Community Governance Review West Suffolk Council 2025-2026

West Suffolk Council is responsible for parish governance arrangements in the West Suffolk area. The council is undertaking a review of the arrangements through a community governance review to ensure that community governance within the area:

• reflects the identities and interests of the communities in the area
• is effective and convenient and takes into account any other arrangements for the purpose of community representation or engagement in the area.

Community governance reviews provide an opportunity to make changes to community governance arrangements to ensure that parish and town councils provide for cohesive communities, improved community engagement, better local democracy, and result in improved effective and convenient delivery of local services.

West Suffolk Council carried out a community governance review in 2021-22 and following that review, it received expressions of interest from parish and town councils for potential governance changes ahead of the next elections in May 2027.

Starting on 17 December 2025, the interim community governance review is considering the following aspects of community governance arrangements for parishes:

• to consider the names and styles of any existing town and parish council
• to consider the number of councillors to be elected to any existing town and parish council
• to consider any grouping arrangements or mergers
• the warding arrangements of any existing town and parish council; the name of wards and the number of councillors to be elected for any such ward.

Due to local government reorganisation and the work to develop interim warding arrangements for unitary local government this review will not consider any requests involving changes to external boundaries between parishes. Proposed amendments to parish ward boundaries will not be considered where the change could require a consequential change to a West Suffolk district ward or Suffolk County division.

The full timetable and process to be followed for the community governance review can be viewed in the terms of reference for the review.

Current stage of the community governance review

Consultation on revised draft recommendations

West Suffolk Council is consulting on revised draft recommendations for the issues listed below.

• Issue 1 – Fornham All Saints, Fornham St Martin and Fornham St Genevieve
• Issue 2 – Freckenham Parish Council
• Issue 3 – Honington cum Sapiston Parish Council
• Issue 4 – Fakenham Magna Parish Council

To provide your feedback on the draft recommendations, please email cgr@westsuffolk.gov.uk. The consultation on the draft recommendations closes on 30 June 2026 and the council will then consider the comments received and draft final recommendations. The final recommendations will then be considered by West Suffolk Council at its meeting in October 2026.  

When considering the draft recommendation, please note that a community governance review should result in parish arrangements which:

• reflect the identity and interest of the community in that area
• are effective and convenient for the delivery of services
• provide for a strong, inclusive community
• reflect a sense of place.