LIB DEMS WIN EARLY PARISH ELECTIONS

12.30.00pm GMT Thu 7th Feb 2008

Cornwall's five-strong team of Liberal Democrat MPs this morning told Ministers that early elections would be vital to ensure parishes had the legitimacy to take on more responsibilities when Cornwall moves to a single principal Council.

The Government had proposed to cancel all Parish Council elections until 2013 but MPs demanded that legislation be introduced to bring the polls forward. In a special House of Commons debate this morning, the Local Government Minister, John Healey, said he would reschedule Parish elections if the group of District and County councillors responsible for transitional arrangements agreed.

The new Cornwall Council will devolve power from Truro to about sixteen principal areas, and from there to clusters of parishes or to individual parishes and towns, so that key decisions can be taken as close as possible to the communities they affect.

Commenting, North Cornwall's MP, Dan Rogerson said:

"Individual parishes will be a vital part of bringing power down from Truro to natural communities, so we were aghast that Ministers could even consider delaying elections for so long.

"We expect that, with more responsibilities, more Parish Council elections will be contested, with local people able to campaign for their own area's priorities like getting better street-lighting, more neighbourhood policing, or just improving the look of a town.

"Now we have won early elections that process can start along with the creation of the new Cornwall Council so people get their say now, not in five years' time."

Shadow Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, Julia Goldsworthy, added:

"We stood up to the Minister and he has listened.

"Of course, it's right that he now consults with the people responsible for making the new Cornwall Council work, but we're confident that they too will want to see elections brought forward.

"Local people can't wait until 2013 for the power to make a difference in their parish or town. The Minister should introduce new legislation to bring elections forward sooner rather than later."

ENDS