Petition for Community Governance Review for Market Harborough

We are deeply disappointed by Harborough District Council’s decision not to pursue a Community Governance Review (CGR) and explore the formation of a Town Council for Market Harborough. This decision is a setback for all of us who seek improved local representation and transparent governance.

Commitment to Neighbourhood Planning and Local Leadership

Over the past three years, our four Neighbourhood Forums have engaged with residents and stakeholders throughout Market Harborough. We are committed to completing our Neighbourhood Plans, which aim to guide and mitigate the impact of future developments in our town. It is evident that there is growing support for the establishment of a town council or similar democratic body to ensure strong, community-led leadership and provide Market Harborough with a stronger voice in shaping its future direction and priorities.

Urgent Need for a Community Governance Review

We firmly believe that a review should be conducted prior to impending local government reorganisation, which will see Harborough District Council absorbed into a larger unitary authority, further diluting Market Harborough’s influence over local matters.

Initiating a Petition

If we collect a minimum of 1600 signatures from Market Harborough residents that are on the electoral role, a Community Governance Review will take place to explore all the options for Market Harborough, including the formation of a Town Council. We urge all residents who care about Market Harborough’s future to sign and share the petition by Tuesday 25th November, ensuring that our collective voice is heard. The more signatures we get, the stronger our case and your signature could be the one that gets us over the line!

Thank you for your support. Our petition has now closed and will be submitted to Harborough District Council on 28th November.

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Petition Progress

Progress is updated every 15 minutes.

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Some Background

Why does Market Harborough need a Town Council, or similar democratic body?

Some of the reasons are:

• Local representation when a new unitary authority is formed. Proposals for a new unitary authority are already well-formed with two likely options, a North, City, South option proposed by the District Councils and a Single County option proposed by Leicestershire County Council.
• Assets of Community Value including parks, children’s play areas, street services, allotments and buildings could be transferred to the new council.
• Local management of parks and open spaces, cemetery, leisure centre, market, theatre, community centres, museum, car parks, youth services and town centre events.
• A town council or similar body can access Section 106 (developer contributions) and other grant funding to deliver local projects and improvements. With all the development in the town, there is money available, but there is no local body representing Market Harborough that can apply.
• We need a body with formal consultation on planning matters and that could oversee future neighbourhood plans that determine the types and design of development in our town.

FAQs

Doesn’t Market Harborough already have a Town Council?

No. When Harborough District Council (HDC) was established in 1974 under the Local Government Act, it was agreed that the new HDC offices would be sited in Market Harborough. At the same time, it was decided that Market Harborough did not need its own Town Council, and being a town, it did not need any Parish Councils. Technically we have therefore been ‘unparished’ since that time. So, whilst we do have 9 District Councillors elected for the 4 wards in Market Harborough, they sit on the District Council, and all decisions they make must take the good of the whole district into account. Equally, any decisions relating specifically to the town are voted on by all 33 District Councillors. The result is that there is no body with the interests solely of the town as its focus.

What about the Special Expenses Advisory Panel?

There is a Market Harborough Special Expenses Advisory Panel but the clue is in the name. It is only an “advisory” panel and cannot actually make decisions. Those decisions concerning Market Harborough are still ultimately made by the full council, which includes Councillors from outside Market Harborough.

The special expenses panel cannot itself apply for grants (e.g. section 106, community grant fund etc) to deliver improvements (e.g. to parks, community facilities etc). A town council or similar body could do this.

Would a Town Council be responsible for things?

Yes, it would. The point of a review is to determine what and how things might be transferred to a new body. Many residents will see local management of parks, open spaces and community facilities as a good thing, rather than a burden. Perhaps our community centre in Roman Way would not have been sold off if it was owned/managed by a local body?

Will there be ongoing costs?

Yes. Things like management of parks, toilets etc would have ongoing costs, but much of this is already covered by the “Special Expenses” that Market Harborough residents already pay through their council tax. Similar would apply to a new body, which would charge a precept to replace the “Special Expenses”. There may also be opportunity to reduce costs by changing things and involving the community/voluntary sector.

Will the cost (i.e. the Precept) of a Town Council be higher?

We believe that having a Town Council could be cost neutral, but understanding the costs is another reason for undertaking a review.

Will staff with experience & expertise be lost?

The impending change to a unitary authority will combine several existing authorities into one in order to make things more efficient. There will undoubtedly be job losses from this process in whatever scenario, regardless of whether a town council is formed.

The Town Council would indeed need experienced staff. Some of these could be transferred or recruited to the new body. Undertaking a review will help understand this better.

Is this the right time?

There are wider changes happening in local government and options for a new unitary authority that would combine HDC (and other district councils) and LCC are already proposed.

We believe that we need the review NOW, because knowing what your options are BEFORE a big change happens is critical. We also want to ensure that there is community involvement in the process, rather than things being dictated by others outside the town.

Wasn’t there a CGR in 2019 and nobody in Market Harborough wanted a Town Council?

Whilst a CGR did take place in 2019, the terms of reference explicitly excluded the unparished area of Market Harborough. So residents did not have the opportunity to have their say.

Would there be more bureaucracy?

With the change to a unitary authority there would be no more bureaucracy than there is currently. If a town council (or other body) were formed, then in the future we would have:

Government > Unitary Authority > Parish/Town Council

Whereas what we have now in Market Harborough is:

Government > County Council > District Council.

Most parts of the Harborough District already have a Parish or Town Council, so why should Market Harborough be different?

Would a Town Council be involved in planning?

A town council (or similar body) would not be a planning authority and planning decisions would still sit with the district/unitary authority. However, a town council would absolutely get involved in planning in it’s area through being a statutory consultee on planning decisions and being responsible for neighbourhood plans that outline the areas and types of development that would be acceptable in our town.

Will signing the petition mean a Town Council is formed?

All we are asking for is a much needed review at this point. If we get 1600+ signatures, our petition will not automatically create a town council (or similar body), but it will mean HDC MUST undertake a review to look into it.

What are the next steps?

The following is the likely process once the petition ends on 25th November:

• We will undertake an initial validation of the signatures collected.
• The petition will be submitted to HDC by 30 November.
• Once validated HDC must then conduct a community governance review into options for forming a town council.
• HDC will approve the terms of reference for the review at a council meeting on 15th December.
• A consultation process is likely to start in early 2026.
• Final recommendations of the review will be agreed by September 2026.
• Any changes would come into effect and and first elections would be in spring 2027.

Further Reading

A detailed report into the establishment of a Town Council was produced for Harborough Town Hub and is available here.

The Society of Local Council Clerks (SLCC) has also produced guidance on establishing a town council that is available here.