About the consultation – new Linmere ward in Houghton Regis
Consultation closes: Tuesday 9 June 2026
Consultation opened: Tuesday 12 May 2026
As part of this community governance review (CGR), we're considering whether existing electoral arrangements continue to provide effective and convenient local governance for residents.
Over the last few months, we have been consulting on draft proposals for Central Bedfordshire and, as a result, we are proposing to create a new ward for Linmere (in Houghton Regis), reflecting the area’s rapid growth and distinct community identity.
Under this proposal, Linmere would have a dedicated councillor representing the area at the town council.
Reflecting a clearly defined and emerging community
Linmere is a major new development with a strong and recognisable identity, shaped by its masterplanning, design principles and dedicated local infrastructure. The area has been developed as a cohesive community, with its own neighbourhood centre (The Farmstead), schools, green spaces and facilities.
A core principle of a CGR is to ensure that governance arrangements reflect the identities and interests of local communities. Creating a Linmere ward would align electoral boundaries with this clearly defined and growing sense of place.
Ensuring effective and convenient local governance
Alongside its distinct identity, Linmere is experiencing rapid population growth, which is set to continue over the coming years. Once complete, the development will be comparable in size to a small town.
Without change, incorporating this expanding population within the existing Tithe Farm and Parkside wards risks creating imbalances in representation. Establishing a dedicated ward would help address this by enabling more focused representation, allowing elected members to respond directly to the specific needs and priorities of Linmere residents—particularly those associated with a developing community, such as infrastructure delivery, access to services and community cohesion.
Supporting electoral equality and strengthening engagement and representation
Creating a dedicated Linmere ward would support electoral equality by helping to ensure councillors represent a broadly similar number of electors, both now and as the area continues to grow.
At the same time, it would provide residents with clear and direct representation, strengthen engagement in local democratic processes and ensure the views of this new and evolving community are effectively reflected in local decision-making.
Future-proofing governance arrangements
Community governance reviews should take account not only of current arrangements but also of likely future changes. Given the long-term nature of the Linmere development, establishing a ward at this stage allows governance arrangements to evolve alongside the community, rather than requiring reactive changes at a later date.