Is it permissable to increase your number of Councillors?

Question

Is there any mechanism for increasing the number of Councillors on a Parish Council? My PC have been operating with 7 Councillors, probably since the beginning of time. A casual vacancy arose and Councillors are considering two good candidates for co-option. Some have said they are uncomfortable in having to turn one of them down and have asked if we could increase from 7 to 8. Is that possible?

Answer 1

I think I am right in saying that the number of councillors is set by statute and under the control of the controlling authority. Whilst the PC has no power to change this number it can apply to change the number of councillors it accommodates by application to the LA. though it is unlikely to meet with approval. The number cannot be varied over the set number even to accommodate a willing co-optee and a council must make all endeavours to fill the allotted numbers.

Comments

The principal authority can change the number by a governance review, normally triggered by a petition. They should take into account the number of electors represented by a Cllr, typically about 2,500, and the number needed to ensure the Parish Council can be quorate.

Answer 2

Yes, via a governance review carried out by a Principal Authority, if the review recommends that more are needed.  Such a  review can be triggered by a Petition to the Principal Authority.

Comments

Can  a reduction be similarly triggered in this way? We seem to have inherited a large number (22) from a previous Rural District Council era which they can never seem to fill. This last time around led to the loss of GPC  and I hear rumours that they want to reduce the numbers

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Yes, the governance review can determine if there is a case for reducing the number of members, and issue an order to that effect. It would be desirable to provide evidence of some benefits of the reduction, for example the amount of time wasted in dealing with co options, reduction in the cost of IT eqpt or printing costs, scope for using smaller meeting rooms etc.

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Thank-you Mentorman and Graeme_r  for your helpful replies.