Agenda item

This report presents the consequential and supplementary provisions required to implement the establishment of new town councils for Broadstone, Poole, and Bournemouth, following the Council’s decision of 14 October 2025.

It outlines the arrangements necessary to ensure the new councils are legally compliant and operationally effective from 1 April 2026. Key recommendations include the formation of Shadow Councils from 1 January 2026 to oversee the recruitment of qualified clerks and address pre-implementation matters, and the agreement of anticipated precept amounts for each council, enabling sound financial planning.

The report details the limited transfer of assets, statutory requirements for allotments, and the continuation of certain services under Service Level Agreements to ensure continuity and mitigate risk. These measures are designed to provide a robust framework for the successful transition to new local governance arrangements and to support effective service delivery from inception.

The Chair of the Community Governance Task and Finish Group, Councillor Oliver Walters presented a report, a copy of which had been circulated to each Member and a copy of which appears as Appendix 'A' to these Minutes in the Minute Book.

Council was advised that the report presented the consequential and supplementary provisions required to implement the establishment of new town councils for Broadstone, Poole, and Bournemouth, following the Council’s decision of 14 October 2025.

In addition Council was informed that the report outlined the arrangements necessary to ensure the new councils are legally compliant and operationally effective from 1 April 2026, and that key recommendations included the formation of Shadow Councils from 1 January 2026 to oversee the recruitment of qualified clerks and address pre-implementation matters, and the agreement of anticipated precept amounts for each council, enabling sound financial planning.

Further to this council was advised that the report detailed the limited transfer of assets, statutory requirements for allotments, and the continuation of certain services under Service Level Agreements to ensure continuity and mitigate risk, and that these measures were designed to provide a robust framework for the successful transition to new local governance arrangements and to support effective service delivery from inception.

The Chair of the Overview and Scrutiny Board, Councillor Kate Salmon addressed the Council and provided a factual report of the debate of the Board on this item at the meeting the previous evening. 

In relation to this Councillor Salmon advised that there had been an amendment proposed at the meeting in relation to recommendation (c) which sought to take the proposed precepts to the shadow councils in January before coming back to an extraordinary council meeting to take the final decision on setting those precepts. Council was advised that following debate the board had been split on the amendment relating to recommendation (c), but that the move had been narrowly defeated when put to the vote.

Councillor Salmon further advised that the outcome of the discussion by the Overview and Scrutiny Board had been by consensus to note the contents of the report rather than to express either support or objection.

Councillor Patrick Canavan proposed an amendment to the recommendations seeking to take the proposed precepts to the respective shadow councils prior to coming back to council, the recommendation read as follows: -

‘the precept be referred to the shadow councils for consideration’

This amendment was seconded by Councillor Sue Aitkenhead.

Comprehensive discussion took place on the amendment during which members spoke in support of and against the amendment with some concern raised regarding any potential delays this could cause in respect of the recruitment of Town Clerks for the newly established Town Councils and the potential impact of holding the shadow council meetings and an extraordinary council meeting by the required 14 January date.

Councillor Hazel Allen requested a recorded vote in respect of the proposed amendment and upon receiving the required support for a recorded vote the proposed amendment was put to the vote and fell with voting as set out below:

Voting:

For: 23

Against: 28

Abstentions: 3

Voting: For:23, Against:28, Abstentions:3

Further comprehensive debate took place on the substantive recommendations with members speaking in both support and against during which the Task and Finish Group and in particular their chair were thanked along with officers for all their hard work.

RESOLVED that: -

(a)    a Shadow Council for each new Council be established from 1 January 2026 for the purposes of recruiting respective Clerks and to deal with any other matters requiring resolution prior to implementation with the membership being as set out in paragraph 26 to this report;

(b)    the Head of Democratic Services be authorised to commence the recruitment process and to advertise the positions of town clerks for Broadstone, Poole and Bournemouth;

(c)    the anticipated precept amounts for Broadstone Town Council, Poole Town Council and Bournemouth Town Council, as detailed in the table at paragraph 35 to this report, be included in the Reorganisation Order.

Voting: For:28, Against:21, Abstentions:5

Reason

It is important to ensure that the new town councils are safe and legal and capable of operating effectively from 1 April 2026. The recommendations are seeking to put in place arrangements to allow any matters to be resolved in a timely manner as they arise and to recruit qualified clerks for the new councils.

The agreement of the anticipated precept requirements is a required decision of the principal council which will allow the new town councils to function effectively.