The Mayor and Charter Trustees of Margate have agreed that a plan for a Town Council for Margate should be actively pursued.
They say the formation of an independent Town Council for Margate would mean better direct access to government funds and grants. This could benefit the community by being channelled into local projects and initiatives with a more tangible impact.
If successful, the newly-formed Town Council could provide services around litter, parking, crime prevention and parks and green spaces.
External consultants, Think Studio, have been engaged to help shape the proposal and head up a messaging and awareness campaign, so the wider community sees what the benefit would be for them.
The electorate in CT9 will be asked to have their say on whether plans should be progressed, via an e-petition. If the results show that the majority support the formation of Margate Town Council, then a proposal will be sent to Thanet District Council for consideration.
Margate Mayor, Cllr Mick Tomlinson is backing the initiative. He said: “For those of us that care about the CT9 area, voting ‘yes’ for Margate Town Council could channel much-needed funds to benefit the whole community.”
Gemma Pearson, Project Director at Think Studio, says she wants to focus on transparency of information; “We’re working closely with the Charter Trustees of Margate to ensure that there’s clarity on both the collective and individual benefits for the electorate, so everyone understands the impact of this proposal.”
The steps
To set up your own town or parish council, you’ll need to first give your local authority a petition containing the signatures of at least 7.5% of the local population.
The petition must:
- state exactly what it proposes: creating a parish or town council for a defined area
- contain the signatures of at least 7.5% of local electors, based on the most recent electoral register – you’ll need more signatures for areas with fewer than 2,500 electors
If the petition is valid, the local authority will carry out a ‘community governance review’ to see if a local council should be created. This can take up to 12 months.
Margate held its mayor making ceremony yesterday (May 25) with Mick Tomlinson installed as mayor and Heather Keen as deputy mayor.
