New council planned to protect town's interests

Leicestershire's largest town could get its own parish council in case its borough is axed.

Charnwood Borough Council is one of more than 160 district level authorities facing an uncertain future after plans were announced to reorganise local government.

These smaller councils could be merged with counties and cities to create single bodies, known as unitary authorities, each representing about 500,000 people.

But Loughborough does not have a parish-level authority, like other nearby towns, such as Shepshed and Syston, potentially leaving it without the same level of local representation under a so-called "mega council".

In December, the Deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayner said she wanted every region of England to get a mayor, as she outlined the plans for a major redesign of local government.

As a result, Charnwood Borough Council is now working to create a new parish council for the town's 65,000 or so residents "whatever local government structures end up in place".

Loughborough was granted borough status by Queen Victoria in 1888, granting it a mayor and a council - but in the 1970s - Charnwood took these rights when it formed in a merger with Shepshed Urban District and Barrow Rural District, with Leicestershire County Council sitting above it.

Leader Jewel Miah said that while Charnwood currently collected a special rate for Loughborough the way that parish authorities do, without a town council that could be lost in the reorganisation.

This could mean "valuable services" like Loughborough Town Hall, the town's market management, Remembrance events, or the annual street fair could be threatened.

He said: "To ensure that Loughborough has proper local representation and a strong voice in the future, we feel it is appropriate to explore the creation of a town council.

"Clearly, Charnwood already has successful parish and town councils, which make positive impacts on their local areas.

"People and communities in Loughborough would expect the same representation, should local government structures change in the future."

The government has argued combining two-tier council areas, like in Loughborough, will create simpler, more efficient ways of delivering services.

Charnwood Borough Council has previously said it supports the principle of devolution of powers to unitary authorities.

But it has raised concerns the size of council proposed could end up being "too remote, and inaccessible" from the communities it would serve.

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