What is community governance?
In essence, it is the way in which local communities are represented and governed at the local authority level and through the involvement of other statutory and voluntary agencies and community groups and by the efforts of local people themselves. It is also about the way in which individuals and groups within the community are listened to and able to influence decisions that affect them.
What is a town or parish council?
A town or parish council is an elected body made up of local people representing the interests of their community. Learn more about Arlesey Town Council.
Who can undertake a community governance review?
Since 13 February 2008, district councils, unitary county councils, and London borough councils (all principal councils) have had responsibility for undertaking community governance reviews and have been able to decide whether to action the recommendations made in those reviews. In making that decision, they will need to take into account the views of local people. Principal councils are also required to have regard to the guidance on undertaking community governance reviews published jointly by the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities and the Local Government Boundary Commission.
Review the official guidance on community governance reviews from the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities.
What must we take into account when undertaking a community governance review?
We’re required to consider:
- the impact of existing community governance arrangements on community cohesion
- the size, population, and boundaries of any local community or proposed parish or town council
In carrying out a community governance review, we must also consider the wider picture of community governance. This includes taking account of well-established forms of community governance such as local residents' associations and community forums. These can be considered as either alternatives to or stages towards establishing parish or town councils. The guidance indicates that parish and town councils are set apart from these other kinds of governance by the fact that they are a democratically elected tier of local government and can set a budget and possess specific powers.
Who will we consult with?
Before making any recommendations or publishing final proposals, we will take full account of the views of local people. We will comply with statutory consultative requirements by:
- consulting local government electors within the area under review
- consulting any other person or body (including a local authority) which appears to us to have an interest in the community governance review
- taking into account any representations received in connection with the community governance review
Is there a difference between a town council and a parish council?
No, they both have the same statutory powers and can provide the same services. The only differences are that a town council has decided that it should be known as a town council instead of a parish council, and a town council usually has a mayor. Since 2007, the alternative terms community, neighbourhood, or village council can also be adopted, but there is no difference in their powers.
Number of councillors
The size of a parish council (the number of councillors who are elected to it) varies significantly. The minimum number of parish councillors allowed is five, but there is no upper limit. Each parish should be considered on its own merits, having regard to its population, geography, and the pattern of communities.
When considering the electoral arrangements for a parish, whether it is divided into wards (“warded”) or not, we must also consider any change in the number or distribution of the electors which is likely to occur in the next 5 years. The most recent electoral register is used to gain an accurate figure for the existing electorate. Planning assumptions and likely growth within the area, based on planning permissions granted or, where they are in place, local plans have then been used to project an accurate five-year electorate forecast. This will ensure that the review does not simply reflect a single moment, but takes account of expected population movements in the short-to-medium term. We will provide information on electorates and forecast changes at the start of the consultation period.
The Local Government Boundary Commission’s community governance review guidance states:
156. In considering the issue of council size, the LGBCE is of the view that each area should be considered on its own merits, having regard to its population, geography, and the pattern of communities. Nevertheless, having regard to the current powers of parish councils, it should consider the broad pattern of existing council sizes. This pattern appears to have stood the test of time and, in the absence of evidence to the contrary, to have provided for effective and convenient local government.
157. Principal councils should also bear in mind that the conduct of parish council business does not usually require a large body of councillors. In addition, historically many parish councils, particularly smaller ones, have found difficulty in attracting sufficient candidates to stand for election. This has led to uncontested elections and/or a need to co-opt members in order to fill vacancies. However, a parish council’s budget and planned or actual level of service provision may also be important factors in reaching conclusions on council size.
This specific guidance, mentioned above from the LGBCE, includes research on the size of parish councils, carried out in 1992. This states:
154 In practice, there is a wide variation of council size between parish councils. That variation appears to be influenced by population. Research by the Aston Business School Parish and Town Councils in England (HMSO, 1992), found that the typical parish council representing less than 500 people had between 5 and 8 councillors; those between 501 and 2,500 had 6 to 12 councillors; and those between 2,501 and 10,000 had 9 to 16 councillors. Most parish councils with a population of between 10,001 and 20,000 had between 13 and 27 councillors, while almost all councils representing a population of over 20,000 had between 13 and 31 councillors.
155 The LGBCE has no reason to believe that this pattern of council size to population has altered significantly since the research was conducted. Although not an exact match, it broadly reflects the council size range set out in the National Association of Local Councils Circular 1126; the Circular suggested that the minimum number of councillors for any parish should be 7 and the maximum 25.
The latest population figure for Arlesey parish is 6,200. This figure is the 2020 mid-year estimate of the population from the Office of National Statistics. The 2021 Census figures are due to be published later this year, and the 2021 mid-year estimate will be published in October.
Data from recent Central Bedfordshire parish council elections showed that in parishes where elections were held for the parish council (‘contested’), there were an average of 765 electors per seat, whereas in parishes where there were too few nominations for an election to go ahead (‘uncontested’) the average was much lower, at 203 electors per seat. This demonstrates that increasing the number of electors per seat could help to increase the likelihood of a contested election taking place which is more positive in terms of encouraging interest in local democratic processes. The proposed changes in Arlesey would take its electors-to-seat ratio closer to the ‘contested’ figure.