The Garforth Neighbourhood Planning Forum has recently applied, on the 17th June, for a community governance review to create a new parish council for Garforth.
Currently a consultation, run by Leeds City Council’s Community Governance Committee, is underway regarding the opinions of residents about whether they support the formation of a new parish council, what they would like it to look like, and areas that they would wish to be improved in Garforth. This consultation has been open since the 20th July and will be open until 24th August 2026.
The consultation survey can be found here.
The consultation submissions will be examined by the council from the 25th August- 22nd September.
At this point, there is no definite confirmation about whether or not there will be a Parish council, but if there is, local elections will go ahead in May 2027.
The Garforth Neighbourhood Planning Forum have created a Facebook group to answer questions surrounding the formation of a new parish council. You can find it here.
So, how much would it cost?
According to the planning forum, the cost/precept per year is based on council tax banding. If you do not pay council tax, there is no charge. Here is some information about how much it costs annually per parish council.
So, who is part of the Neighbourhood Planning Forum?
Information about who is in the steering group for the forum is publicly available online.
You can find out more here, including the identities of those in the writing and working groups.
So, what would a parish council do?
On the original proposal document, the forum stated that a Garforth Parish Council would be non-political and work in collaboration with elected ward councillors.
On the documentation, it also states that ‘Having taken advice from the Yorkshire Local Government Association, it is understood that Leeds City Council will assist in the allocation of wards, setting precepts and determining what services will be passed to the responsibility of a new Parish Council.
The boundary of the proposed parish includes the majority of the area known as Garforth which is not covered by any neighbouring Parish Councils.’
There were also suggestions that the organisation of a Garforth Parish Council could be similar to that of Kippax’s, with three wards and 15 councillors. The three wards would be West Garforth, Moor/Church Garforth and East Garforth.
More information can be found about the application here.
The parish councillors would not be paid allowances or claim expenses. There would be a paid clerk who would work part-time.
A little bit of context…
The forum was established in 2013, after a Leeds City Council Issues and Options consultation, and under recommendation by a then councillor and local MP. Under the Localism Act (2011), any local community without a parish council could form a Neighbourhood Planning Forum to help find out ways to improve the local area. A steering group was decided soon after the forum was established and designation was granted in 2014.
The forum worked for eight years to create a Neighbourhood Plan. It covers the forum’s vision and objectives for the future of Garforth, and issues surrounding the areas of housing, employment, transport, green spaces, community, education and health. You can read the whole document here. This document has been passed at a referendum by Leeds City Council.
Kippax (since 2004), Allerton Bywater (since 1998), Aberford (since 1894), Barwick (since 1894), Great and Little Preston (since 1894), Micklefield (since 1894) and Swillington (since 1894) have had Parish Council status.
So, what’s next?
On the 10th August, at 7.30pm, at the Garforth Welfare Hall, LS25 1AA, there will be a public meeting informing citizens of Garforth about the consultation and any future plans.
Pictures are courtesy of Garforth Newsletter.
Leave a Reply