North Yorkshire parish councils are suffering “death by apathy” with unitary authority councillors having to step in to stop them failing, a meeting heard.
Members of North Yorkshire Council today agreed to continue with reviews to look at the structure of governance in 19 parishes across the county.
The reviews cover a range of proposals, including the potential creation, merger or alteration of parish councils, as well as changes to council sizes.
Recommendations have been prepared to help local decision-making and ensure parish councils have enough councillors to operate.
In the Richmondshire area, Spennithorne could be amalgamated with the parish of Harmby, while Bolton-on-Swale could become part of Scorton parish, and the parishes of Hudswell, Stainton, Walburn and Downholme could join together to create a single civil parish.
Elsewhere, the civil parishes of Crosby and Cotcliffe, near Northallerton, could be amalgamated to create a single parish named Crosby with Cotcliffe.
In the Boroughbridge area, the civil parishes of Ellenthorpe, Humberton, and Thornton Bridge could also be joined together to become a single parish.
In Wharfedale, Newall with Clifton Parish Council could be dissolved and be renamed Clifton.
It is also proposed to reduce the number of councillors sitting on the parish councils in Escrick and Sherburn, in the Selby area, due to difficulties finding new councillors.
If not enough local people stand as parish councillors, North Yorkshire councillors often have to stand in to ensure the council has a quorum to make decisions.
Councillor Janet Sanderson, executive member for children and families, who represents the Thornton Dale and Wolds division, told the full council meeting that she was a “somewhat reluctant member of several failed parish councils, both within and outside of my own division”.
Cllr Sanderson said only in four cases out of 19 did more than ten per cent of residents respond to a survey issued as part of the community governance reviews.
“You could say the demise of the parish council appeared to be down to death by apathy,” she added.
Councillor Caroline Goodrick, member for Sheriff Hutton and Derwent division, added: “I have a number of parish councils who are all struggling, and they all tell me that part of the problem is the over governmental restrictions that they’ve got to comply with and the fact that they can’t find appropriate support in the form of parish clerks.
“The net result is that they become disillusioned with what they’re trying to do and they walk away from it, so it’s a very desperate situation.
“I’m not sure how we resolve this situation, except to say that whilst I respect that parish councils are their own individual entities, I do think we have a responsibility as the overarching authority to give them the support that they need, whether that be a bank of parish clerks or training, I don’t know.”
A second round of consultations will now take place on the recommendations.
Some councillors expressed concern that the exercise would cost more than £15,000 and would need to be repeated if the changes did not work.
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