Should Penrith Town Council be replaced by new smaller parish councils created serving different areas of the town.
Creating new smaller parish councils covering areas such as CastleTown or Carleton Village is one of the proposals made in a petition that calls for a Community Governance Review for Penrith it says will “Ensure Local Voices Are Heard”.
Evolve Penrith, a local community organization that champions local issues, is calling for a review of the community governance structure in Penrith.
The organisation has initiated a petition for a Community Governance review of the entire areas of the Parish of Penrith currently served by Penrith Town Council.
The petition calls on Westmorland and Furness Council to initiate a community governance review for Penrith, with the aim of improving transparency, accountability, and citizen participation in decision-making.
The petition makes calls for a review to cover a range of issues, including the number of councillors, boundaries, wards, and the potential wider upper tier change to return Penrith to its historical home in Cumberland.
"We believe that a community governance review is crucial to give the people of Penrith a voice in the governance of our town," said a spokesperson for Evolve Penrith. "We call on Westmorland and Furness Council to take immediate action to commence a community governance review of Penrith as legislation in the Local Government and Public Involvement in Health Act 2007 enables to give the community a say on the governance of Penrith and the diverse range of communities across the area covered by the parish of Penrith."
The petition also suggests the creation of smaller parish councils serving the diverse range of distinct communities across Penrith. Saying “These councils would bring more local-focused councils for the communities and likely lead to substantial reductions in costs and parish precepts for households on the annual council tax bill.”
The petition claims that the community's voices have not been adequately addressed by Penrith Town Council. Evolve Penrith said “The council has rejected two motions in the last 12 months to request a community governance review, denying the people a say in the governance of the town.”
"This petition is important because it calls for a review of the community governance structure in Penrith, with the aim of improving transparency, accountability, and citizen participation in decision-making to Ensure Local Voices Are Heard" said the spokesperson. "The community must have a say in the governance of Penrith, and a community governance review would provide an opportunity for the community to be heard and have a meaningful say in decision-making."
Once the petition receives the signatures of 1290 Penrith residents registered to vote in Penrith, Evolve Penrith said the petition will be handed to the monitoring officer of Westmorland and Furness Council, who will have a legal duty to commence a Community Governance Review for Penrith.
“Then it’s over to the people to let there voice be heard and decide what they want for Penrith” said Evolve Penrith’s spokesperson.
What do you think should people get a say in Penrith governance?
The online petition created by Evolve Penrith can be found at https://you.38degrees.org.uk/p/Give-Penrith-a-Voice
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