A PROPOSAL aimed at giving residents more say in decisions is set to be discussed.

On December 4, a consultation began in Eastleigh to ask residents if they wanted a new parish where they live.

Currently, Eastleigh town is the only location in the borough not to have a parish council, and decisions that would normally be made by parish councillors are mostly made by the Eastleigh Local Area Committee.

If created, it is claimed that the new body would give residents a greater say on how the budget for local services is spent.

Leaflets were handed out in December asking businesses and homeowners for their opinions, with the consultation ending on January 25.

Of the 872 responses, 51 percent voted to create a new single parish to cover the whole unparished area, while 33 percent voted for a new parish council just in their neighbourhood.

A total of 16 percent voted against a new parish council.

But Eastleigh MP Paul Holmes said: “I am not sure what the Liberal Democrats want to achieve by adding a Parish Council to cover Eastleigh.

“What we need is a masterplan to regenerate our town centre and support our local businesses.

“I would rather see the money spent on adding a parish council invested in the town centre for the benefit of residents and businesses.”

Vice chair of Eastleigh Labour Party, Josh Constable, also wrote an article online warning that a new parish would lead to increased costs and suggesting that the borough council should increase opportunities for public participation instead.

Leader of Eastleigh Borough Council, Councillor Keith House, had previously said: “With the threat of much larger ‘unitary councils’ being created, covering a far greater area than existing borough councils and over half a million people, it’s important we keep local decision-making to give residents effective and accountable local representation.”

The consultation is set to be reviewed at a Eastleigh Local Area Committee meeting today.