The Local Government Act 2001 modernises the legislative framework, supports community involvement with local authorities in a more participative local democracy and underpins generally the programme of local government renewal, including the position of county and city councils as the primary units of local government.
The Act takes account of the recommendations of the 1996 report of the reorganisation commission towards cohesive local government, town and county, regarding improved accessibility, interaction and linkages for all towns within their local county council areas as the way forward. Section 185 of the Act provides that qualified electors of a town having a population of at least 7,500 as ascertained at the last preceding census and not having a town council may make a proposal for the establishment of such a council, in line with the population threshold recommended in that report. Under the relevant provisions of the Act, which I hope to commence in the near future, a proposal to establish a town council is, therefore, a matter for the local community in the first instance and a decision on whether to proceed further with such a proposal is a reserved function of the relevant county council, following a public consultation process.