What is a Town Council?

In Cheshire, until recently, there were three kinds of Council.  One county council, six district councils and scores of parish councils.  However, on 1st April 2009, that changed.  Now there are just two types of Council.  The County Council and the district councils were abolished and, instead, there are two big unitary councils.  One covers the west, the other the east.  The parish councils are unaffected.

Nantwich is in the area covered by Cheshire East Council.  (See map).

Cheshire East is a "unitary" authority which means it is responsible for all local authority services.

For example, it provides the schools, social workers, libraries, sports centres, swimming pools, highways, public health inspectors, planning, trading standards .... in fact, all local authority services in east Cheshire.  You can visit the Cheshire East web site to find the full range of what the unitary authority does at www.cheshireeast.gov.uk

As mentioned, the parish councils are unaffected by this re-organisation.  Parish councils can choose to provide allotments, playing fields, street furniture, some street lighting and community halls.  In the main towns, a parish council is entitled to call itself a Town Council – and that is what has happened in Nantwich.

Because Cheshire East is such a big authority, (14,000 staff, about 360,000 residents, covering half the County) Nantwich Town Council, and other Town Councils, think it may be a bit remote.  So Nantwich Town Council are keen to see a degree of local involvement in managing services and facilities in the town.  Cheshire East Councillors, for their part, have said they would encourage devolution and some local management of services and budgets.  So the Town Council hopes to be discussing with Cheshire East, the possibility of transferring or managing the Civic Hall, the Market and perhaps other facilities in the town.

Watch this space!!

April 2009