(i) Re-introduction of township forums
Members are asked to consider a notice of motion in the names of Councillors Carol Birchmore, Cllr Donald Berry, Cllr Andrea Booth, Cllr Des Duncalfe, Cllr Glyn Marsden, Cllr Ken Simpson, Cllr Mike Smith and Cllr Mary Walsh
Township forums would allow local people to have a say and raise issues such as regeneration, bin collections, road maintenance, invasive weeds, crime and disorder, the environment, health and fly-tipping.
Potential benefits of township forums are:
Up until 2017 Bury Council had township forums but they were replaced by “a new Neighbourhood Engagement Framework’”. It was claimed that the new framework would offer a flexible approach to community engagement across Team Bury partners and support and facilitate the new relationship between public services and citizens, communities and businesses that is required to support wider neighbourhood working. However, despite good intentions it has been found that often residents and sometimes councillors have felt they have been in the dark about important decisions being made about their towns. Residents have often objected to decisions made by the Council stating that they believe they have not been fully consulted.
The replacement for the township forums concentrated a lot on the provision of online feedback but this can sometimes provide a barrier to residents who might struggle with written feedback or possibly the use of the technology to provide the feedback in the required format.
It has been claimed that attendance at forums was poor, but this was potentially down to the fact that there were no significant projects taking place in the townships at the time. With activity taking place with regards to regeneration plans for our towns it is likely that there will be far more information to report to residents with regards to changes in their towns and a greater opportunity for residents’ feedback to make a difference.
It has previously been claimed that grouping wards together was not always the best option since what is an issue in one ward is not necessarily an issue in another ward in the same township area. However, the counter to that is that if you take the example of Prestwich or Radcliffe just considering issues for a single ward boundary is more constricting when you consider groupings of similar area demographics cross the ward boundaries e.g. looking at Radcliffe town centre MSOA. What should be avoided is grouping non similar wards together e.g. the demography of Radcliffe is different to Bury West.
Although some parties/groups or individual councillors have good social media presence the transfer of important information or proposals relies on full and open communication and online discussion might not benefit from the challenge of direct public questioning from residents. This proposed motion would allow council officers and councillors to receive direct feedback at the same time and could avoid errors in communication chain translation.
This Council resolves to:
S151 Officer Comment
Currently there is no budget provision, any proposal will need to be funded, the extent of the funding will be dependent on a number of factors including recruitment of additional staff, venue and equipment hire.
(ii) Save Prestwich Crown Post Office
Members are asked to consider a notice of motion received from Councillors: A Arif, Bayley, Boles, Cummins, Farooq, Fitzgerald, Frith, Gold, Green, Grimshaw, Haroon, Hayes, Hook, Ibrahim, McGill, Morris, Moss, O'Brien, Pilkington, Quinn Alan, Quinn Deborah, Rafiq, Rahimov, Rizvi, Rubinstein, Ryder, Smith Lucy, Southworth, Staples-Jones, Tariq, Thorpe, Walmsley.
This Council notes that:
1) The Post Office announced in November 2024 a list of 115 post offices across the country that were being considered for closure.
2) On that list was the Crown Post Office in Prestwich, as well as 7 others across Greater Manchester.
This Council is concerned that a significant number of residents and businesses across the borough will be severely impacted by this potential closure. This will include:
1) Many elderly residents, those who are digitally excluded and a lot of small businesses.
2) The staff who currently work at Prestwich Crown Post Office, many of whom are local residents and may lose their jobs.
This Council welcomes:
1) A petition started by the Prestwich Labour Councillors, which has been signed by over 2400 people online and over 300 people in-person.
2) The representation by the Member of Parliament for Bury South, Christian Wakeford MP, in opposing this closure and campaigning action to save it.
3) The campaign by the Communication Workers Union opposing these closures across the country
This Council resolves to:
1) Fully support the campaign to keep Prestwich Crown Post Office open.
2) Write to Gareth Thomas MP, the Minister responsible for the Post Office, and Nigel Railton, the Post Office interim Chair, setting out our opposition to any closure and demanding an immediate halt to the proposals.
(iii) Consultation regarding moving Council Local Elections to a 4- year cycle
Members consider a motion in the names of Councillors S.Arif, Bernstein, Brown, Gartside, Harris, Hussain, Lancaster, McBriar, Rydeheard, Vernon
This Council Notes that:
This Council further notes;
This Council resolves to
1. That Council agrees to commence a wide reaching consultation process of a minimum 6 weeks on whether the Council should change to whole-council elections every 4 years.
2. That the Council then hold a future Extraordinary Full Council meeting to hear the outcome of the consultation and make a determination on whether to move to whole Council Elections or stay as Elections by thirds.