Parish Review 2021- 2022

Introduction

The Council conducted a Parish Review (formally known as a Community Governance Review) which began in November 2021 and which ran for approximately one year.

As part of the process the Council reviewed all towns and parishes in Mid Devon. There are a number of options that could have been considered during the review and these include:

• creating, merging, altering or abolishing parishes
• changing the name of parishes
• the electoral arrangements for parishes (number of councillors, warding)
• grouping parishes under a common parish council or de-grouping parishes.

The Aim

There are a number of purposes to a Parish Review including:

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

The Outcome

At the end of the review period the Council 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:

• boundary changes
• revised electoral arrangements
• the abolition of a parish/es
• grouping or ungroup existing parishes
• changing the name of a parish council, to reflect any boundary changes as appropriate

Any changes as a result of the review would come into effect for the 2023 all-out elections.

Electoral Boundary Map

To view a larger version of the Mid Devon parish and new ward boundaries map.

Public Consultation

A number of public and stakeholder consultations will be undertaken as part of the review. The First stage consultation and Second stage consultation have now completed.

Key principals of a parish review

• The review gives a principal authority (in this case Mid Devon District Council) the opportunity to review and make changes to how the parishes are structured within the district

• The Government is fully committed to the concept of parish councils and recognises the role they play in community empowerment

• It is vital that parish councils and their communities are consulted, and their views considered, as part of the review. The review must take into account the impact of community governance arrangements on the local community as well as the size, population and boundaries of a local community or parish.

• The review process is transparent and will be available for public scrutiny.

• Under the Local Government and Public Involvement in Health Act 2007 (LGPHA 2007) district and unitary councils have responsibility for reviewing local government arrangements in communities in England. This means conducting a Parish Review is a legal requirement.

The role of the LGBCE (Local Government Boundary Commission)

As part of a community governance review, a council which wishes to alter the electoral arrangements for a parish, whose existing electoral arrangements were put in place within the previous five years by an order made by the LGBCE, the consent of the LGBCE is required. 

If, via community governance review, Mid Devon District Council wishes to make changes to parish boundaries and bring them in line with district boundaries, the district council need to come to the LGBCE to make a related alteration. When proposals for related alterations are submitted to the LGBCE, evidence that the council has consulted on them as part of a community governance review and the details of the outcome of that review are expected to be included. 

More details about the LGBCE process