Welcome to No To A Parish Councils webpage. No Frills, no opinions other than “No To A Parish Council”, just a simple piece of information for you to read and then make an informed decision on wether you would like to see Garforth co run by a Parish Council. A subject clearly already causing much debate online.
You may, or may not be aware but a small group of individuals recently took it upon themselves without public consultation to apply to Leeds City Council requesting a referendum on wether Garforth should be co run by a Parish Council. The only information currently within the Town of Garforth is via their Facebook page “Proposed Garforth Parish Council Information” and a couple of banners placed around Garforth. You can also visit their website www.garforthnewsletter.co.uk . A tad misleading unfortunately as the only news is solely around defending and promoting their desire to form a Parish Council. This is their right to do so but we also have the equal right to say NO and not have an obligatory additional fee forced upon us to fund the Parish Council. A suggested £48 per household when some families are already struggling to make ends meet.
Above you will see a button “HAVE YOUR SAY” that will link you directly to the LCC page requesting your opinions on the formation of a Parish Council. The only way we can at this stage have a direct say and not be forced to have to go to the latter stages of this lengthy and costly process.
There will be a meeting hosted by the applicants at the Miners Welfare Hall on Monday 10th August at 7.30pm where both for and against residents can hopefully have their questions answered and also have their opinions heard.
Keep coming back, if we feel its right to add any further snippets of information we shall do so but most of the information is available elsewhere. HAVE YOUR SAY
Keep up to date and HAVE YOUR SAY on our Facebook Page https://www.facebook.com/groups/notoaparishcouncil
Statement from our local Councillor Mark Dobson https://www.facebook.com/groups/notoaparishcouncil/permalink/1020775764055336/
Even comments being ‘strangled’ now. Would appear our account has been flagged for admin to approve comments let alone being allowed to post. Lots of other comments on show but ours needs approval. HAVE YOUR SAY if you think this is fair.
Let’s see if we get an approval for our latest post/valild questions ?
Well i think we can 100% confirm if they don’t’ like what you have to say you aren’t allowed a say. Appears they are only allowing anything that sits with their narrative to be allowed to be posted. A few post submitted and none approved, All polite valid comments or questions
Allowed to finally post and immediately denied an opportunity to respond, accused of dare we say bullying ? Merely asked questions and not allowed an opportunity to reply. We aren’t bullying we are asking questions and being blocked because yet again they don’t like the fact that we are questioning their narrative and actions. Quite sad really that this group can’t accept negativity against their actions or that others have differing opinions. Only allowing posts from those that rub their egos the correct way or conform to their wishes and way of thinking.
On the back of last nights meeting at the Welfare Hall
THE CASE FOR EVIDENCE BEFORE ESTABLISHING A GARFORTH PARISH COUNCIL
An Independent Evidence Paper
Prepared for consideration as part of the Leeds City Council Community Governance Review
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Executive Summary
The proposal to establish a Garforth Parish Council raises important questions about local democracy, community identity and the future governance of Garforth. Before creating an additional tier of local government, it is essential that any decision is supported by clear, objective and robust evidence demonstrating that such a change would improve local governance, represent value for money and command broad public confidence.
The statutory question is not whether parish or town councils can be effective elsewhere, but whether establishing one in Garforth would improve effective and convenient local government while reflecting the identities and interests of the local community.
This paper concludes that the evidence currently available is insufficient to reach that conclusion.
Accordingly, Leeds City Council should require substantially more evidence regarding financial sustainability, governance arrangements, public support, service delivery and measurable public benefit before determining whether a Garforth Parish or Town Council should be established.
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1. The Need for Robust Evidence
The creation of a parish council would represent a permanent constitutional change and introduce an additional tier of local government.
Population size or community identity alone should not be regarded as sufficient justification.
The statutory consideration is whether the proposal would improve:
Effective local government;
Convenient local government; and
Community governance.
Any proposal should therefore be supported by clear evidence that the benefits outweigh the financial and administrative implications and that existing arrangements cannot reasonably achieve the same outcomes.
Before creating a permanent new authority, the burden of proof should rest upon demonstrating that existing governance arrangements are inadequate and that a parish council would provide measurable improvements for residents.
At present, that evidence has not been fully demonstrated.
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2. Existing Democratic Representation
Garforth already benefits from representation through:
Three elected Leeds City Councillors;
An MP;
Leeds City Council;
Community Committees;
The Garforth Neighbourhood Plan;
Local voluntary organisations; and
Active community groups and residents’ associations.
Leeds City Council would continue to exercise responsibility for planning, highways, education, housing, adult social care, children’s services, waste collection and all other principal local authority functions regardless of whether a parish council is established.
The proposal therefore creates an additional layer of governance rather than replacing existing governance.
The central question is whether that additional tier would deliver sufficient added value to justify its ongoing cost.
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3. The Financial Case Requires Further Evidence
A new parish council would require an annual council tax precept together with ongoing administrative and governance costs.
At present there is no published:
Business plan;
Confirmed annual budget;
Proposed council tax precept;
Staffing structure;
Service delivery programme;
Asset transfer strategy;
Medium-term financial strategy.
Without this information residents cannot reasonably assess:
The annual cost;
Future council tax increases;
Staffing costs;
Pension liabilities;
Office accommodation;
Election costs;
Insurance;
Legal costs;
Long-term liabilities;
Overall value for money.
A fully costed business plan should therefore be available before any final decision is reached.
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4. Planning Powers
A parish council would become a statutory consultee on planning matters but would not become the planning authority.
Planning applications would continue to be determined by Leeds City Council or, where appropriate, the Planning Inspectorate.
Residents, ward councillors, community groups and statutory consultees already have the ability to make planning representations.
Whilst a parish council could provide coordinated local comments, there is currently limited evidence that its establishment would materially alter planning outcomes.
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5. Community Infrastructure Levy (CIL)
Community Infrastructure Levy (CIL) is often presented as a significant financial advantage of parish status.
However, Garforth already benefits from an adopted Neighbourhood Plan, meaning qualifying neighbourhood CIL receipts can already be received at the higher neighbourhood rate.
Furthermore, any future CIL income depends upon additional development taking place.
In practical terms, substantial CIL receipts are only likely to arise through further housing or commercial development.
Whilst CIL provides funding towards local infrastructure, that same development may increase pressure on:
Schools;
GP surgeries and healthcare;
Roads and transport;
Community facilities;
Public open spaces; and
Existing green infrastructure.
CIL should therefore be viewed primarily as mitigation for the impacts of development rather than as a guaranteed financial benefit in its own right.
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6. Institutional Capacity and Measurable Outcomes
A parish council would create a permanent corporate body capable of:
Employing staff;
Holding assets;
Administering grants;
Managing local projects;
Entering contracts.
These are organisational characteristics.
They are not, in themselves, evidence of improved public outcomes.
Before creating a new authority there should be evidence that residents would experience measurable improvements in:
Service delivery;
Community engagement;
Local responsiveness;
Project delivery;
Value for money.
Without measurable outcomes, organisational change alone cannot justify constitutional change.
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7. Democratic Accountability
Residents already participate in local democracy through:
Local elections;
Public consultations;
Neighbourhood planning;
Community organisations;
Public meetings.
The establishment of additional elected representatives may increase local representation, but it remains necessary to demonstrate how this would improve democratic accountability in practice and whether those benefits justify the associated financial cost.
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8. Governance Considerations
Any new parish council should be designed with strong governance arrangements from the outset.
Important considerations include:
Long-term affordability;
Transparency;
Political balance;
Recruitment of councillors;
Contested elections;
Co-option arrangements;
Administrative costs;
Asset transfers;
Audit and financial resilience.
These issues should be fully evaluated before any final decision is made.
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9. Existing Community Achievement
Garforth has already demonstrated significant community leadership through:
The Garforth Neighbourhood Plan;
Successful community campaigns;
Environmental improvements;
Voluntary projects;
Partnership working;
Regeneration initiatives.
These achievements illustrate that effective community action can be achieved under existing governance arrangements.
Whether a parish council would significantly enhance those successes remains a matter requiring further evidence.
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10. Alternative Approaches
Before establishing a new tier of local government, consideration should also be given to whether similar objectives could be achieved through:
Strengthening Community Committee powers;
Greater local budget delegation;
Enhanced neighbourhood engagement;
Improved partnership working;
Advisory forums;
Participatory budgeting;
Better consultation arrangements.
These alternatives may provide increased local influence without creating a permanent additional council tax precept.
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Conclusion
This paper does not argue that parish or town councils are ineffective or inappropriate in principle. Many parish and town councils across England make valuable contributions to their communities.
However, the statutory test is not whether parish councils can work elsewhere, but whether establishing one in Garforth would improve effective and convenient local government and reflect the identities and interests of the local community.
At present, important questions remain unanswered regarding:
Long-term financial implications;
Governance arrangements;
Service delivery;
Measurable public benefit;
Future council tax precepts;
Value for money; and
The extent of demonstrable public support.
The evidence currently available does not provide a sufficiently robust basis upon which to conclude that the establishment of a Garforth Parish or Town Council would represent the most effective and convenient form of local government for Garforth.
It is therefore recommended that, following consideration of the representations received during the initial consultation, Leeds City Council publishes a second-stage consultation in November explaining that these fundamental questions remain unresolved.
That consultation should set out why the available evidence does not currently support the creation of a Garforth Parish or Town Council and invite representations on a proposal not to establish a parish or town council at this time.
Should compelling new evidence emerge in the future—including a fully developed business case, detailed financial appraisal, comprehensive governance proposals and clear evidence of measurable public benefit—the question of local governance could be reconsidered through a future Community Governance Review.
Until such evidence is available, the most appropriate outcome of the current review would be for Leeds City Council to conclude that the statutory tests have not been sufficiently satisfied and, following the second consultation, to determine not to establish a Garforth Parish or Town Council.
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Recommendations
Leeds City Council is respectfully invited to:
Complete the Community Governance Review in accordance with the statutory tests contained within the Local Government and Public Involvement in Health Act 2007.
Publish a detailed financial appraisal before reaching any final decision.
Require a fully costed three-year business plan.
Publish indicative council tax precepts for each council tax band.
Assess alternative governance models alongside the parish council proposal.
Undertake a second-stage consultation in November explaining why key evidence gaps remain and consulting on a proposal not to establish a Garforth Parish or Town Council.
Keep the position under review should robust new evidence emerge in the future.
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Prepared as an Independent Evidence Paper
Cllr Sarah Field
The Garforth Parish Council Proposal — A Decade in the Making!
What the Historical Record Shows
The current proposal for a Garforth Parish Council is not a recent development—it has a history spanning more than a decade.
Furthermore, the historical record appears to present a timeline that differs from the explanation currently being given for why a parish council is needed.
- January 2015: The Garforth Neighbourhood Planning Forum (GNPF) announced that a new subgroup had been formed to investigate the pros and cons of a Garforth Parish Council. This indicates that the Forum was actively exploring the idea while the Neighbourhood Plan was still in its early stages, with both initiatives running concurrently.
- 2016: The proposal advanced further. Records from the Aberford & District Parish Council in June 2016 specifically mention the “Garforth Forum/proposed new Garforth parish council and changes to parish boundary.” By July 2016, minutes noted that an expression of interest had been received and that a referendum could proceed if 10% of the electorate requested one.
Consequently, work involving a dedicated GNPF subgroup, discussions with neighbouring parish councils, contact with Leeds City Council, boundary reviews, and referendum considerations was already underway back in 2015–16.
The Contradiction in Timelines
The GNPF’s current narrative generally frames the sequence as:
Neighbourhood Plan completed – need to monitor it – need for a Parish Council.
However, the documentary record indicates:
GNPF established – Parish Council Subgroup created – Parish Council proposal pursued – Neighbourhood Plan continued – Plan eventually completed.
The push for a parish council predates the finalisation of the Neighbourhood Plan by several years. In fact, GNPF’s own 2015 materials cited reasons for a parish council that included supporting and funding the Neighbourhood Plan, keeping it active, and maximizing community developer contributions. Therefore, the argument that a parish council is only now necessary because the plan has been completed does not capture the full picture.
A Decade Later — Questions Remain
This raises a straightforward question: If the GNPF was actively pursuing a parish council in 2015 and 2016, why wasn’t the proposal completed then?
Historical records indicate that the proposal was pursued at the time, but ultimately rejected by Leeds City Council. The Neighbourhood Plan process then continued for several more years before finally reaching a referendum in 2023.
This background raises questions regarding the time and effort involved, as well as whether the current justification accurately reflects the true history of the initiative. The available evidence points not to a brand-new idea triggered by the completion of the Neighbourhood Plan, but rather to the revival of a decade-old proposal.
The Core Issue
The debate is not about whether Garforth should or should not have a parish council. Rather, the concern is whether residents are being presented with the complete historical picture.
Because documentary evidence shows that the GNPF was pursuing a parish council while the Neighbourhood Plan was still being developed, the suggestion that the need has only just arisen appears inconsistent with the recorded history.
This is not a new proposal—it is an initiative more than ten years in the making. Residents may reasonably ask why, after being pursued in 2015–16, it was not finalised then, and why today’s explanation differs from the GNPF’s own historical records.
GARFORTH PARISH COUNCIL — TEMPLATE OBJECTION FOR RESIDENTS
For anyone who is opposed to the creation of a Garforth Parish Council and would like to submit a clear, respectful and evidence-based objection, please feel free to copy, paste and adapt the wording below.
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I DO NOT SUPPORT THE CREATION OF A GARFORTH PARISH COUNCIL
If a parish council is established, households within the parish boundary would be required to pay the parish precept as part of their Council Tax bill.
Residents would not have an individual right to opt out of that charge simply because they did not support the creation of the parish council.
For that reason, I believe a decision of this significance should only be taken when residents have been given sufficiently detailed information about the financial and practical implications.
At present, I do not believe enough information has been demonstrated to justify creating an additional tier of local government and local taxation.
Before any final decision is made, I believe residents should be provided with clear and transparent information covering, at a minimum:
• The proposed first-year budget for a Garforth Parish Council
• The likely parish precept for each Council Tax band
• Expected staffing and administration costs
• The proposed cost of employing a parish clerk and any additional staff
• The services and responsibilities the parish council would actually undertake
• Expected operating costs and other anticipated expenditure
• The level of financial reserves the council would seek to maintain
• How future increases in the parish precept would be controlled and scrutinised
• What additional benefits residents would receive in return for the extra taxation
• Clear evidence that establishing a parish council commands sufficient support across the wider Garforth community
I fully respect that some residents support the proposal, and everyone should be entitled to express their view.
However, creating a parish council is not simply about establishing another community organisation.
It would create a statutory local authority with elected councillors, administrative responsibilities, expenditure commitments and the power to raise money through a parish precept added to Council Tax bills.
Once established, individual householders would not be able to decide whether or not they wished to contribute.
I therefore believe the financial implications should be established as clearly as possible before residents are expected to support the proposal.
My objection is not an objection to community involvement or improved local representation.
It is an objection to establishing an additional tax-raising authority without first providing residents with:
• A sufficiently detailed proposed budget
• Realistic expenditure projections
• A likely Council Tax precept
• Clear information about staffing and administration costs
• Clear evidence of the additional services and benefits the new authority would deliver
For those reasons, I do not support the creation of a Garforth Parish Council on the information currently available.
I would ask Leeds City Council to give full consideration to these concerns as part of the Garforth Community Governance Review.
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PLEASE MAKE YOUR OWN VIEW KNOWN
Whether you support or oppose the proposal, please consider submitting your own response to the official Leeds City Council consultation.
This is an important decision for Garforth and residents should be able to make that decision on the basis of clear information, transparency and evidence.
Everyone should have the opportunity to make their voice heard.
PLEASE FEEL FREE TO COPY, PASTE, EDIT AND PERSONALISE THIS OBJECTION BEFORE SUBMITTING IT.