A town council should be launched in High Wycombe ahead of the implementation of a new ‘super authority’ in Bucks, according to an opposition politician.

This month the Free Press launched a campaign calling for High Wycombe to finally be given a voice in the form of its own town council.

Liberal Democrat on Wycombe District Council (WDC), Ray Farmer, says High Wycombe should be allocated a town council similar to many other areas in the county, such as Amersham and Marlow.

He called for the council to be established by the time a single-unitary authority is launched in Bucks by May 2020 to ensure High Wycombe is given a voice.

He said: “High Wycombe is the only unparished area of Bucks. Aylesbury town has a town council, Amersham has a town council, Marlow has a town council, so it is just a case of putting in what is right for the people of High Wycombe, so I will support a town council for High Wycombe.

“The way forward is for a town council to come into effect when the unitary authority is implemented.

“I am sure there are people telling you the reasons against, and I think the main one would be the cost of implementing it, but I think it would be worth it.

“You have got to put something in to get what you want out of it.”

For years councillors and residents have called for a council to be launched in the historic market town – with critics slamming the current High Wycombe town committee as a “toothless con”.

The committee is made up of all High Wycombe councillors, which can only advise the council, cabinet and other committees on issues affecting the town.

Last week High Wycombe’s town council dream moved one step closer after it was confirmed a public consultation into the move had been added into ‘super council’ plans.

The government’s approval of a ‘super council’ in Bucks have sparked fresh fears will be left without any form of democracy – as WDC will be scrapped by 2020.

During a meeting of Bucks County Council this morning, councillor for West Wycombe, Darren Hayday, raised the issue to leader, Martin Tett.

He said: “I would like to bring up is the issue of the creation of a High Wycombe town council and also the unparished areas, including the possible creation of parish councils.

“As local members do we have any input behind that?”

Cllr Tett said there are a “variety of options” for local government in High Wycombe – launch a town council, keep the current system, or break the area up into smaller parishes and create parish councils.

He said: “I think there are a variety of options here, it could stay the same as it is, the other options is there could be a town council, the other option is you could look at the geography for that area and break it up into smaller parishes and have different parish councils within that geography.

“I am completely agnostic on which of those is appropriate. It would be appropriate to consult the members for that area and the public in that area and ask their views.”