A CONSULTATION on whether a village council should be created for Stanwix has received 460 votes in the first round with more than 70 per cent in-favour, but a leading city councillor has said many voted yes "with a caveat."

Carlisle City Council received a petition earlier this year to launch a new village council in the urban area of Stanwix.

The authority set up a working group to consider the proposal, launching a consultation, asking residents of the area whether they would be in favour of the idea.

Responses to the first round of the consultation included: 70.26 per cent in favour, 29.74 per cent against, 43 of 460 respondents did not answer the question.

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Brian Wernham, Cumberland councillor for Stanwix, launched the petition for a village council.

He said: "I’m delighted that over 70 per cent of responses said ‘yes’ to having a Stanwix Village Council. There were 460 responses which has more than you usually get, the response was great.”

Cllr Wernham is disappointed that the council boundary he proposed was not included. The Liberal Democrat councillor hoped to include areas currently part of Stanwix Rural Parish Council.

These areas are: Whiteclosegate, Millcroft, 76 Longlands Road, phase one of the Tarraby View estate, Edderside Drive, Raisbeck Close and Burthholme Avenue.

“The democratic will of the people should be respected, over 70 per cent voted for Stanwix Village Council and I’m going to create another petition for the people left out.”

But Councillor Elizabeth Mallinson said: "There’s a caveat to all of that, people said, because it’s a yes or no question ‘yes’ they’ll agree in principle, but…”

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Cllr Mallinson said comments included residents wanting to know more on if the proposal means “another layer of bureaucracy” as well as the cost to the tax-payer of the village council taking on green spaces and play areas.

The leading member of Carlisle City Council stressed that parish council’s are only able to comment on planning applications and highways issues.

Cllr Mallinson said: “There's a big ground-swell for a Carlisle Town Council. People want that to keep the mayoralty going, they would like the history of the city saved."

Carlisle is set to be governed by the new Cumberland Council by 2023.

Cllr Mallinson said that the "jury's out" on whether a town council can be created if individual areas are parished.

“That should really be up to the new authorities.”

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