We're proposing new parish wards in Houghton Regis and Houghton Conquest to ensure local representation keeps pace with growing communities, including new wards for Linmere, Thorn, Thickthorn and Village.
The changes follow a Community Governance Review, which looked at whether local governance arrangements continue to reflect the communities they serve.
As new homes have been built and communities have grown, the review considered how creating more distinct wards could give residents a clearer local identity and ensure representation is more closely focused on the places where people live.
There was particularly strong support for the new Linmere ward. Following further consultation with the community, 96 per cent of respondents supported the proposal to create a separate ward for Linmere and provide dedicated local representation.
The creation of the new Thorn ward also reflects the significant scale and pace of development in Houghton Regis. Feedback received as part of the review showed clear support for local governance arrangements to better reflect growth in the Thorn and Linmere communities.
In Houghton Conquest, the creation of separate Thickthorn and Village wards recognises the extensive development that has taken place in the north of the parish. The review concluded that creating distinct wards would help give newer communities their own identity and ensure local representation is focused on the right places.
Councillor John Baker, our Executive Member for Finance and Highways, said:
Central Bedfordshire is growing, and our communities are changing, so local representation must change with them.
These new wards will help give distinct and growing communities a clearer identity and a stronger local voice, with representation more closely focused on the places where people live and the issues that matter to them.
We saw particularly strong support in Linmere, where 96 per cent of people who responded to the consultation supported the creation of a new ward and dedicated local representation.
I would like to thank everyone who took the time to have their say. The feedback we received has helped shape these changes and ensure our local governance arrangements continue to reflect the communities they serve.
Subject to the agreement of the Local Government Boundary Commission for England, the new parish wards will be:
- Linmere and Thorn in Houghton Regis
- Thickthorn and Village in Houghton Conquest
The changes will take effect from 1 April 2027, ahead of the 2027 parish council elections.