Decision

1. Cabinet noted the themes raised in submissions made by consultees during the initial consultation stage of the Community Governance Review, as outlined in this report.

RESOLVE TO RECOMMEND

1. (a) Cabinet recommended Council proceed to the second public consultation  for the Community Governance Review.

   (b) Subject to agreement on 2 (a) above, approve the draft recommendations  below, which will form the second public consultation of the Community Governance Review:

Draft recommendation 1: The area of Hemel Hempstead which is currently unparished should become parished and a new parish council should be established and initially be named Hemel Hempstead Parish Council. Once established the Parish Council will have the authority to rename it.

Draft recommendation 1a:The first set of elections for the new parish council will be held on 6 May 2027 to coincide with the ordinary year of parish council elections. If this date should change due to Local Government Reorganisation, the election date shall change to align the parish election with the first election of the new unitary authority, or the date that all parishes within Dacorum are elected if different.

Draft recommendation 1b:The new parish council should be divided into wards, and these parish ward boundaries should be based on existing borough ward boundaries.

Draft recommendation 1c:The new parish council should be represented by 30 parish councillors.

Draft recommendation 1d:The number of parish councillors per ward of the new parish council will be two, with the exception of:

Boxmoor 3 councillors

Bourne End & Felden 1 councillors

Chaulden & Warners End 3 councillors

Leverstock Green 3 councillors

Draft recommendation 1e:Included within the new parish council, a newly created parish ward will include Bourne End and Felden and will be named as such.

Draft recommendation 1f: Within the newly created parish council, the current Apsley and Corner Hall ward will be split into two. The first being named ‘Apsley’ and the second named ‘Corner Hall’. This will affect the parish ward only and no changes will be made to the existing borough ward.

Draft recommendation 2:The boundaries of Nash Mills Parish Council should be extended to include the current unparished area, to align with the current ward boundary. The number of Parish Councillors will remain unchanged. Nash Mills will therefore not be included in the newly created Hemel Hempstead Parish council.

A set of maps to illustrate the draft recommendations are shown in Appendix 6.

1. That the draft precept for the first year of the Parish Council be set at £24.97 for a band D property to be finally agreed as part of the recommendations following the second consultation.