Brigg Town Council is to seek the views of residents of the Waters Edge housing estate and also people living at the far end of Western Avenue.
Waters Edge is only the width of the New River Ancholme from being in Brigg but is part of Broughton parish, while some homes in Western Avenue are located in Wrawby.
Are the good people in both areas quite happy as they are? Or would they like to become part of Brigg?
"We want to know what their feelings are," Coun Ben Nobbs told Brigg Town Council's latest meeting in the Angel Suite, when this long-running issue was discussed again.
Coun Nobbs highlighted the long drive currently necessary for some Western Avenue residents if they want to cast votes in their current parish, Wrawby.
Brigg Town Council discussed whether information sent to householders in these areas should make reference to the parish precept - the amount homes must pay annually for local council services. After a vote it was decided that finance should be left out.
However, Coun Rob Waltham suggested that, for many people, "finance will ultimately be the decider."
Coun Mike Campion said the difference in local parish precepts did not amount to much. He thought any questionnaire sent out needed to be kept as simple as possible.
Town Clerk Jeanette Woollard stressed this was not a petition of residents living in these areas just outside Brigg, it was what she described as a litmus test of opinion.
Once the letters have been sent out by Brigg Town Council, feedback will be considered.
However, for there to be any hope of change there will need to be a great deal of further consultation and official procedures under what's termed a Community Governance Review.
North Lincolnshire Council will need to be involved and its Chief Executive Simon Driver, who is in overall charge of electoral matters for the district, has already informed Brigg Town Council what's involved.
Clearly, Broughton Town Council and Wrawby Parish Council will have their own views and have every right to voice them.
I don't really understand why residents of Scawby Brook are not included in this survey.
ReplyDeleteShould the Waters Edge residents' feeling demonstrate a preference towards being included in Brigg - rather than Broughton Parish, then surely it would be somewhat short-sighted not to canvass the views of Scawby Brook folk.
Indeed, it would not make hypothetical sense to proceed with an expensive process that could possibly lead to Brigg's boundary being re-drawn, only to realise in a couple of years thereafter that there is a further need examine boundary changes in response to the town's expansion......