Babergh District Council - Parish/Community Governance Review 2022

Introduction

Babergh District Council is currently conducting a Parish Review or Community Governance Review which began in March 2022.

As part of the process the BDC will be reviewing all parishes in Babergh. There are a number of options that may be considered during the review, and these include:

  1. Creating, merging, altering or abolishing Parishes
  2. The naming of Parishes and the style of new Parishes
  3. The electoral arrangements for Parishes (the ordinary year of election; council size; the number of councillors to be elected to the council, and Parish warding)
  4. Grouping new or existing Parishes under a common Parish Council or de-grouping existing Parishes

The Aim

There are a number of purposes to a Community Governance Review including:

  1. Altering anomalies when changes have occurred, meaning the current boundary is no longer relevant
  2. Changing boundaries as a result of new buildings and growth
  3. Local people have expressed views on the current structure
  4. To bring about improved community governance
  5. To improve local democracy
  6. To provide more effective and convenient local services
  7. To improve or develop community identity

The Outcome

At the end of the review period the BDC will make a number of recommendations. The recommendations will be made available in a public document, including the reasoning behind each recommendation.

Recommendations could include:

  1. boundary changes
  2. revised electoral arrangements
  3. the abolition of a parish/es
  4. grouping or ungroup existing parishes
  5. changing the name of a parish council, to reflect any boundary changes as appropriate

Further Information can be found

Community Governance Review » Babergh Mid Suffolk

Guidance on Community Governance Reviews was published in updated form by the Department for Communities & Local Government and the Local Government Boundary Commission for England in 2010. Aimed largely at principal authorities, it offers advice about undertaking a review and implementing its recommendations. It can be accessed at:

Community-Governance-Review-Local-Government-and-Public-Involvement-in-Health-Act-2007-Terms-of-Reference.pdf (midsuffolk.gov.uk)

Babergh-Notice-of-Community-Governance-Review-.pdf (midsuffolk.gov.uk)

How to take part in the review

Should you wish to make a written submission to the review you can do this by letter to:

Community Governance Review
Electoral Services
Babergh and Mid Suffolk District Councils
Endeavour House
8 Russell Road
Ipswich IP1 2BX

Or email the Elections Team

The deadline for submissions to the first phase of the consultation is Friday 27 May 2022.