Community Governance Review

As a district council we are responsible for reviewing parish arrangements and implementing any appropriate changes to benefit the decision making and community management in the local area. Currently we undertake a community governance review every four years.

Reviews can consider:

altering the existing boundary of a parish
creating, merging or abolishing parishes
changing the name of existing parishes
the electoral arrangements for parishes (e.g. how many parish councillors are required and parish warding)
grouping parishes under a common parish council, or de-grouping parishes.
the “style” of a parish (enabling an area to be known as a town, community, neighbourhood or village rather than a parish).

What’s happened so far:

In November 2021 we contacted all parish councils across South Oxfordshire asking them to submit requests for matters to be considered as part of a Community Governance Review.

We then collated and presented the responses to our Community Governance and Electoral Issues Committee on 28 February 2022. The committee agreed to consider all requests submitted and formally adopted the Terms of Reference.

In April 2022 we then asked people to comment on the proposals. We then reviewed the feedback and reported back to the Committee who reviewed the responses at their meeting on 25 May 2022.

Following feedback from the local community, the proposal included in the first public consultation to amend the boundary of Wallingford parish to include land at Site A, currently in Brightwell-cum-Sotwell, has been withdrawn.

What’s happening now – have your say:

Following Committee’s recommendations, we are now asking you to comment on the revised draft proposals.

To view the full proposed change(s) for each area and to have your say, please click on the parish name(s) – this will take you to either our online consultation, or compose an email to provide feedback.

Cuddesdon and Denton – to remove the warding arrangements for this parish so that the two current parish wards are combined into one with seven seats.
Didcot – to review the number of parish councillors elected for each town council ward, in order to better reflect the number of electors they represent, whilst maintaining the same overall number of parish councillors.
Henley-on-Thames / Bix and Assendon – to amend the boundary between these two parishes and to move one specific area from Bix and Assendon Parish into Henley-on-Thames Parish.
Sonning Common – to retain the number of parish councillors in this parish at 12.
Thame – to amend the parish ward boundary between Thame North and Thame South wards so that there is a more equal representation.
Thame / Great Haseley – to make no change to the boundary between these parishes.
Wallingford (Brightwell-cum-Sotwell) – Matter removed from the terms of reference by the committee at its meeting on 25 May 2022.

This consultation runs from 30 June until midday on Friday 29 July.

You can find support documentation below.

If you are unable to use our online survey, you can also submit your comments by:

Email: [email protected]

Where possible, please submit your comments electronically as this will help to cut down on paper and postage costs. If you are not able to do this, you can:

Write to: South Oxfordshire Community Governance Review, South Oxfordshire and Vale of White Horse District Councils and post to ‘Freepost SOUTH AND VALE CONSULTATIONS‘

What happens next?

Once this consultation has ended, our Community Governance and Electoral Issues Committee will agree any final changes which will apply from the May 2023 elections.

Supporting Documents

Terms of reference and timetable

Terms of Reference and Timetable

Appendices

CGR_A – Cuddesdon and Den ton Parish Council request
CGR_B – Henley and Bix site map
CGR_C – Sonning Common Parish Council request
CGR_D – Thame Town Council request (parish boundary)
CGR_E – Thame Town Council request (parish warding)
CGR_G – Didcot Town Council request & electorate figures

Data protection

Please refer to our privacy statement regarding how your personal data is used for this consultation, available on the consultation page of our website. If you would like to know more about the council’s data protection registration or to find out about your personal data, please visit our website.