Sutton residents are reminded that they’ll receive ballot papers and background information through the post next week concerning the proposal for a Town Council.
The consultative postal ballot takes place from 25 June to 16 July 2015 and is part of a wider consultation which has included conferences, round table discussions, feedback from residents, an online questionnaire and area briefings.
The question on the paper will be “Should a Town Council be established for the parliamentary constituency of Sutton Coldfield, within the city of Birmingham?”
All residents eligible to vote will get a ballot paper and information booklet in the post. If these don’t arrive, they should contact the Elections Office on 0121 303 2731.
In deciding how to vote, the Sutton Coldfield electorate – around 76,000 people – will need to weigh up the advantages and disadvantages of a Town Council for Sutton Coldfield.
The results of the ballot will be announced during the week beginning 20 July and will feed into the consultation which will be discussed at Full Council in September.
Further information is available at the Sutton Coldfield community libraries and from birmingham.gov.uk/sutton-coldfield-ballot
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For further media information contact Debbie Harrison 303 4476
Background –
A petition was submitted to Birmingham City Council calling on it ‘to make the necessary provisions for establishing a Sutton Coldfield Town Council for the area designated by the existing Sutton Coldfield Constituency boundaries’.
As the petition had sufficient signatures, the council was required by law to carry out a ‘Community Governance Review’. Over 200 Sutton Coldfield residents responded to this consultation, and the council’s conclusions concerning the proposal for a Town Council are published today (Friday 22 May) – ‘Community Governance Review paper four: Proposal for a Town Council for Sutton Coldfield in Birmingham, the city council’s conclusions May 2015’.
However , the council believes the decision to create a Town Council is an important one for all Sutton Coldfield residents and has therefore decided to go ahead with a consultative ballot from 25 June to 16 July 2015.