A COUNCIL chief has not seen a “compelling case” for a High Wycombe town council – as a petition is launched by residents to create parish councils in an area of Wycombe.

Wycombe District Council Leader Cllr Richard Scott told Full Council last night that he did not believe creating a town council, which could potentially see a rise in council tax for town residents, had any merits.

Cllr Trevor Snaith, who has been leading the call for a town council, asked the leader if he believed WDC should support a new Government initiative to encourage the creation of parish and town councils.

Cllr Scott said: “High Wycombe has a significant voice through its 24 members on this council and through the High Wycombe Town Committee.

“I am yet to see a compelling case...I do not believe it would be in the interest of town residents to offer a solution that would increase council tax.”

The Marlow-based Conservative added he was “puzzled” by Cllr Snaith’s proposal for a town council given his Liberal Democrat colleague Cllr Julia Wassell was spearheading a petition to set up separate parish councils in the Bowerdean, Micklefield and Totteridge areas of the town.

Cllr Wassell told the BFP that residents were in fact leading the scheme, with each proposed parish requiring 250 signatures from registered voters before it could be taken to WDC to spark an official review.

She added that she was unsure of the benefits of a town council - given many of the unparished wards were miles from the town centre - but she believes WDC is “past its sell by date” and a unitary authority is needed.

Cllr Wassell said: “I have spoken previously about the need for parish councils, there’s a national programme to create more.

“My view is that it’s power to the people, they should decide and I hope these residents – and the example set by the Daws Hill Neighbourhood Forum – will inspire others to take an interest and get involved.

“But clearly something has to give because the Town Committee is useless and I also believe there should be a unitary authority and then parish councils, as the district council is past its sell by date.”

Email yesparish@aol.com for more information about the petition to set up parish councils in Bowerdean, Micklefield and Totteridge.