Community governance review

What is a Community Governance Review (CGR)?

A CGR is a review of the whole or part of the district to consider one or more of the following:

  • Creating, merging, altering or abolishing parishes;
  • The naming of parishes and the style of new parishes;
  • 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), and
  • Grouping parishes under a common parish council or de-grouping parishes.

The Council is required to ensure that community governance within the area under review will be:

  • Reflective of the identities and interests of the community in that area; and
  • Is effective and convenient.

In doing so the CGR is required to take into account:

  • The impact of community governance arrangements on community cohesion; and
  • The size, population and boundaries of a local community or parish.

Why undertake a community governance review?

A CGR provides an opportunity for principal authorities to review and make changes to community governance within their area. Such reviews can be undertaken when there have been changes in population or in reaction to specific or local new issues to ensure that the community governance for the area continues to be effective and convenient and it reflects the identities and interests of the community.

The government has emphasised that recommendations made in CGR ought to bring about improved community engagement, more cohesive communities, better local democracy and result in more effective and convenient delivery of local services.

Government guidance further states that it is good practice to conduct a (full) CGR at least every 10-15 years and keep the area under review in the interim. The most recent similar reviews under previous legislation which considered such matters resulted in the:-

  • The Bassetlaw (Parishes) Order 1993 (S.I. 1993 No.2966)
  • The District of Bassetlaw (Electoral Changes) Order 2000 (S.I.2000 No.3285).
  • Community Governance Reviews undertaken by Bassetlaw District Council in 2014, 2017 and 2019.

Who will undertake a CGR?

As the principal authority, the District Council is responsible for undertaking any CGR within its electoral area. The body responsible for overseeing this process is the Full Council. It will oversee the CGR and produce draft and final recommendations; the Council will approve the final recommendations before a Community Governance Order is made.

Consultation

How the Council proposes to conduct consultations during a Review?

Before making any recommendations or publishing final proposals, the District Council will take full account of the views of local people. The District Council will comply with the statutory consultative requirements by:

  • Consulting local government electors for areas under review.
  • Consulting any other person or body (including a local authority) which appears to the District Council to have an interest in the review.
  • Notifying and consulting the County Council.
  • Taking into account any representations received in connection with the review.

Information relating to a CGR will be available on the Council’s website and key documents will be on deposit at the District Council’s offices at Queen’s Buildings, Potter Street, Worksop, Nottinghamshire S80 2AH.

When taking account of written representations the District Council is bound to have regard to the need to secure that community governance within the areas under review:

  • Reflects the identities and interests of the community in that area; and
  • Is effective and convenient.

The District Council will publish its recommendations as soon as practicable and take such steps as it considers sufficient to ensure that persons who may be interested in the CGR are informed of the recommendations and the reasons behind them. The District Council will notify each consultee and any other persons or bodies who have made written representations of the outcome of the review.

The timetable for a CGR

A CGR must, by statute, be concluded within a twelve-month period from the day on which the CGR starts. A CGR starts when the District Council publishes its terms of reference and concludes when the District Council publishes the recommendations made in the CGR.

For further information please contact elections@bassetlaw.gov.uk

Past Reviews

  • To review the boundary between Ranskill and Torworth Parish Councils in the vicinity of the A638
  • Rampton and Woodbeck Parish Council –to increase the number of Parish Councillors.
  • Beckingham –cum-Saundby Parish Council - reduce the number of Parish Councillors.
  • Holbeck & Welbeck Parish Council have indicated that they wish to explore the possibility of merging, possibly with a neighbouring small Parish Council.
  • To review the Ward boundary between Carlton-in-Lindrick and the non parished area of Worksop and make recommendations accordingly to the Local Government Boundary Commission for England.

Publication of Terms of Reference

Terms of Reference 

Start Date:  1 October 2021

Final Recommendations published:

Final Recommendations were presented to Council 23 June 2022. https://bassetlaw.moderngov.co.uk/ieListDocuments.aspx?CId=151&MId=355&Ver=4

Effective Date: 1 September 2022

Order made.


Last Updated on Wednesday, July 2, 2025