Public asked for views on plans for new town councils

Members of the public are being asked for their views on proposals to create new town councils for Windsor and Maidenhead.

Announcing the consultation this week, Royal Borough of Windsor and Maidenhead (RBWM) Council said the two towns were the authority's only unparished areas.

If approved, the authority said the new town councils could "give communities a stronger voice in local decision-making".

A public consultation on the plans runs until 30 September, with RBWM saying that elections for the new councils could take place in 2028 if approved.

Council leader Simon Werner said the consultation had marked "the start of an important conversation about the future of local democracy in the Royal Borough".

He said the proposals came after "many residents" had "asked us to explore establishing town councils for Windsor and Maidenhead".

Any new town councils would be funded through an additional charge on council tax bills, the council explained.

It said the new authorities could "take on responsibility for local services and assets" as part of the proposals.

As part of the consultation, residents will be asked if they support the creation of new town councils, as well as which local services they feel the new authorities should be responsible for.

They will also be asked what level of annual council tax precept they would be prepared to pay to support the two new town councils.

"Before any decision is taken, it's important that residents have their say – so we can understand whether people support the idea," Werner said.

The proposals follow years of wrangling over the creation of a Windsor town council.

In 2021, the council voted down plans to create the new authority, despite more than 2,000 residents signing a petition in favour.

Windsor Town Council's jurisdiction would have an estimated population of about 34,000 - making it one of the largest authorities of its kind in the country.