A public consultation has been launched to allow residents to have their say on whether a town council should be created for the unparished area of Barrow.
Barrow Borough Council will launch the consultation as part of a review of local government in the area. It began yesterday and will run for eight weeks until April 14.
The review aims to make sure that arrangements for community governance in Barrow reflect the identity and interests of the community and that they are effective and convenient.
The process is happening as plans are being put in place to create a new unitary authority called Westmorland and Furness Council, which will replace Barrow Borough Council, South Lakeland District Council and Eden District Council, in 2023.
Councillor Derek Brook, Barrow Borough Council’s lead member for communities, said: “The way local government is organised in Barrow and across Cumbria is changing and a new, larger council will be created for this area from April 1, 2023.
“Lots of communities already have town and parish councils which carry out great work on behalf of their areas.
“However, Barrow itself is unparished, so this is an opportunity for people to think about whether they would like a similarly local voice in the future.”
Parish and town councils are the first tier of local government and Barrow borough already has two parish councils and a town council. These will not be affected by the review, for which Barrow Borough Council has 12 months to complete.
A number of online and face to face events are now set to take place to allow members of the public to find out more about what it means to have a town council, as well as the responsibilities it would hold and oversee.
Residents will be invited to answer the question ‘Are you in favour of a town council for Barrow’ by filling in a short survey. This can be completed online via Barrow Borough Council’s website with hard copies available at Barrow Town Hall and community centres in the area.
The feedback will help to inform a recommendation on whether a town council should be created for Barrow which will be voted on by members of the Shadow Westmorland and Furness Council later this year.
For more information, visit: Barrow BC – Community Governance Review
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