Public consultation will be going live on 19 May. There will be an information drop-in event on 9 June.
Parish councils play a vital role in shaping communities and supporting local residents. That’s why the borough council is actively seeking the views of local people as part of a community governance review, which will consider whether local parish council arrangements should be changed.
From 19 May, residents, businesses, community groups and partner organisations can share their views through an online survey. You’ll find all the information and a link to the online survey on our Community Governance Review pages.
Paper copies will be available from the Municipal Offices and a drop-in information sharing event will also take place at the offices on 9 June. The deadline for comments is 18 July 2025.
During this consultation, the survey will ask:
- Whether existing parish council boundaries reflect local communities (should any parishes be merged, altered, or abolished*)
- Whether new local councils (town and parish) should be created
- Whether the number of councillors in each area is appropriate.
*the council is not specifically looking to abolish any parishes, but all feedback will be considered.
A second stage will then follow, based on the feedback gathered which will ask for views based on specific proposals for change. This will happen at the end of this year.
Councillor Rowena Hay, leader of the council, said: “As we approach a time of significant change for local councils, it’s so important to me that community engagement and the resident voice, remains at the heart of any proposals.
“The government is asking for councils to consider the future of how, Cheltenham Borough Council, and other local councils in Gloucestershire, will be formed within the context of the reorganisation of local government.
“This review means that we can make sure parish governance arrangements are working as well as they can be and it’s vital that this is shaped and informed by local people. I hope as many will take part as possible.”
The recommendations of any review must: improve community engagement; bring communities closer together; create better local democracy; and result in more effective and convenient delivery of local services.
For more information, a fact sheet, information about the drop-in information event and to access the survey when it goes live on 19 May, visit our Community Governance Review pages
For press enquiries contact: [email protected]
Notes
What a local governance review can do:
- Create, merge, alter, or abolish parishes*
- Change electoral arrangements, including the number of parish councillors and parish ward boundaries (we are not looking to change ward boundaries, but all feedback will be considered)
- Convert a parish council into a parish meeting*
- Group parishes together under a common parish council
What a local governance review cannot do:
- Change to the number of district or country councillors
- Change district or county council ward boundaries
- Change the amount of Council Tax raised by a parish council
- Remove or replace individual town or parish councillors
- Create a unitary authority
*The council is not looking to abolish any parishes, but all feedback will be considered
