Have your say on Community Governance Review

Wokingham Borough Council is encouraging all residents and interested parties to contribute to the latest Community Governance Review (CGR).

The process ensures people are represented appropriately and effectively through the arrangements for the towns and parishes in the borough.

This includes reviewing electoral arrangements, such as the number of councillors that represent each area and the ward boundaries of existing towns and parishes.

The council is looking to get feedback on the current arrangements to identify any potential changes, which would take effect at future elections.

A public consultation will run for 12 weeks from today (Friday 31 January) to Friday 25 April on the council's Engage Wokingham Borough platform.

Andrew Moulton, the service director for governance at Wokingham Borough Council, said: “Our towns and parishes are the first tier of local government and they play an important role in ensuring people’s views are represented. 

"Through the Community Governance Review, we can assess how well the current arrangements are working and use local knowledge to make any changes that are needed.

“I would encourage as many people as possible to read and complete the survey, as we strive to develop something that represents the identity of our towns and parishes as accurately as possible.”

A CGR must be carried out every ten to 15 years and the council’s last review was done in 2016

It is a legal requirement and the review must be completed within 12 months from when the terms of reference is published.

The review is required to take into account:

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

Following the deadline for initial suggestions, the council will consider feedback and prepare a draft report of recommendations, which will go out for further consultation later this year.

If you wish to take the survey but are unable to do so online, contact the council’s customer services team on (0118) 974 6000 or visit a library to request a paper copy or PDF copy. You can also use the Contact us form on our website.