A SECOND period of public consultation on proposals to create a town council for Barrow has been launched. 

Draft recommendations suggest the new council would have 21 councillors across 11 wards. 

It would cover the area of the borough – centred on the town of Barrow – that is currently unparished.

Cllr Derek Brook, the borough council's lead member for community, said town and parish councils could 'give communities a local voice'. 

"In our case, it would be a voice that is just for Barrow," he said.

The draft recommendations were put together by borough councillors and council officers following a period of public consultation held as part of the council's community governance review. 

The review was launched to assess local government in the unparished area of the borough.

READ MORE: New details about proposed Barrow Town Council revealed

“The results of the first phase of the review show the majority of people want a town council for Barrow," said Cllr Brook.

“Now we are asking people to comment on the recommendations before they are sent to the borough council for approval later this year.”

The proposals suggest:

  • That the new parish would be named Barrow
  • That the council would be named 'Barrow Town Council' - although this would be decided by the new council itself
  • That the year of election would be 2023 and every four years thereafter
  • That the new parish would comprise the eleven existing borough council wards making up the unparished area of the borough: Walney North; Walney South; Barrow Island; Hindpool; Central; Ormsgill; Parkside; Risedale; Hawcoat; Newbarns; and Roosecote
  • That each of these wards would have two councillors, except for Barrow Island, which would have one

The consultation closes on August 26.

Responses would be considered by the community governance review working group of councillors before being considered by an extraordinary meeting of the borough council in September.

If the final recommendations for a new town council were approved, they would be put to a meeting of the Westmorland and Furness shadow authority in October.

Subject to approval of the shadow authority, a reorganisation order would be made to enable a town council for the unparished area of Barrow to begin operating on April 1, 2023.

People can email cgr@barrowbc.gov.uk to comment on the recommendations or write to: Community Governance Review, Barrow Borough Council, Town Hall, Duke Street, Barrow in Furness, Cumbria, LA14 2LD