Bedfordshire

This Community Governance Review is all about making sure town and parish councils – the most local level of government, is working effectively and fairly for the communities they serve.

The review will look at:

• creating, merging, or changing parish boundaries
• renaming parishes or changing their style (e.g., village, community)
• adjusting the number of councillors in each parish
• grouping smaller parishes together to share resources

This is your chance to have a say in how your local area is represented. Whether you live in a town, village, or parish, your views matter.

As communities grow and change, it’s important that local governance keeps up. This review will help ensure:

• fair representation for all residents
• parish boundaries reflect new housing developments
• smaller parishes get the support they need
• local councils continue to reflect the identity and needs of their communities

There are 2 stages to the review:

• we’re now in the first stage– gathering your feedback on current arrangements which opens today, 7 July 2025 and closes 1 September 2025
• later this year, we’ll consult on the draft recommendations suggested through the first stage of this review