Community Governance Review

We are carrying out a Community Governance Review - this reviews, creates and makes changes to the ways town and parish councils and parish areas are organised.

It helps make sure local governance:

• reflects local identities
• reflects the interests of the community
• is working as effectively and conveniently as it should

This is part of the law covering local government. 

Changes

The review can consider:

• creating, merging, altering or abolishing parishes
• the electoral arrangements for parishes (including the ordinary year of elections, council size, the number of councillors to be elected and parish warding)
• the naming and style of new parishes
• grouping or ungrouping of parishes
• other types of arrangements (including parish meetings)

It can't:

• change the number of councillors on North Northamptonshire Council or its ward boundaries
• influence or change the amount of money that an existing town or parish council raise through council tax (precepts)
• change individual parish councillors

Considerations

We are required to consider the:

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

We also need to make sure that community governance will be:

• reflective of the identities and interests of the community in that area
• effective and convenient
• that any other forms of community representation (e.g. neighbourhood or residents associations) have also been considered

Consultation

Views of the public, town and parish councils, and any interested parties on whether they feel their communities are suitably represented and if they would like to see any changes to their current governance arrangements have now been taken.

Stage 2

We will consider your views and draft recommendations. These will be reported to our Democracy and Standards Committee.

A second consultation (setting out draft recommendations) is now being carried out.

Community Governance Review - Drop-in information sessions

We're hosting a series of drop-in sessions where you can find out more about the Community Governance Review, ask questions, and share your views. Members of the team will be available to discuss the proposals and explain how you can take part in the consultation. We’ll be at the following locations:

• Corby Library: Wednesday 9 September from 9am until 3pm
• Kettering Library: Friday 11 September from 10:30am until 4pm
• Priors Hall Park Community Centre: Friday 18 September from 9am until 1pm
• Raunds Library: Tuesday 22 September from 1pm until 4pm
• Rushden Library: Wednesday 23 September from 9am until 1pm
• Desborough Library: Thursday 24 September from 1:30pm until 4:30pm
• Barton Seagrave Village Hall: Friday 25 September from 10am until 2:30pm

No booking is required. Simply drop in at a time that suits you. If you have any accessibility requirements and would benefit from additional support, please contact us in advance so that we can discuss your needs and, where possible, arrange an appointment to ensure appropriate assistance is available. We can be contacted via email [email protected] or by telephone 01536 805115.

Can't make one of these sessions? Don't worry, you can still get involved. Visit the Community Governance Review - Stage 2 Consultation - North Northamptonshire Council - Citizen Space webpage to view the proposals and submit your feedback online.

Government guidance recommends that a review shouldn't take longer than 12 months to complete.

We will publish recommendations and, if approved, implement changes through a Reorganisation Order. These changes usually take effect at the next scheduled elections.

Resources

• Democracy and Standards Committee Report: Thursday 13 November, 2025
• Full Council Report: Thursday 11 December, 2025
• Community governance review privacy notice

Last updated 09 September 2026