Have your say in the Community Governance Review Consultation

Posted 10 months ago in West Northamptonshire Council

Residents, parishes, and businesses in West Northants are invited to actively participate in shaping future electoral and governance arrangements for parishes within the area via the West Northamptonshire Council’s (WNC) consultation hub before midnight on Wednesday, 31 January. 

West Northamptonshire Council (WNC) launched the Stage One consultation for the Community Governance Review in November 2023  to seek views and proposals from residents, parishes, and stakeholders regarding existing parish boundaries, numbers of parish councillors, and potential changes to parishes.  

Responses to the consultation could include abolishing, renaming or combining existing parishes, or creating new ones.  Proposals for change should seek to reflect local communities.   

Before starting the consultation, the Council sought requests from parishes that wanted to make certain changes to their parish arrangements. The outcome of this pre-review consultation, in addition to the recently concluded Local Government Boundary Review of West Northants Council wards, has determined the identified parish areas for inclusion in this consultation. 

Councillor Jonathan Nunn, the Leader of West Northamptonshire Council, said: “Parish councils can provide a formal local government voice for their residents, and services for local people such as clubs for youth, elderly, parents, sports & leisure facilities, libraries, additional care for the local environment, and much more. So the Community Governance Review is more than a process—it's an invitation for you to bring positive change to your local community by getting involved in shaping the future of West Northamptonshire. 

“ Your input will contribute to building local parish and town council arrangements that best reflect your local community and that will stand the test of time.”  

Proposals from the Stage One consultation will be refined through the Stage Two consultation launching in April 2024. 

New parish arrangements resulting from this review will take effect at the May 2025 local elections, providing long-term benefits for the community and ensuring an efficient and representative governance structure. 

For more information, please visit the Community Governance Review webpage.  

Residents can submit their feedback online or request a paper form by contacting cgrconsultation@westnorthants.gov.uk. 

Contact Information

West Northamptonshire Council Communications Team

communications@westnorthants.gov.uk