BRIGG TOWN COUNCIL: YOUR VIEWS SOUGHT BY NORTH LINCOLNSHIRE AUTHORITY

A meeting of Brigg Town Council in the Angel Suite. 

FROM CHRIS O'ROURKE, NORTH LINCOLNSHIRE COUNCIL

North Lincolnshire Council would like to know your views on the town council where you live as part of its Community Governance Review.
The consultation will run from Monday 27 February to Monday 27 March.
Surveys will be delivered to all the households that come under the eight town council areas. They will start to go out the week commencing Monday 27 February.
There may be some households who do not fall into these areas that receive the survey. If you receive the survey and it does not affect you, please ignore it. The surveys are being delivered in this way as it is the most cost-effective option.   
The surveys will have questions based on the individual town councils; however it is important that each resident who returns the survey includes their postcode. This will ensure that your views correspond with your town council.
The review will consider the parishes of Barton, Bottesford, Brigg, Broughton, Crowle and Ealand, Epworth, Kirton-in-Lindsey and Winterton.
The focus of the review is based on local town council’s electoral arrangements, for example the ordinary year of election, council size, the number of councillors to be elected and parish warding.
The council would also like your views on how decisions are made within your community. Your comments on the following are needed:

• Do you know how to become involved in what’s happening in your local community?
• Do you have the opportunity to influence decisions affecting your life?
• Does your town council reflect the make-up of your community?

You can share your comments online from Monday 27 February at www.northlincs.gov.uk/current-consultations or at your local consultation event.

Consultation events are taking place on:
Monday 27 February from 3.30pm to 7pm at the Civic Hall, Bottesford
Wednesday 1 March from 3pm to 7pm at Crowle Local Link
Monday 6 March from 3pm to 7pm at The Angel Suite in Brigg
Wednesday 8 March from 3pm to 7pm at Imperial Hall, Epworth
Monday 13 March from 3pm to 7pm at Broughton Village Hall
Wednesday 15 March from 3pm to 6.45pm at Old School Hall Community Centre, Winterton
Monday 20 March from 4pm to 7pm at Kirton-in-Lindsey Town Hall
Tuesday 21 March from 3pm to 7pm at Barton Assembly Room
Go along to one of these events to speak about your town council, find out about their set-up and have your say on these arrangements. This is the perfect opportunity to ask any questions you may have.
Coun Richard Hannigan, Deputy Leader of North Lincolnshire Council, said: “This is the first time a review on the electoral arrangements for all eight town councils is being undertaken. It will affect thousands of residents; therefore it is important we give everyone the opportunity to have their say.
“The consultation will shape the future of town councils and it is the ideal opportunity for residents to be part of this change.
“I would encourage all residents in these town and parish areas to tell us what they think. You can do this by sending the postal survey back to us. There will be opportunities to share your comments on community cohesion by attending a consultation event or online.
“To ensure that all residents in the town council areas can have their say on the Community Governance Review, we are sending out surveys to each household.”

NF ADDS: Regarding "council size" - Brigg Town Council has 19 members. We think the number of councillors serving on the authority, and others in North Lincolnshire, was set in the 1970s when Humberside County Council was still operating the top tier of local government. There seems to be plenty of interest within the community when it comes to serving on Brigg Town Council, with a full complement of councillors, 19, being in place to represent the people. If there's a resignation, for whatever reason, someone comes forward who is willing to take their place. Town Councillors do not receive salaries. 
Brigg Town Council provides grants to a number of local organisations and groups seeking assistance, furnishes the Christmas lights, manages the two sets of allotments and the Angel Suite community venue, comments on local planning applications and organises the Remembrance Sunday parade and wreath-laying ceremony. The Town Council holds a monthly meeting in the Angel Suite - open to interested members of the public. The Town Mayor is elected annually by the Town Council. 
North Lincolnshire Council provides major services, including primary and some secondary education, planning, bin collection, public health, highways and a good number of other functions.