Central Eastleigh residents urged to become a local councillor and make a difference
Elections to new councils take place next May
Local residents are being asked if they could represent their neighbourhood as a member of one of the two new parish councils being created for the centre of Eastleigh.
Elections of the first councillors for Eastleigh Parish Council and Boyatt Wood Parish Council will take place in May next year.
A public consultation exercise that ended early this year – part of the community governance review (CGR) - indicated that more than 80 per cent of householders were strongly in favour of more locally focused decision-making.
In February, Councillors approved the creation of the new Boyatt Wood Parish Council for the area north of the railway line and to the east of Twyford Road (excluding Dutton Lane and Barton Road), with the remaining parts of the unparished town centre area forming the separate Eastleigh Parish Council.
In parished areas, householders are represented by elected councillors who are responsible for more tightly drawn local neighbourhoods than the much larger Borough Council wards. This gives residents a greater say in how the budget for local services - such as the maintenance of open spaces, sports facilities and play areas, and the management of allotments, libraries community buildings and cemeteries - is spent.
Anyone who would like to put themselves forward and make a difference in their local area should ideally live or work in the neighbourhood they want to represent. Anyone who would like to know more about becoming a parish councillor should email tracy.predeth@eastleigh.gov.uk .
More information on the election process will be available in the near future - visit www.eastleigh.gov.uk/elections.