Community Governance Review - stage 2 - Silsoe

Responses and recommendations

Responses from consultation

Parish council: no proposal received

5 responses

Comments:

“I feel Silsoe parish council has embraced the new developments of recent years. They do not need to be joined with another parish.”

Feedback received through the public consultation indicated a preference to retain the current level of representation and to make no other changes. This view has been considered alongside the working group’s rationale to ensure that any final draft recommendation reflects the aims of the terms of reference as well as the views of the community.

Draft recommendations

  1. that the parish name of Silsoe should remain unchanged
  2. that the number of parish councillors on Silsoe Parish Council are reduced from 10 to 7
  3. move the properties Orchard End and Willowstream from the parish of Silsoe to the parish of Clophill (see map)

Reason for recommendations

The recommendation to reduce the number of councillors is made in accordance with the terms of reference due to the number of councillors being disproportionate to the electorate or to avoid uncontested elections and the subsequent need to co-opt members to fill the outstanding vacancies. The boundary changes also provide the opportunity to ensure effective and convenient local government.

Map

Silsoe CGR

Proposal

Parish and ward information (Silsoe)
Silsoe parish topic Value
Current number of councillors 10
Working group proposed number of councillors 7
Electorate as of 1 May 2025 2,864
Current ratio of electors to councillors 286
Forecast electorate for 2030 2,780
Revised ratio of electors to councillors 397

Election history and number of candidates

Seats and candidates
Number of seats 10
Number of candidates in 2023 6
Number of candidates in 2019 9
Number of candidates in 2015 8
Number of candidates in 2011 9