Community Governance Review in the Vale of White Horse 2026

District councils are responsible for reviewing parish arrangements and implementing any appropriate changes with the aim to improve local democracy and service delivery. 

The guidance on community governance reviews (CGRs) issued by the Department of Communities and Local Government and the Local Government Boundary Commission for England in March 2010 states that it is good practice for principal councils (in this context that means this council) to undertake CGRs every 10-15 years. The council completed a review of the whole district in 2014. Reviews were subsequently undertaken and changes were implemented at the scheduled elections in May 2015, May 2019 and May 2023. Any changes agreed as part of this review will be implemented for the elections in May 2027.

The council’s Community Governance and Electoral Issues Committee considered three requests at its meeting on 12 March 2026 and agreed to review those matters set out under proposals for consideration. 

Reviews can consider:

• altering the existing boundary of a parish
• creating, merging or abolishing parishes
• changing the name of existing parishes
• the electoral arrangements for parishes (e.g. how many councillors are required and parish warding)
• grouping parishes under a common parish council, or de-grouping parishes.

Once the survey closes, we will collate all feedback received and produce a summary report. The report will be presented to the council's Community Governance and Electoral Issues Committee, which will consider the responses and then put forward draft proposals for further consultation later this year.

Following a second consultation, the Committee will consider responses and agree whether or not to implement the proposed changes. We expect to carry out the second consultation in the summer of 2026, with the Committee meeting shortly afterwards to make their decisions. We are aiming to implement any changes agreed so that they can be applied in time for the May 2027 elections. More information is available on our website: whitehorsedc.gov.uk/community-governance-review.

If you are responding as an individual/member of the public, you are not required to provide your name or contact details.

If you are responding on behalf of a business/organisation or neighbouring local authority, we will ask for its name and this information may be published. Any personal information you provide to the council within your comments that could identify you will not be published.  Further information on data protection is available in our privacy policy.