Questions from our facebook page  

 Matthew Newsome

Can we have some information around who the members of the Garforth Neighbourhood Planning Forum actually are and why the are in favour of a town council? It would help to understand who these people are and what the aims are now we are a consultation phase

 The steering group member information has always been available to the public  https://www.garforthplan.co.uk/Teams/teams.html

 All this information is available on https://www.garforthnewsletter.co.uk/   found under the Parish Council news tab.

Mark Dobson

I am getting confused here, there seems to be several Facebook pages promoting the same thing? Am I correct in thinking this is where the GNPF, who have requested the formation of a town council, can address residents concerns?  Thanks

Yes all information relating to the application for a parish council and the LCC consultation  can be found on  https://www.garforthnewsletter.co.uk/

Marc Langfield

Can someone please explain why this has gone to consultation after an application by the neighbour hood planning forum. 

Who is a member of this forum?

Why is a Parish Council needed?

What are the advantages and disadvantages of having one?

How much extra will cost the residents?

Who decided the boundaries?

What is the aim of this council?

I am highly sceptical of this proposal when it had been rammed through to consultation and no opinions of residents have been sought and for many people they will be answering a consultation with sketchy or biased opinions from both sides?

Who took it upon themselves to decide this is what Garforth wants or needs prior to blindsiding the residents of Garforth? What is the motivation of a forum whose sole purpose was to decide what can and can’t be built in Garforth?

People need answers to provide an educated answer to this consultation? 

LCC have approved the application  and  their   next step is a public consultation. Steering group information  has always been available to the public https://www.garforthplan.co.uk/Teams/teams.html

 The aims and benefits  and rationale  etc. can be found on the website   https://www.garforthnewsletter.co.uk/This is the first step in the process. LCC will then make further decisions on boundaries, precepts etc. Followed by another consultation.

Karen Cooper-Lloyd

Who are the individuals that have asked for this? Are they working closely with our existing ward / local councillors. What will the difference in our structure and asks be, other than an additional cost to our council tax bills? 

I've found the existing set up to be very responsive, proactive and supportive, so I'm not sure I can see any additional benefit. 

Do you plan to have open meetings, so we can meet you to get a better understanding of the ask / need?  

Steering group information has always been available to the public and can be found at https://www.garforthplan.co.uk/Teams/teams.html

 Further information  including benefits can be found at https://www.garforthnewsletter.co.uk/

 Yes, plan a public meeting date and venue to be confirmed.

Dean Sanderson

As per previous posts there is very little transparency here. You’ve gone from being a group that likes to stick its nose into local planning to a group that now wants a Parish Council. Could you please provide the following information to allow residents of Garforth an opportunity to make an informed decision. 

Who makes up your group/team ?

Why do you want a Parish Council ?

Which residents of Garforth have you consulted in order to define a Parish Council is either needed or wanted ?

Will you hold a public meeting where your representatives will allow residents a forum for open discussions around the consultation ?

That will be all for now but sure many others will be asking the same or similar questions. 

Many thanks 

Steering group member information can be found   at https://www.garforthplan.co.uk/Teams/teams.html

  Further information on the rationale can be found at https://www.garforthnewsletter.co.uk/

 The  LCC process is being followed  and the consultation is taking place 

 There will be a public meeting date and venue to be confirmed

Muck Moses

So tell us about yourselves:

Who are you?

How are people getting on the Town Council?

How do people get kicked off the TC?

What benefits will the TC bring?

How much will it cost residents?

I'm sure there's more but that's a start. 

Information about Steering group members has always been available to the public and can be found at https://www.garforthplan.co.uk/Teams/teams.html

The rationale for a Parish or Town Council  and further information can be found at  https://www.garforthnewsletter.co.uk/

Catherine Dobson

I joined this page hoping for a little more information and the rationale behind the wish to form a parish council prior to completing the consultation. I’m surprised to see there’s absolutely no information yet the consultation is already underway?

The consultation  is open for 5 weeks. All information can be found at https://www.garforthnewsletter.co.uk/

Catherine Dobson

I joined this group in the hope that there would be more information provided behind the rationale in requesting the setting up of a parish council prior to completing the consultation. I’m surprised to see that there’s absolutely no information given that we are already in the consultation period

All this information can be found on the website https://www.garforthnewsletter.co.uk/

Paul Woolford

Who are the people behind this initiative and what do they hope to achieve?

 Information about the GNPF can be found on the Welcome and  Introduction pages of the neighbourhood plan  and   information abput reasons for creating a Parish Council can be found on the website https://www.garforthnewsletter.co.uk/

Jacquie A-s

How much will the precept be for a Parish Council? My understanding is it will be an additional charge payable by each Garforth resident. What will a Parish Council deliver that our City Councillors don't? If we have to pay extra for a Parish Council, I would like to know what we are getting for the money

This consultation is just the beginning of the process. Further decisions have yet to be taken by LCC on cost of precept etc. Please see the website  for further information  https://www.garforthnewsletter.co.uk/

Dawn Louise Alexandra

I/We would be interested in hearing more about the proposal for a Garforth Parish Council.

Kippax has a parish council, and from what I’ve seen/ heard-they seem to do a fantastic job supporting the community. They support initiatives such as food banks and are involved in a wide range of local projects. Cllr Martin Eyre, the Chairman, also seems to have built a good working relationship with local ward councillors, working together for the benefit of the wider community.

I’m sure I’m not the only one who would like to know more about who would be standing to serve on a Garforth Parish Council, what their priorities are, and what their vision is for Garforth’s future.

It would be great to hear about their plans, how they hope to improve the area, and what they see as the key opportunities and challenges for our community. 

Having this information would help residents make an informed decision and better understand what a parish council could bring to Garforth and how it would work. 

The Steering group have  contacted  several existing Parish Council and have attended a Wetherby Town Council meeting and have seen the benefits they give to their communities. It will be up to the elected members of a new Parish  or Town Council to decide on their priorities after further consulting with the public. This consultation is just the first step in the process.

 An additional elected body in the form of a Parish or Town council would work with Ward Councillors to oppose further development  and cuts to services. All our neighbours have the benefit of support from both Ward and Parish Councillors.

Ian Shaw

Is anyone allowed to join this Parish council and who would I be working with ?

 This is  the first stage of the LCC consultation. Nothing has been decided.  If Garforth residents support the establishment of a Parish or Town Council then there will be elections and anyone who lives in Garforth can out their names forward

Christine Roberts

If Garforth became a Parish Council, does it mean that any Cil money that is paid when new housing is built in Garforth ,would be spent in Garforth and not in other areas of Leeds.

 LCC keep 75% of CIL money.  Current CIL payments have been decided by the Outer East Community Committee.   LCC state that they have to be spent in the ward in which they are generated. In our case this relates to Garforth, Swillington, Great & Little Preston. We  do not wish to see any more development in Garforth so not focussing on the benefits of CIL money

Martin Truscott

This page was created earlier in July but has no information regarding the proposed idea other than a link to the council pages. 

The information provides nothing that would suggest creating a Parish Council would be a good idea other than keeping check on the neighbourhood plan. 

Do we really need to pay an extra tax to cover the parish council when we have great local councillors? I don’t think so.

 This consultation is the first stage in the process, nothing has been decided. Information on the rationale   can be found on the website https://www.garforthnewsletter.co.uk/

 The role of a Parish Council involves many areas to the benefit of their communities. All our neighbours have Parish Councils who work with their Ward Councillors for the benefit of their Community. Our Ward councillors work with the Swillington and Great &Little Preston Parish Councillors

Muck Moses

So tell us about yourselves:

Who are you? How are people getting on the Town Council? How do people get kicked off the TC? What benefits will the TC bring? How much will it cost residents?

I'm sure there's more but that's a start. 

Steering group member information has always been available  to the public and can now be found on https://www.garforthplan.co.uk/Teams/teams.html

This is just the first stage in the process and nothing has been decided. LCC will decide on costs etc at a later stage. Once a Parish or Town Council is established then elections  will be held . Garforth residents may put themselves forward for election to be voted in.  Further information on rationale and benefits can be found at https://www.garforthnewsletter.co.uk/

Matthew Newsome

Can we have some information around who the members of the Garforth Neighbourhood Planning Forum actually are and why the are in favour of a town council? It would help to understand who these people are and what the aims are now we are a consulation phase

 Steering group information has always been available  to the public and can be found now on https://www.garforthplan.co.uk/Teams/teams.html

 Further information on the rationale etc can be found on https://www.garforthnewsletter.co.uk/

Steve Brown 24th July

What are the advantages/disadvantages of having a Parish council

Thanks

 This information can be found on the website https://www.garforthnewsletter.co.uk/

Sue Davies

Sue McQuire - hi Sue your website and links do not say “WHO “ the individuals are that make up garforth planning forum. Lots of Garforth residents are asking for this information. Surely transparency sho arranged uld be foremost in any organisation - no one I know will be voting for a proposal put forward by anonymous people . As moderator I’m sure you’re not the only person part of the organisation 

Please can you provide details to everyone - it really looks like you’ve got something to hide? 

 Please come to the public meeting   on Monday 10th August 7.30 pm at the Welfare Hall

Information about steering group members has always been available .  https://www.garforthplan.co.uk/Teams/teams.html. Furthe information can be found on the main website and questions answered in more detail posted on the main website, https://www.garforthnewsletter.co.uk/ 

Jane Beer

The comments I’ve seen in this group all seem to be focussed on applying for a Parish Council being some kind of conspiracy. I equally don’t know the group who have applied for it. However I do know that the Parish Council in Kippax is doing a lot of good things in their community. We are in a process of consultation. Which is where we find out the pros and cons and then we will get a vote. So please keep an open mind.

A public meeting is being arranged and a date together will other times when people can ask questions on Main Street and Tesco will be posted on the Facebook page. This consultation has been organised by LCC and seeks responses to the principle of establishing a PC for Garforth. LCC will then give information followed by another consultation later in the year.https://www.facebook.com/groups/proposedgarforthparishcouncilinformation?locale=en_GB

Information about steering group members has always been available to the public https://www.garforthplan.co.uk/Teams/teams.html. Furthe r information can be found on the main website and questions answered in more detail posted on the main website, https://www.garforthnewsletter.co.uk/

Martin Truscott

I continue to search and have found information about the make up of the parish council and boundaries - but after completing the consultation it asks you how many councillors you think there should be so the number of 15 mentioned here is probably not set in stone.

 The final number would be decided by LCC ( electoral services )

Martin Truscott

Looking at the list of parish and town councils larger settlements - for example Otley, Horsforth and Wetherby have town councils - so why would we not be a town council? Is the election of a mayor the only thing that sets that part from a parish council?

There does not seem to be any information about the creation of a Town council. Most were Parish Councils and then renamed Town councils

Martin Truscott

The more I read about the idea of a Town Council, and that’s what I think it should be if it goes ahead, the more I think the publicity and management of information has been poorly handled. 

I may be wrong but I believe the town council would decide on the tax depending on what it wants to do. This is not being made clear. Can this be confirmed?

Reading about Kippax Parish Council there have been some good initiatives; currently developing accessible footpaths around a park and they have a village caretaker as well. As a town council we would have similar things for Garforth. 

If I am reading this right I think that the neighbourhood planning team want resources to be able to better scrutinise and follow up the neighbourhood plan and these maybe constrained with the current setup - is this true? Is this needed?

Anyone can join the neighbourhood forum team but if we had a town council then these members would be elected by residents and it does not follow the neighbourhood team falls into town council places - but they may put themselves forward to be elected. Can this be confirmed?

If we step back and take a moment I think there is positive intent here - but perhaps poorly managed. 

Yes Martin , Any residents who were interested could to join the Garforth Neighbourhood Planning Forum and join the Steering group.. Anyone living in Garforth can put themselves forward for election to a Parish council should one be granted.  

It would be up to a newly formed Parish or Town council to consult the residents of Garforth and their priorities. The precept is set by LCC for the first year and then the parish or town council take over that role. There are national constraints on the precept.

Yes the GNPF now that the plan has been passed do not have any access to funding for anything including  Publicity. 

Responding to other comments made to this post;  We are not scrutinising  individual housing applications.  This is not about having resources to review planning applications, for potential benefits  and opportunities please see the website. These range  from strategic initiatives  eg being able to reset our boundary to organising and running community events . See Kippax Parish council website for more information about what our neighbours do.

Matthew Newsome

I note the Q&A has been updated, although perhaps a shame this wasn’t communicated it was live and timestamped 

A lot of us have asked who the GNPF are, and I think the generic response of “GNPF Steering group information has always been available to the public and can be found now on ” isn’t really what myself and others were asking. A list of Surname and First Initial doesn’t really tell us WHO you are, what connections you have to Garforth, would any members of the group stand in elections, etc

Some constructive feedback would be that the members of the GNPF have clearly put a lot of effort into getting to this stage with website etc; but the execution of engagement has been poor & undermining the work you’ve put in.

One final minor point- I’ve been labelled as ‘Martin’ in the Q&A 

 Matthew please come to the public meeting on Monday 10th August 7.30 pm at the Welfare Hall. WE will explain who we are and the reasons for submitting this application.

 The   Steering group members  as the wider Forum members are all relatively long term residents of Garforth. We  have seen the changes and the pressures on all services,   parish/ Town councils work together with their ward councillors for the benefit of their community. All our neighbours are supported by both ward and parish councillors including Swillington and Great& Little Preston who are part of our ward.

 In response to the comments on your posts we are not elected and do not represent Garforth. When the Garforth Neighbourhood Forum was formed in 2014 all  residents could participate.  The Forum was officially designated by LCC along with others in Leeds to produce a Neighbourhood Plan. Which was voted for at a referendum in 2024.   In response to other comments on this post People who work in Garforth are entitled to put their name forward for election can surely be entitled to comment on this proposal . We do not accept the comments made about the Neighbourhood plan referendum  vote about the small % of voters participating . IT was a similar % when compared to other neighbourhood plans  

AI Overview

In Leeds neighbourhood plan referendums, winning plans typically pass with a "Yes" vote ranging from 91% to 96% of those who cast ballots, though voter turnout of the total electorate varies widely (such as 51% in Shadwell and 6.8% in other suburban areas). [1, 2, 3, 4]. Smaller villages  with parish councils always have a greater turnout when compared with Urban areas without Parish councils, due to the difficulty in contacting all their residents.

Admin

What is being proposed?

A Parish Council is the most local level of elected government and exists to represent the interests of the community it serves.

If established, a Garforth Parish Council would:

• Be elected by local residents

• Hold public meetings

• Represent local views

• Be consulted on planning matters and the reasons for the application

• Work alongside Leeds City Council and ward councillors

• Focus mainly on issues affecting Garforth

At this stage, residents are being asked whether they think Garforth should have a Parish Council, and is not a vote for people or parish councillors. 

The consultation is your opportunity to help shape that decision, would be good to have another elected local voice to support the interests of Garforth residents alongside our councillors.

For further information here’s a presentation you can read: 

Jake Dewar

I have been reading more into how this process works, and the conclusion I have come to regarding the outcome is that there is no public vote and that the decision will fall to a Leeds Council committee; if they find it to be favourable, it will be imposed upon Garforth.

Can someone else confirm this?

This is just the first stage in the process,the consultation is seeking resident’s opinion on a possible Parish/town council. If there is sufficient interest then it will go to the next stage where LCC will produce more details including the precept. This will then be taken to a second consultation  and only if there is sufficient interest  will a parish or town council be created. A 

Chris Thwaites

I'm all for local people running things I say yes

Thank you Chris. Yes we are all long standing residents of Garforth who were present when the GNPF used to meet at the Miners' Welfare Hall.

Mark Dobson

My updated thoughts on the proposed Garforth parish/town council.

Whatever your view is, please ensure you take part in this massively important consultation before the 24th of August. I have already provided details on how to do that on this page. 

We have taken advice from LCC and the National Association of Local Government who suggest the number of cllrs based on population size. However this will be decided by LCC.  We are aware  that LCC cannot impose . We have no problems with the boundary being amended although this usually requires another Community Governance Review.

Admin

We appreciate there is a lot of interest and many questions at the moment, and we want to be as open and helpful as we can.

The Garforth Neighbourhood Planning Forum steering group members are all long term residents of Garforth, who do not receive any expenses. The forum has limited resources and time to monitor this Facebook page 24/7. We thank you for your patience.

We are answering your questions in more detail on the website. There is a lot of interest in who the GNPF members are and have provided a link to the names of people involved. All the members live in Garforth and are not motivated by a wish to stand for election as a Parish councillor, but it has become clear that Garforth does not have the same support as other areas with a Parish Council who are represented by both Ward and Parish Councillors. 

Further information can be found in this presentation http://www.garforthnewsletter.co.uk/.../Why-Garforth...

Further information about the formation of the forum can be found on the Welcome and Introduction pages of the Neighbourhood Plan - http://www.garforthnewsletter.co.uk/https-online.../

We have arranged a public meeting in the Welfare Hall on Monday 10th August 7.30pm. Also events on Main St and Tesco to speak with residents, we’ll share further details once known.

Please note this consultation is run by Leeds City and not the forum. The consultation is to seek support of the principle of establishing a Parish Council for Garforth. LCC will provide more details followed by a further consultation later this year before anything is finalised. Forum Members are not affiliated with LCC and we can direct specific question to https://www.leeds.gov.uk/GarforthNPR

https://www.leeds.gov.uk/.../garforth-community...

http://www.garforthnewsletter.co.uk/.../Review-Timetable

Matthew Newsome

One of the questions I feel still needs to be answered by the GNPF, and I hope it will through the Q&A or directly, is how many of the GNPF plan to stand as councillors (or other positions such as treasurer) if the proposal goes ahead?

I note the plan calls for 15 councillors, which seems excessive, and I note there appears to be 15 names on the list of Steering Co members, etc. I feel this is the scepticism others are feeling about the proposal.

Q: Has this been brought forward by Garforth Neighbourhood Planning Forum so that they can evolve into a ‘Parish Council?’

I think most of us have this suspicion; and I feel there was the hope that this would slide through unnoticed and councillors would be elected with a low-turn out to give GNPF legitimacy and access to funding,etc

I would appreciate this being responded to by the GNPF, as I feel it’s an opportunity to quash these fears if this isn’t the case as without doing so I can only see this consultation going one way 

It is a coincidence . Will explain more fully in the answers on the website. Please come to the public meeting on Monday 10th August 7.30 pm at the Welfare hall.

The GNPF has no access to funding since the Neighbourhood Plan was passed in 2023

Dawn Louise Alexanda

I think there are some important distinctions being blurred here.

Asking who is behind the proposal, what it would cost and what benefit it could provide are entirely reasonable questions, and I agree that residents should have access to clear information.

But I think we need to be careful not to turn unanswered questions into conclusions about people’s motives.

Someone having researched the legal process doesn’t necessarily mean they’ve deliberately kept residents in the dark. Likewise, not knowing someone’s motivation doesn’t establish that they have an undisclosed agenda.

Surely the fairest way to approach this is to establish the facts first: who has initiated the proposal, what the proposed parish council would actually be responsible for, what it would cost, what powers it would have, how residents would be consulted and what the existing councillors’ role would be alongside it.

Then residents can decide whether they believe there is a benefit.

I’m not saying people should support the proposal. I’m saying we should be careful about presenting assumptions about motives as established facts.

There are also discussions around the possibility of the number of seats that could be a question …

Why 12 is the Golden Number for a Parish Council

There is currently a debate around how many councillors we should select for Garforth Parish Council. 

When thinking about the ideal number, we can actually look to one of our oldest legal traditions for inspiration: the 12-person jury.

Shared Responsibility: Decisions shouldn't fall on just a few shoulders. Spreading the weight across a larger group ensures collective accountability for our community.

Non-Judgemental Choices: A larger panel naturally dilutes personal biases. It forces a move away from individual agendas and toward fair, balanced outcomes.

Diverse Perspectives: Just like a courtroom, a council works best when it represents a true cross-section of the parish—bringing different backgrounds and life experiences to the table.

Better Debates: A healthy group size encourages thorough discussion, ensuring every angle of an issue is looked at before a vote is cast.

Could there be a question for residents of how many seats are being proposed?

• How many of the proposed councillors are expected to remain volunteers, and how many positions would be paid?

• If councillors receive allowances, what would those allowances be and what would the total annual cost be to residents?

• Would the council employ any paid staff, clerks, administrators or other officers? If so, how many and at what estimated cost?

• What would the total running cost of a 12-member parish council be in year one, and what might residents expect to pay through the precept?

• Would the number of councillors change the cost significantly? For example, what would the estimated cost look like with 7, 9 or 12 councillors?

• What roles and responsibilities would each councillor actually have?

• How much time is expected from councillors, and what proportion of that work is anticipated to be voluntary?

• Would there be expenses, allowances, training costs, meeting costs or other payments in addition to any councillor allowance? 

Please come to the public meeting on Monday 10th August 7.30 pm at the Welfare hall when some of these issues will be addressed. LCC have said that information on precepts etc. would be discussed at a later stage.

We have taken  advice for the National Association  for Local Government and the number of councillors suggested is based on the number of the electorate.

Kippax has 16 Wetherby has 15.  Councillors are all volunteers and do not received any allowances of expenses. There is usually a paid part time clerk.

  We cannot answer your question on estimated costs for an organisation that currently does not exist.

You could look at the Kippax website  and view their   treasurer reports which may give you some idea.

 This will also give you some idea of the roles of councillors within  Kippax council. 

Admin

How do Parish Councils Work? 

Parish Councils operate in thousands of communities across England. 

Councillors are elected by local residents and meetings are normally open to the public, allowing residents to raise their concerns.

Parish Councils work closely with local authorities, community groups and residents.

They are accountable to the communities they serve and publish agendas, minutes and financial information.

Many Parish Councils also maintain websites, communicate regularly with residents and help coordinate local initiatives.

Every Parish Council reflects the needs and priorities of its own community.

Kippax Parish Council was formed in 2004. Along with Gildersome it is one of the more recently formed parish councils in Leeds. 

Kippax Parish Council has brought significant value to its community since its establishment, spearheading local projects, and providing residents with a direct voice in local affairs. 

Here's the most significant benefits and achievements the council has brought to the community:

[http://www.garforthnewsletter.co.uk/.../benefits-delivered/](https://www.garforthnewsletter.co.uk/.../benefits-delivered/)  

 Response to Aileen Larson: Sue McQuire

Moderator

Yes a Village council is the same as a Parish or Town Council. Great & Little Preston also have a Parish Council. All the communities surrounfing Garforth have parish Councils. Their website will give details of all their activities.

Sue Davies

The more worrying aspect about this proposal is that the council have today confirmed that residents will not be given a vote/ referendum on whether they want a parish council or not .

The council committee will have the final say after the consultation ends. If they decide to approve it then a precept will be added to our already extortionate council tax bills.

There is no democratic process for residents.

Everyone needs to participate in the online consultation or by letter - the major concern here is the hundreds of residents that know nothing about these plans or consultation 

Jake Dewar

Shared a post from The Main Deal Garforth

Admin

LCC have advised us: if, following this consultation there is insufficient interest in creating a Parish Council, then it will go no further. However, if there is sufficient interest in the principle of creating a Parish Council then LCC will undertake further work and provide details. There will then be another consultation on these details. At that stage LCC would provide more information on how they would determine the final outcome. Nothing is finalised by this current consultation.

Matthew Newsome

One of the questions I feel still needs to be answered by the GNPF, and I hope it will through the Q&A or directly, is how many of the GNPF plan to stand as councillors (or other positions such as treasurer) if the proposal goes ahead?

I note the plan calls for 15 councillors, which seems excessive, and I note there appears to be 15 names on the list of Steering Co members, etc. I feel this is the scepticism others are feeling about the proposal.

Q: Has this been brought forward by Garforth Neighbourhood Planning Forum so that they can evolve into a ‘Parish Council?’

I think most of us have this suspicion; and I feel there was the hope that this would slide through unnoticed and councillors would be elected with a low-turn out to give GNPF legitimacy and access to funding,etc

I would appreciate this being responded to by the GNPF, as I feel it’s an opportunity to quash these fears if this isn’t the case as without doing so I can only see this consultation going one way 

We have no plans to stand as councillors should the proposal go ahead. We took advice from the national Association for Local Government who recommend specific numbers of councillors per head of the electoral population.  We will respond in more detail on the website .

 This proposal was not brought forward to evolve into a PC.  There are specific criteria on who can request a Community Governance Review https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2007/28/section/80A    80 P (3)

Admin

Please note questions relating to the Community Governance Review process, potential precepts, assets, powers, governance arrangements, timescales, or any other matters connected with the Council's review should be directed to Leeds City Council rather than be answered by the Forum. This is to ensure that members of the public receive accurate and impartial information from the body responsible for conducting the review.

Our website or facebook group are not affiliated with Leeds City Council. 

Please visit http://www.leeds.gov.uk/.../garforth-community-governance... for official information about the review, details of the consultation process, and information on how to contact Leeds City Council with any queries. 

Martin Truscott

Things appear to be moving along and I don’t know who Sue Mcquire is but thank you for taking the time to answer questions in older posts. 

Sue answered a query on the number of councillors and these are suggested by the council. Then doing some more work and consideration of course we have 3 elected councillors to Leeds City Council which itself is a large body. For the Parish Council to operate it would need more to be able function as a council. Here is advice from Yorkshire Local Council Association. It would seem that we need quite a few!! 

 We have always  used information from the official sources

Admin

Come and see us, we'll be at ...

Sat 1st August Main Street 10-12

Sat 8th August Main st 10-12

Sun 9th August Tesco 10-12

Mon 10th August Welfare Hall 730pm

Sat 15th August Main st 10-12 and Tesco 10-12

Sat 22nd August Tesco 10-12 

Dawn Louise Alexandra

“Can you provide an indicative first-year budget showing exactly how much of the proposed precept would be spent on councillor allowances, how much on a paid clerk/staff, administration and governance, and how much would actually be available for projects and services in Garforth?”

Dawn , these are matters for LCC to provide at a later stage and then there will be another consultation before anything is finally decided. The principle has to be established first.

Abby Liversidge

’m interested in the “No To A Parish Council” campaign because the official Leeds consultation is still open and residents are currently being asked for their views.

I absolutely respect anyone’s right to campaign against a parish council — that’s democracy.

But I would like to understand whether any sitting Garforth & Swillington ward councillors are formally involved in the campaign. If they are, surely it would be helpful for residents to know whether they’re expressing their own political position or claiming to represent the view of Garforth residents as a whole?

The consultation hasn’t concluded, so how do we know that Garforth “doesn’t want one” or “doesn’t need one”?

Shouldn’t residents be given the information and arguments on both sides and then allowed to make their own judgement?

I’m not saying anyone shouldn’t be allowed to say NO. I’m asking whether the people of Garforth should be allowed to decide for themselves.

“Are you participating in or supporting the ‘No To A Parish Council’ campaign in your capacity as a local resident/political party, or as an elected Garforth & Swillington councillor?” 

 Unfortunately we cannot answer this question about who is involved in a ‘No to a Parish Council’ campaign’.

 Further information can be found on the main website  ’https://www.garforthnewsletter.co.uk/ Please come to the public meeting or to one of our smaller events on Main St or at Tesco. Dates are on the Facebook Page

Dawn Louise Alexandra

So maybe of interest as I googled where has Town/parish 

      The complete list is on this LCC website link which explains their role within LCC area https://www.leeds.gov.uk/councillors-and-democracy/parish-and-town-councils

Mark Dobson

A local group of Garforth residents known as the Garforth Neighbourhood Planning Forum ( GNPF) have applied to Leeds City Council to press for a governance review to form a parish or town Council for the area using power’s granted to them under The Local Government and Public Involvement in Health Act 2007.

As leader of Garforth and Swillington Independents, I have been messaged, text’d and emailed with a range of questions which I have tried to categorise and summarise, below.

Just a polite reminder that this is not our project but, nevertheless, as a tried and trusted brand that people trust, residents are coming to us for answers, so I am trying to summarise as fairly and even handedly as possible.

I will post these comments across our social media and I will also share them with the ‘yes’ group and the ‘no’ group again for balance and transparency 

 Q What can you tell us about the GNPF?

A Not a great deal, and I am sure they are motivations are perfectly honourable and admirable. However, as an elected member of the city council I have to offer full disclosure around my personal, prejudicially pecuniary interests, any land/property interests et cetera, so I expect nothing more from an organisation that want to lead the town into a new and very different era and manage a great deal of our money.

Q Is there a need for the parish or town council?

A There could be some benefits, such as maintaining a bigger percentage of any community structure levy (CIL) which is generated but, of course, large amounts of CIL are only generated by volume housebuilding which my party have managed to successfully push back against twice over two decades and will be hoping to do so again when the latest plan is formed to take the city up to 2042.

So the real question is, if the town or parish council were to have a windfall through CIL, what would be the cost to the local community in terms of green space and supporting infrastructure?

Q What functions would a parish or town council take over in the area?

A This remains really unclear. I am worried about this because at the moment we have lots of brilliant community groups who run services, and maintain buildings, on the ground such as Garforth Community Association at The Miners Welfare Hall.

Is there an expectation that the newly formed council would take over these functions? Would they employ staff? Where would their operational base be? How would the money generated through a precept on council tax be managed?

There are so many questions that, and I am speaking now as a member of the Garforth community, I want and need answering.

I working in Wetherby and they have a brilliant Town Council, but it is a complex machine. Is there a strategy to roll out a council in Garforth on similar lines? Have these things been thought through in sufficient detail?

Q The submission from the forum to the local authority say that the council will be non-political. As a leader of a political party, have you any comments on that?

A Yes, I would politely remind the forum that this is not really their decision to make. I think over more than a decade now the party I lead have proved themselves to be effective local operators who put the community first.

So if these proposals find favour with the public and are approved by the local authority we will be fielding candidates at the first opportunity as Garforth and Swillington Independents.

Q Isn’t that contradictory, though, when you have concerns about the formation of a council?

A Not really, look, if we are going to have to have a parish or town council then it has to be run properly, professionally and I would argue that would be by people who have decades of experience in public service locally and who would be able to best navigate the complexities of a Town Council plus, of course, we already have city councillors in the Civic Hall in Leeds. We know, and understand, how things worked. I would objectives would be both realistic and achievable.

Q This will cost people extra money on their council tax bill through a precept. What do you think about that?

A Again, at a time when families and local people are struggling to makes ends meet I do find the timing of all this both interesting and concerning but, nevertheless, if local people have progressed this and local people want it, then I think it will be incumbent upon people like myself to make sure that the money people have to pay is managed properly and transparently. That is a very least we should be looking to achieve.

Q Finally, you are a senior elected member in Leeds and have influence. How will you be using that influence within the local authority to push this either four or against before the council decides whether to progress to the election of town or parish councillors.

A This is a difficult one for me because power is given to you by the people who vote you into office and should not be misused. It is the people of Garforth whose views count, not mine.

Therefore, I think the only fair where will be to see what the consultation brings and what percentage of local people are either for or against what the forum are proposing. I will, however, be making my views and concerns known at any meeting I attend and hopefully at the full council meeting when this is ultimately signed off one way or the other.

As an elected member of Leeds City Council, I see my job to guide, influence, shape policy and support local people. We do not live in a dictatorship so I will not be demanding any outcome one way or the other. That said, I would strongly urge people who are views about this to take part of the consultation before the 24th of August. The views of my party are available on our social media outlets.

 Information about the GPNF can be found on the Welcome and Information pages of the Garforth Neighbourhood Plan. Anyone living in Garforth could become a member of the GNPF and the Steering Group . All meetings have a Declaration Of Interests agenda item  

 The remaining CIL money will be due from the current development and any potential development on the industrial estate. This CIL money is given to the Outer East Committee which includes Cross Gates & Whinmoor, Garforth & Swillington, Kippax and Methley, Temple Newsam. CIL money has to be spent in the ward in which it is generated so the CILmoney from any Garforth development can be spent  anywhere within our ward. Unfortunately there does not seem to be any publicly available  information to show how much has been generated and where it was spent. If Garforth has a Parish Council it would be allocated to the Parish Council. The GNPF do not wish to see any more development   on our Green Belt  good quality agricultural land nor on any of our Green Spaces so it is not a motivation to establish a Parish Council

WE cannot answer any questions about functions as this will be decided by LCC at a later date and before any final decision is taken.  Further information about the role , functions and finances  is available on all the Parish/town council websites within Leeds.

 This will be a decision for LCC.  . After this consultation if sufficient interest is shown the LCC will then produce some more detailed information . This then will be put to another consultation later in the year when residents can have a final say. No decisions have been taken  at the moment.

 We recognise that political parties are entitles to submit names to be put forward for election. We would hope that  decisions taken by the parish councillors would be for the benefit of Garforth rather than  on behalf of a political party

 Most Parish   councils have been established since 1894. Garforth had one until the early 1900s when the Garforth Urban District Council was formed which consisted of Garforth, Kippax and Allerton Bywater. Under the reorganisation of local governments We were all taken into Leeds. In 1998 Allerton Bywater requested and were granted a Parish Council followed by Kippax in 2004.

Advice and support will be  available from the Yorkshire Local Councils Association

The  current average precept across Leeds is less than  £1 a week based on a band D house. People who do not pay council tax do not pay a precept. Given the number of houses in Garforth  around 6,000 this could raise a considerable sum which could be spent for the benefit of Garforth and residents.

 All Parish/town councils work together with their ward councillors for the benefit of their communities. Our councillors work with the Swillington Village council and the Great& Little Preston  Parish Councils. A Garforth Parish council would not be any different.

Dawn Louise Alexandra

Can you provide an indicative first-year budget showing exactly how much of the proposed precept would be spent on councillor allowances, how much on a paid clerk/staff, administration and governance, and how much would actually be available for projects and services in Garforth?”

Dawn , these are matters for LCC to provide at a later stage and then there will be another consultation before anything is finally decided. The principle has to be established first. 

Parish Councillors do not receive any allowance or expenses. They differ from the LCC ward councillors.  LCC have said that we could not speculate about any financial expenditure or services. All the other Perish/ town councils provide this information on their websites

3/8

Claire Howcraft

After discussion with a family member that is a town planner not just within the local area but country wide to clarify how she has interacted and dealt with parish councils.

My thoughts are

I do not support the creation of a Garforth Parish Council. Looking at the size of Garforth I am not sure we would be able to be a parish council but would have to be a town council. Before introducing another layer of local government, there should be clear, objective evidence that it would deliver tangible benefits to residents that cannot already be achieved through existing arrangements. I have not seen such evidence.

My concern is that a Parish Council would create additional bureaucracy, increase public expenditure and risk duplicating the responsibilities of Leeds City Council, without providing meaningful improvements to local services. The current ward councillors are visible, engaged and effective in representing residents from all parts of the community, including those from lower-income backgrounds whose voices are often overlooked. Rather than creating a new tier of governance, resources should be directed towards supporting and improving the services that already exist.

Decisions of this significance should reflect the interests of the whole community, not dissatisfaction with individual councillors or short-term political disagreements. Any change should only proceed if there is compelling evidence that it would provide a clear, long-term benefit for all residents. At present, I do not believe that case has been made. 

To find out more please come to one of our events listed at the top of this page, if this is not an option please look at the website https://www.garforthnewsletter.co.uk/

 Claire the population size is not important , the name reflects the area. A parish council once formed can change to a Town council. The role of parish councillors is different from ward councillors ( see explanation on our website )

 There are 31 parish/town councils supported by LCC https://www.leeds.gov.uk/councillors-and-democracy/parish-and-town-councils/parish-and-town-council-charter

  Parish/ town councils hold monthly meetings in their area which are open to their residents ( and ward councillors ) who can then discuss the issues affecting the community. They focus solely on their community.

laire , we are not dissatisfied with our Ward Councillors, we recognise the valuable role that they play. Parish or Town counclis work together with ward councillors for the benefit of their communities.  https://www.leeds.gov.uk/council.../parish-and-town-councils  please come to the public meeting on Monday 10th August 7.30 pm in the Welfare hall

 We submitted the application to create a parish council, this was then passed to the planning and legal services who considered that the application met all the necessary criteria to  proceed to a Community Governance Review. In this first stage LCC are seeking to establish the interest from residents before taken to the second stage

 For more information  please come to the public meeting on Monday 10th August 7.30 pm in the Welfare hall

Responding to the comments on this post : Richard, Ward Councillors and parish councillors have different roles see our website for further information. Ian the average precept in Leeds is less than £1 a week for a band D house. LCC set the first precept. If you do not pay council tax you do not pay a precept. If you consider the number of houses in Garforth this could provide a substantial amount  to be spent solely  for the benefit of Garforth

3/8

ADMIN

FAQ page has been updated over the weekend - https://www.garforthnewsletter.co.uk/parish.../fa-qs/, thank you for your questions and we hope to see you next monday at the public meeting (7.30pm welfare hall)

 In response to the comment on this post Please see further detail which will be posted on the website FAQ.

 The welcome and information pages of the Neighbourhood plan explain the formation of the Garforth Neighbourhood Planning Forum. WE went through  the LCC process along with several other communities in Leeds and were officially granted a ‘designation’ status to produce a Neighbourhood Plan for Garforth. Parish councils had this as an automatic right. Please come to the public meeting on Monday 10th August 7.30 pm at the Welfare Hall

Anomyous 

As the Garforth ward councillors have expressed an interest in potentially seeking seats on any future Parish or Town Council, could this provide an opportunity for open and constructive discussion about how both bodies might work together?

These questions are for residents, those proposing a Parish/Town Council, and existing ward councillors.

Q1.

Should a Parish or Town Council act as an independent local voice, or should it broadly reflect the existing political representation at Leeds City Council level?

In many areas, parish and town councils work effectively alongside ward councillors while remaining separate bodies, with each having distinct roles and responsibilities.

Different models exist:

Working alongside each other (often a common approach)

* Ward councillors continue representing residents at Leeds City Council.

* Parish or town councillors focus on very local issues, projects and community priorities.

* Both bodies communicate regularly, share information and work together where appropriate, while remaining accountable to residents in their respective roles.

This can provide good communication, local representation and clear accountability.

Dual roles (sometimes called “dual-hatting”)

* A ward councillor may also stand for election to a parish or town council.

* This can improve communication between councils.

* Some residents may feel this strengthens links, while others may feel it is important for a parish council to maintain a distinct and independent voice.

Attending meetings without holding a seat

* Ward councillors may attend parish council meetings, provide updates and work collaboratively without being members of the parish council itself.

A possible balanced approach could include:

* An independently elected Parish or Town Council made up primarily of local residents.

* Regular communication and partnership between the Parish/Town Council and ward councillors.

* Any ward councillor wishing to sit on the Parish/Town Council standing for election in the same way as any other resident.

Q2.

If a Garforth Parish or Town Council is established, would those proposing it be committed to working collaboratively with the existing Garforth ward councillors for the benefit of the community?

Would they welcome regular communication and partnership while respecting the separate roles and responsibilities of each council?

Q3.

Would this approach help preserve the independence of a Parish or Town Council while ensuring strong links with Leeds City Council?

Q4.

If a Parish or Town Council is established following this consultation, would Garforth ward councillors commit to working constructively alongside it for the benefit and wellbeing of the Garforth community, regardless of whether they personally supported its creation? 

Commenting has been turned off for this post.

  Question 1   There are established criteria on who can stand as a Paris councillor. The roles of  Ward and parish councillors are different.

 Question 2 ,3 & 4   LCC has produced  a charter for  Parish and Town councillors.

https://www.leeds.gov.uk/councillors-and-democracy/parish-and-town-councils/parish-and-town-council-charter

anononyous

On looking at the answers given by proposed parish councils I came across I think more questions within the answer.

The remaining CIL money will be due from the current development and any potential development on the industrial estate. This CIL money is given to the Outer East Committee which includes Cross Gates & Whinmoor, Garforth & Swillington, Kippax and Methley, Temple Newsam. CIL mooney has to be spent in the ward in which it is generated so the CILmoney from any Garforth development can be spent anywhere within our ward. 

Unfortunately there does not seem to be any publicly available information to show how much has been generated and where it was spent. 

If Garforth has a Parish Council it would be allocated to the Parish Council. 

The GNPF do not wish to see any more development on our Green Belt good quality agricultural land nor on any of our Green Spaces so it is not a motivation to establish a Parish Council.

• How much CIL has been generated from Garforth developments?

• How much has been allocated?

• Where it has been spent; and

• What funding, if any, remains available- if there is any ,where/ how are your plans as to how it will be spent? 

“If this information is not currently published in an accessible format, would it be possible to make it available for residents?”

Who do we need to ask LCC, Garforth ward councillors? 

 Responding to a comment on this post   If you look at the Welcome and Information of the Garforth Plan it will give you information of how the Planning forum was instigated. Which can be found on 

 https://www.garforthnewsletter.co.uk/

 We are all residents and  volunteers who care about Garforth

4/8

Dawn Louise Alexanda

It would appear that a “Dawn” has been named as the anonymous source on another page.

If you are saying it is me, then I’m happy to take that if it means you’re leaving someone else out of it.

Throughout my posts I believe I’ve been transparent, asking questions from both sides and looking at the proposal from different angles.

The reason I came onto this page was because of the tone within it. I simply tried to bring in healthy discussion, whatever your view is on the proposal. Unfortunately, that now seems to have been replaced by arrows being fired at individuals, which takes away from the actual discussion.

In my observation there have been many posts and comments from people with no profile pictures or accounts that could be fake. They were never questioned or asked to verify who they were, which creates grey areas depending on the narrative being discussed.

I don’t feel the need to hide behind anything. People who know me well enough already know that.

What I do believe is that some of the posts contained good information, and it’s a shame the focus has now moved away from that.

So, if I have been named but not shamed, what I will do is bring this back to the discussion which is what this page should be doing.

Kind regards 

Dawn 

  LCC have said that the consultation is not limited to people living in the area.

The principal council must consult the following—

(a)the local government electors for the area under review;

(b)any other person or body (including a local authority) which appears to the principal council to have an interest in the review.

https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2007/28/section/93

 They also told us that they do not  consider social media comments 

 This an open Facebook page and all questions are valid ( unless , however there are some that we cannot answer  until when or if LCC progresses this application   

admin

A Stronger Local Voice For Garforth

Many neighbouring communities — like Kippax, Aberford and Swillington — already have Parish Councils. These councils sit alongside ward councillors, not instead of them, and give residents an extra, dedicated voice focused entirely on their local area.

A Parish Council can:

• Raise and spend its own local budget (the parish precept)
• Fund community projects such as benches, planters, events and grants
• Employ local caretakers or contractors
• Represent Garforth’s views in planning and development decisions
• Work directly with Leeds City Council and other organisations to improve local services

Ward councillors play an important role within Leeds City Council — representing residents and lobbying for improvements — but they don’t have the same powers or funding to deliver projects directly.

Creating a Parish Council would mean Garforth has both:

 Ward councillors to represent us city‑wide

 A Parish Council to act locally, with its own resources and community focus

The current consultation gives residents the chance to decide whether Garforth should have this additional voice and the ability to shape its own future.

LCC have informed GNPF the consultation is not limited to those living in the area, the council must consult "any other person or body which appears to the principal council to have an interest in the review." This is not limited, and therefore anyone who wishes to respond to the consultation has a right to have their representation considered. When evaluating the responses, LCC consider both the content of representations and the degree to which respondents are affected by the proposals.

(www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2007/28/section/93)

legislation.gov.uk

Local Government and Public Involvement in Health Act 2007

 ·

Responding to the comments on this post : Steven all our neighbours have parish councils, Aberford, Allerton Bywater, Barwick, Great & Little Preston, Kippax, Micklefield and Swillington.

 Parish councillors are not an alternative to Ward Councillors, they have different roles. Leeds has 31 Parish/town councils which they support  see https://www.leeds.gov.uk/councillors-and-democracy/parish-and-town-councils/parish-and-town-council-charter

 Parish Councils hold monthly meeting in their area which are open to residents to   voice their issues in their community. Parish councils focus solely on their community.

Ward councillors do not have the same funding or powers to deliver specific projects .

 Specific details on responsibilities would be  decided by LCC

admin

Supporting Local Priorities

Every community has priorities that matter to local residents. These may include:

• Green spaces & green belt

• Community facilities & local events

• Support for local businesses & community groups

• Housing, development and the local environment

A Parish Council provides another elected local voice, alongside our councillors, through which priorities can be discussed and decisions made openly and transparently.

We cannot say what benefits the parish council will bring because that will be up to the Garforth residents who become parish councillors. But what we can do is look at our neighbours in Kippax as an example and see what their Parish Council is doing for them. Follow this link for a list of 20 of their achievements

[http://www.garforthnewsletter.co.uk/.../benefits-delivered/](https://garforthplan.us7.list-manage.com/track/click...)

Leeds City Council’s consultation on the Forum’s application to create a Parish Council for Garforth is underway. This consultation closes on Monday August 24. We urge you to take part in the LCC Survey by clicking on the link below. Every member of your household can complete the survey.

[http://www.leeds.gov.uk/.../garforth-community-governance...](https://garforthplan.us7.list-manage.com/track/click...)

LCC have approved some guidance that we created on completing the survey. It can be found here

[http://www.garforthnewsletter.co.uk/.../additional.../](https://garforthplan.us7.list-manage.com/track/click...)  

Responding to comments on this post: Nigel this page does not have to be inpartial  as   it is not a LCC Facebook page.   Leeds supports 31Parish/Town councils   https://www.leeds.gov.uk/councillors-and-democracy/parish-and-town-councils/parish-and-town-council-charter

 All our neighbours have Parish councils Aberford, Allerton Bywater, Barwick, Great & Little Preston, Kippax, Micklefield and Swillington. 

 Susan, your question would have to be directed to the Kippax Parish Council.

Ian Shaw

Unfortunately your post is incomplete. We can only talk about the benefits that other Parish Councils have brought to their communities. For that information see their websites. To find out more Please come to the public meeting on Monday 10th August 7.30 pm at the Welfare Hall