Form

New Burdens Community Governance Review Fund 2016 to 2017: guidance

Published 1 June 2016

This form was withdrawn on

This fund is no longer active.

Applies to England

© Crown copyright 2016

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This publication is available at https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/new-burdens-community-governance-review-fund/new-burdens-community-governance-review-fund-2016-to-2017-guidance

1. What is the New Burdens Community Governance Review Fund?

In March 2015, new measures were introduced following changes to the Local Government and Public Involvement in Health Act 2007, the legislation which regulates Community Governance Reviews.

The review process allows for the creation of new town and parish councils with the 3 measures introduced making it easier for local communities to set up a new town or parish council. These are:

  1. Lowering the threshold of signatures required to make a valid petition from 10% to 7.5%.
  2. Shortening the amount of time the local authority can take to complete a Community Governance Review.
  3. Allowing neighbourhood forums to trigger a Community Governance Review.

The measures improve the process for triggering a review and encourage more local campaigners to petition their local authority in support of the creation of a new town or parish.

A Community Governance Review New Burdens Fund is available to support those local authorities that will be required to undertake a review as a direct result of 1 of the 3 measures.

2. How can local authorities submit an application?

All local authorities that meet the eligibility criteria are able to apply. Local authorities are not subject to any restrictions in terms of the delivery model adopted to conduct the review.

Costs will vary depending upon a number of factors - including the scope of the review, the demography of the local area, the model adopted for allocating duties to conduct the review and the type of consultation method applied.

There are no restrictions on the number of bids submitted for each area within an authority’s geographical control. However, if a local authority does submit more than one application it would need to demonstrate that the each review could not be undertaken as part of a wider review.

3. What are the eligibility criteria for successful applications?

DCLG will assess each bid against the eligibility criteria. All payments will be issued directly to local authorities that can demonstrate they meet the eligibility criteria below:

  • the local authority must have received the submitted petition for a Community Governance Review after the date the new legislative changes come into force (27 March 2015)

  • the local authority must be able to demonstrate that the number of signatories in the petition submitted to the local authority after the date the new measures came into force is at least 7.5% of the local electorate but less than the current threshold for triggering a review of 10%; or have received a valid application from a neighbourhood forum after the date the new measures came into force.

A local authority will not be eligible for new burdens funding where:

  • the local authority has received the petition for a Community Governance Review before the date the new legislative changes has come into force – even in those circumstances where elements of the process are undertaken after date the legislation comes into force

  • the local authority already intended to conduct a review

  • the local authority has not provided sufficient information within the bid to evidence the breakdown of costs associated with undertaking the review

4. Where do local authorities send completed applications?

The Parishes team in the Big Society and Community Rights Division administer the New Burdens Community Governance Review Fund from April 2016 until March 2017.

Bids should be submitted on the application form to paulette.romain@communities.gsi.gov.uk.

Alternatively, you can send the completed form and accompanying documents to:

Paulette Romain
Big Society and Community Rights Division
Department for Communities and Local Government
2nd Floor SW, Fry Building
2 Marsham Street
London
SW1P 4DF

Any activities not costed or that fall outside the scope of a normal review will not be funded.

If you require more information about the Community Governance Review Fund please submit these to the above contact.

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