Community Governance Review

Town and parish councils are the first tier of local government. They play a vital role in engaging with local people and helping to shape their communities.  

Further information on all the town and parish councils in North Somerset is available on our contacts page.

A Community Governance Review is an opportunity for us to review and make changes to the governance in our area. We use it to make sure that governance arrangements are working as efficiently and effectively as possible.

We involve the public, town and parish councils, and any other interested parties. We ask them whether they feel their communities are suitably represented. We also ask whether town and parish councils would like to see any changes made to current governance arrangements. 

We have the power to undertake such reviews under:

• part 4 of the Local Government and Public Involvement in Health Act 2007 and;
• the relevant national guidance document

We are required to consult with

• local government electors living in the North Somerset District
• any other individuals and organisations who 'appear to have an interest in the review'

We must consider all representations we receive during the review's periods of consultation. It will make all representations available for public viewing. 

Outcomes of the review

A Community Governance Review can make several changes when there is clear evidence to do so.

This can include:

• creating, merging, altering or abolishing parishes
• changes to electoral arrangements for parishes including
  • the ordinary year of an election
  • number of parish councillors
  • changes to parish wards
• converting a parish council to a parish meeting
• changing the name or the style of a new town or parish council or parish meeting
• grouping parishes together under a common parish 

Changes we cannot make

A Community Governance Review cannot 

• change the number of district or county councillors
• change a district or county council ward boundaries
• change the amount of money that a parish council raises through your Council Tax (known as a precept)
• change individual town or parish councillors
• create a unitary authority

Our Community Governance Review 2025 has now concluded and the final recommendations, as agreed by the Planning and Regulatory Committee at their meeting in December, can be viewed below.

Please note that any changes will not come into force until the local government elections in 2027.