Please note that the Paradise Road play area will be closed from 8am-10am on Monday, 3 August whilst a wasps nest is treated.

Message from Chelmsford City Council

As many of you are aware, Chelmsford City Council is considering undertaking a formal Community Governance Review in accordance with the requirements of the Local Government and Public Involvement in Health Act 2007.  We note that local government re organisation/devolution is likely to be considered in the Autumn and a White Paper is expected to be issued.

Any decision to embark upon a Community Governance Review would need to be sanctioned by Full Council and we are planning to report to Full Council in December 2020. We believe a Community Governance Review is likely to be necessary for a number of reasons, including:-

• The central part of the city is unparished and we would like to ask whether residents wish to create new parish councils (or merge with an existing parish area)
• there have been and are further proposed housing developments which are likely to mean existing parish boundaries may need to change
• no wholesale review has been undertaken for many years
• governance changes in existing parishes may be needed (see below)

We have devised one simple questionnaire for all informal consultation to be submitted online. We would very much welcome the views of all existing Chelmsford parish councils so that we have the views of as many people and organisations as possible in reaching any future decisions.  As many of you will already know, this issue was raised by us at the City and Parish Council meeting in March and we invited any feedback concerning this. We propose to continue to engage with you throughout any review but also wanted to make sure you were included in any consultation exercises. Please click here to access the online questionnaire which we hope you will consider and respond to.  The consultation period will close on Friday 25^th September.

Whilst we are inviting comments on particular questions set out in the questionnaire,  a Community Governance Review can look into wider issues so please do feel free to highlight any areas that you believe are relevant within your parish. By way of example, these include:-

• whether you wish to make changes to existing ward arrangements or create new wards in your parish area
• whether you wish to create a group of parish councils
• whether you wish to change the name of your parish
• whether you wish to change the style of your parish/town council (eg community, village or neighbourhood councils)
• whether to increase or decrease the number of seats at your council (every parish council must have at least five councillors and guidance would help inform any review if you feel that would be helpful)
• changes to parish boundaries

The Council will be promoting the consultation via social media, our website as well as direct contact with relevant parties.  It would also be helpful if you could promote this review through any local groups, newsletters and/or your website so that as many parishioners as possible get an opportunity to have their say too.

The parish council is pleased to confirm that the public toilets on the Green will re-open from Saturday, 11 July 2020.

The parish council is pleased to confirm that the children’s playground and skate park at Paradise Road and the playground and outdoor gym at the Pleasure Bit, Ongar Road have reopened.

We would encourage visitors to bring their own hand sanitiser to use before and after your children have enjoyed playing on the equipment and to follow social distancing measures and government guidance during your visit.

Writtle Parish Council has submitted its response on the Master Plan for Warren Farm 18/00001/MAS. Please have your say on this consultation.

The deadline is Friday, 3 July 2020.

Final 1800001MAS Response 02.07.2020