A Community Governance Review (CGR) is a review carried out by a principal council of the whole or part of its area. The aim is to look at one or more of the following:
- The creation, merging or abolition of parishes
- The naming of parishes
- The style of parishes (e.g. town, village, community)
- The electoral arrangements for parishes (e.g. size of parish councils, number of councillors, warding arrangements)
District council wards and county council divisions cannot be altered in a Community Governance Order. However a request may be made to the Local Government Boundary Commission for England to carry out a review for changes to district or county boundaries as a result of a local CGR.
Who can request a CGR?
A CGR can be initiated by one of the following:
- a valid petition from electors (minimum number of signatures required, depending upon size of electorate)
- Any petition must define the area to which the review is to relate and be signed by the following number of local government electors:
- Less than 500 electors - 50% of the electors
- 500-2,499 electors - at least 250 of the electors
- More than 2,500 - at least 10% of the electors
- and specify one or more recommendations which the petitioners wish that Community Governance Review to consider making.
- If valid petitions are received in respect of these parishes, the Council is required to undertake a (limited) Community Governance Review on the terms of that petition. The requirements for a valid petition ensure that any proposals must have both clear objectives and elector support.
- a formal request from a parish council or a local member (approval is then required from the principal council)
- a decision taken by the principal council itself if it feels a review is appropriate (e.g. the number of electors for a non-warded parish is too large and makes a single election impracticable, or the splitting of an existing parish, or the creation of a brand new parish following the completion of a major housing development)
Last Updated on Wednesday, May 8, 2024