Community Governance Review
There are no current electoral arrangements currently under review.
Onehouse and Stowmarket Community Governance Review
On Thursday 26 September 2024, Mid Suffolk District Council resolved not to change the administrative boundary between Onehouse Parish Council and Stowmarket Town Council. The final process involved the Council considering any further comments from the public.
View the report and supporting documents that were presented
The further consultation received 848 responses, of which 73% agreed with the draft recommendation and 17.33% disagreed, with the remainder of responses saying they were unsure, left blank, or another option.
- Report of the full Council meeting on Thursday 22 May 2024
- Working Group Final Recommendations Report for Onehouse and Stowmarket
- Further Consultation Report for Onehouse and Stowmarket
- MC245 Community Governance Review Council Report for Onehouse and Stowmarket
Battisford and Combs Community Governance Review
On Thursday 26 September 2024, Mid Suffolk District Council resolved to move the Bowl Meadow development into the Battisford administrative area and not to change the administrative arrangements for Bildeston Road. The final process involved the Council considering any further comments from the public.
View the report and supporting documents that were presented
View the Mid Suffolk (Reorganisation of Community Governance) Order 2024
The further consultation received 140 responses, of which for question one 88.57% agreed with the draft recommendation and 5.78% disagreed, with the remainder of responses saying they were unsure, left blank, or another option. For question two 46.43% agreed with the draft recommendations, 5.00% disagreed, 45.71% left the question blank and 2.86% were unsure.
- Report of the full Council meeting on Wednesday 20 March 2024
- Working Group Final Recommendations Report for Battisford and Combs
- Further Consultation Report for Battisford and Combs
- MC2347 Community Governance Review Council Report for Battisford and Combs
Previous resources
Open the Community Governance Review consultation survey for Onehouse and Stowmarket
Open the Community Governance Review consultation survey for Battisford and Combs
Download the Battisford and Combs Poster
Download the Onehouse and Stowmarket Poster
Community Governance Review Notice
View the Mid Suffolk District Council Community Governance Review Notice
Published Orders
The Mid Suffolk (Battisford) Order - 14th November 2024
The Mid Suffolk (Badwell Ash and Long Thurlow, Fressingfield, Thurston) Order - 21st September 2023
The Mid Suffolk (Baylham) Order - 14th September 2023
Copies of published orders are available for inspection by appointment at Endeavour House, 8 Russell Road, Ipswich, IP1 2BX.
What is a Community Governance Review
A community governance review is a legal process that provides an opportunity for principal councils to review and make changes to community governance within their areas. It involves consulting those living in the area and other interested parties and making sure they have a say in how their local communities are represented.
The Review can consider one or more of the following options:
- Creating, merging, altering or abolishing parishes
- The naming of parishes and the style of new parishes and the creation of town councils
- The electoral arrangements for parishes (for instance, the ordinary year of election; council size; the number of councillors to be elected to the council, and parish warding)
- Grouping parishes under a common parish council or de-grouping parishes
- Consider other types of local arrangements, including parish meetings
The Review cannot:
- change the number of councillors on Mid Suffolk Council
- change the amount of money that a parish council raises through council tax (known as ‘precept’)
It is good practice to carry out a Community Governance Review every 10-15 years. However, as the principal authority, Mid Suffolk Council may schedule a review in response to a reasonable request from an individual, group or parish or following the receipt of a valid petition containing the sufficient number of signatures required to trigger a review.
Read more about the review process
You may also email the Community Governance Review team if you have further questions
Community Governance Review Considerations
Legislation requires that the council must ensure that community governance within the area:
- reflects the identities and interests of the communities in the area
- be effective and convenient and takes into account any other arrangements for the purpose of community representation or engagement in the area
In considering proposals for change, the council will take the following into account:
- a strong, inclusive community and voluntary sector
- a sense of civic values, responsibility and pride
- a sense of place – a place with a ‘positive’ feeling for people and local distinctiveness
- reflective of the identities and interests of the community in that area
- the impact of community governance arrangements on community cohesion
- the size, population and boundaries of a local community or parish
About parish councils
Parish and Town councils are the first level of local government.
Mid Suffolk hosts 95 Parish Councils and 20 Parish Meetings.
Parish councils have relatively few statutory functions (things they have to do). The statutory functions are, for example, the holding of meetings, the management of its finances and the preparation of annual accounts. A parish council employs staff, owns and manages premises, and provides services.
How do Parish Councils operate?
Residents of the parished area elect parish councillors. They represent residents and their interests and councillors will make most of the decisions about what a parish council does in meetings. Although the public has a right to attend meetings of a parish council and its committees, it is the councillors who collectively make decisions about council business and what services or facilities it provides.
How are they funded?
The parish council must carefully budget for the expenditure it will have to pay in the next financial year. A parish council may generate income from money from rents from premises that it leases or licences for use by others, or from the services or facilities it provides, for example sports facilities, off-street carparks. It may also receive grants for certain projects. The main source of income derives from the precept levied on the residents in its area. The precept is incorporated into a local resident’s council tax bill.
What do they do?
Although parish councils have few statutory functions or duties, there are many things they can do if they choose. What they choose to do will depend on the needs of the local community they serve. They have the discretion to exercise a range of statutory powers related to the provision or support of certain services or facilities which benefit their area, and/or the residents that live there. Examples might include sports facilities, allotments, local youth projects, bus shelters, litter bins, off street carparks, community centres, parks and open spaces, community transport schemes, neighbourhood planning, crime reduction measures, street lighting, festivals and fetes, traffic calming measures and tourism activities.
Is there a difference between a town and parish council?
No, they both have the same statutory powers and can provide the same services. The only differences are that a town council has decided that it should be known as a town council instead of a parish council, and a town council usually has a mayor. Since 2007 the alternative terms community, neighbourhood or village council can also be adopted, but there is also no difference in their powers.