QUOTE (On the edge @ Feb 15 2016, 11:19 AM)
Err no.
The Thatcham 'Town' Council in the days of Berkshire CC was actually Thatcham Parish Council, according to a relative of mine, who was involved, not much more than a resident's association with clothes on! A real parish council concerned only with parish affairs; no grand building schemes, no full time administrative establishment, no running district council services.
Of course, today, we have even more sophisticated representative bodies. The 'BID' for instance? Where does that very influential but unelected local quango fit? It's very existence is indicative of Newbury Town Council's failure to properly represent the town.
Even in other sectors, I know of no other organisation that strives to increase its management layers.
There is probably great merit in having a locally focussed community council. One very much like the original age old concept of the vestry or parish. Doing no more than representing an immediate locality and providing a locust for neighbours to get together and do things themselves. The reason I'd like to see the existing structure abolished is the fear (based on experience) that if we simply 'clipped wings' the same old would simply grow back.
Thatcham Town Council was formed in 1974 - when Berks CC was still going - it had its mayor etc from that time on. It was certainly as User listed it during that period. It is still, of course, a parish council.
Sadly Newbury Town Council was not formed at the same time - or WBC might not have had the same freedom to give freebies to all and sundry developers. Not having a town council meant the district council inherited all the property they are now giving away. Between 1974 and 1995 Newbury itself had no council of any sort.
So for Newbury the history goes:
Lord of the Manor (1080ish) & Sheriff of Berkshire
Lord of the Manor & Berkshire Quarter Sessions (????)
Newbury Corporation (1596) & Berkshire Quarter Sessions
Newbury Borough Council (1836) & Berkshire Quarter Sessions
Newbury Borough Council & Berkshire County Council (1880ish)
Newbury District Council & Berkshire County Council (1974)
Newbury Town Council & West Berkshire District Council (1995 to present)
Always been two tier round here.