.g. the Mayor) in areas that do
not have a Parish/Town Council. If a Parish/Town Council was
created in this area, the Charter Trustees would be replaced by
that Council who would then carry out its functions, the cost of
which would be included in the new charge for the Parish/Town
Council. However, if another option (other than a Parish/Town
Council) was selected, the Charter Trustees could continue to exist
alongside it.
The facts
They are run by Cheshire East (Crewe wards) councillors; they
are not set up to represent the interests of the local community to
the principal council (Cheshire East Council) on things like
planning applications and highways; they do not have the power to
deliver local services; they can raise money to cover the costs of
their ceremonial functions - you currently pay £3.49 (Council Tax
band D) to the Charter Trustees.
2. Parish/Town Council(s) (you may see these words used
separately but they mean the same thing)
Parish/Town Councils are arguably the most local form of
government and can represent areas ranging from around 100 people
(e.g. Barthomley, which is a small local Parish Council for 180
people), to up to 30,000 people (e.g. Wilmslow). The general rule
is that a Parish/Town Council is based on an area which reflects
community identity and interests, and is of a size that makes sense
as an administrative unit of local government.
The facts
They are run by local councillors that are specially elected (at
least five councillors); they represent your local community’s
interests to the principal council (Cheshire East Council) on
things like planning applications and highways; they deliver
services that can improve the local area (e.g., public toilets,
allotments, Christmas lighting, floral arrangements);
they can raise money (part of your council tax called a precept)
to deliver those services.
The following options all generally function over a smaller area
than Local Service Delivery Committees, Parish/Town Councils or
area committees, and as such a number of each of the following
options would need to be set up to represent the whole area of
Crewe.
3. Neighbourhood management
There are many different views of what would be considered as a
neighbourhood, including a mix of homes around a local shopping
centre, a shared open space, leisure facilities, a collection of
roads or an estate. To account for this variety, there could be
lots of different neighbourhood management groups covering this
area of Crewe. Neighbourhood management programmes create the
opportunity for residents to work on a voluntary basis to improve
services at the neighbourhood level. They aim to improve ‘quality
of life’ through implementation of (rather than making decisions
on) better management of the local environment including safety,
housing, and encouraging employment opportunities. They need
support from all local partners, and tend to cover smaller
populations than area committees or Parish/Town Councils.
The facts
They are run by local volunteers and need the full commitment of
local service providers; they are not set up to represent the
interests of the local community to the principal council (Cheshire
East Council) on things like planning applications and highways;
they can influence local services but do not have the power to
deliver local services; they can’t raise money to deliver local
services.
4. Community forums
Community forums can be set up by the principal council (e.g.,
Cheshire East Council), or created by local residents to act as a
way of giving communities a say on principal council matters or
local issues. Sometimes forums are set up to comment on a specific
project that will impact upon the local area, and so may be
time-limited. They increase participation and consultation, aiming
to influence decision making, rather than having powers to
implement services. They vary in size, purpose and impact, but
membership usually consists of people working or living in a
specific area. Some forums also include local ward councillors, and
representatives from Cheshire East Council would be able to attend
meetings.
The facts
They are run by local volunteers or council officers; they can
represent the interests of the local community to the principal
council (Cheshire East Council) on things like planning
applications and highways; they can influence local services but do
not have the power to deliver local services; they can’t raise
money to deliver local services.
5. Residents’ and tenants’ associations
Residents’ and tenants’ associations enable local people to
participate when local issues affect their specific neighbourhood
or housing estate, e.g., the local environment, crime, anti-social
behaviour matters, or housing management. They can be set up by any
group of people living in the same area, and they choose themselves
who can be members, how they will be represented and what they want
to achieve. In the case of tenants’ and residents’ associations on
estates, they may be established with direct support from the
Registered Social Landlord, as a way to communicate with the
tenants and residents on its estates. To engage effectively with
other organisations, residents’ and tenants’ associations must be
able to show that they are accountable and represent the views of
the whole community, rather than narrow self interests of just a
few local people.
The facts
They are run by local volunteers; they are not set up to
represent the interests of the local community to the principal
council (Cheshire East Council) on things like planning
applications and highways; they can influence local services but do
not have the power to deliver local services; they can’t raise
money to deliver local services.
6. Community associations/community development trust
Community associations/development trusts offer a way for local
residents and local community-based organisations in a defined
neighbourhood to work together for the benefit of that
neighbourhood. They can use a model constitution registered with
the Charity Commission. The principal council (Cheshire East
Council) may also be represented on the association’s committee.
They usually manage a community centre as a base for their
activities. Membership is open to everyone resident in the
area.
The facts
They are run by local volunteers; they are not set up to
represent the interests of the local community to the principal
council (Cheshire East Council) on things like planning
applications and highways; they can run some local services; they
can’t raise money to deliver local services.
Helping you to decide which option you like best
If you are unsure which option you think is the best
for you, please try using our interactive tool which has been
designed to try to help you to weigh up the different options
available.
It allows you to note down your views on three
questions in relation to each available option. These are:
- Will this improve engagement with the community?
- Will this democratically represent my interests better?
- Will this deliver better local services?
When you have worked through the options and clicked the
'continue button' it will tell you which one you appear to
prefer.
