What is a Community Governance Review?

A community governance review is a way for councils to make sure that, at the town/parish level, governance arrangements are working as efficiently and effectively as they should be. This is achieved by asking the public, town/parish councils and any interested parties whether they feel their communities are suitably represented and whether town/parish councils would like to see any changes made to their current governance arrangements.

Duties of Mid Sussex District Council

The Local Government and Public Involvement in Health Act 2007 gives us statutory duties for the management of all electoral arrangements.  We have authority to carry out community governance reviews and put in place or make changes to local community (parish/town) governance arrangements.

A review can consider a number of issues, including:

  • creating, merging, altering or abolishing parishes
  • the naming of parishes and the style of new parishes
  • the electoral arrangements for parishes, including;
    •  the ordinary year of election
    • the number councillors to be elected
    • the warding of parishes
  • grouping parishes under a common parish council or de-grouping parishes.  

A review can be started by one of three ways:

  1. By a petition from local electors
  2. By the council agreeing to a request for a review, or
  3. By the council resolving to conduct a review

Current Reviews

  • There are no reviews taking place at this time.

Past Reviews

2022

Following the completion of the community governance reviews (detailed below) in 2022, the Council has published:

 Further information about each review can be found by clicking the relevant area below.

Burgess Hill Town Council

Mid Sussex District Council conducted a community governance review of the Burgess Hill Town Council area in 2022. The review was undertaken in response to a petition received from registered electors and considered the town electoral wards, the Northern Arc exterior boundary and Councillor numbers for Burgess Hill Town Council.

Please find all documents associated with this review below. 

Consultation Documents

First Stage Consultation – Responses and Draft Recommendations

Responses to the first consultation:

Draft recommendations considered by the Scrutiny Committee for Customer Services & Service Delivery on the 22nd June 2022:

Second Stage Consultation – Responses and Final Recommendations

Responses to the second consultation:

Final recommendations considered by the Scrutiny Committee for Community, Leisure & Parking on the 14th September 2022: 

Final Recommendations Report for Burgess Hill Town Council and Ansty & Staplefield Parish Council to Scrutiny Committee (159 KB, PDF)

Final recommendations approved by full Council on the 12th October 2022:

On 12th October 2022, the full Council formally approved the principal electoral authority's final recommendations for Burgess Hill Town Council. Acting on the advice of the Scrutiny Committee, it was decided that the town ward of Northern Arc East would be renamed Brookleigh East, and that Northern Arc West would be renamed Brookleigh West. The full Council also approved the final recommendations for Ansty & Staplefield Parish Council.

East Grinstead Town Council

Mid Sussex District Council conducted a community governance review of the East Grinstead Town Council area in 2022. The review was undertaken in response to a request received from the Town Council and considered a reduction in the number of councillors representing East Grinstead.

Please find all documents associated with this review below.

Consultation Documents

Following the Local Government Boundary Commission’s Electoral Review of Mid Sussex, we provided below the new District Council ward map and the new Town Council ward map below, to inform public consideration:

First Stage Consultation – Responses and Draft Recommendations

Responses to the first consultation:

Draft recommendations considered by the Scrutiny Committee for Customer Services & Service Delivery on the 22nd June 2022:

Second Stage Consultation – Responses and Final Recommendations

Responses to the second consultation:

Final recommendations considered by the Scrutiny Committee for Community, Leisure & Parking on the 14th September 2022:

Final recommendations approved by full Council on the 12th October 2022:

Hurstpierpoint & Sayers Common Parish Council

Mid Sussex District Council conducted a community governance review of the Hurstpierpoint & Sayers Common Parish Council area in 2022. The review was undertaken in response to a petition received from electors and considered whether a new parish and parish council should be created for Sayers Common.

Please find all documents associated with this review below.

Consultation Documents

First Stage Consultation – Responses and Draft Recommendations

Responses to the first consultation:

Draft recommendations considered by the Scrutiny Committee for Customer Services & Service Delivery on the 25th May 2022:

Second Stage Consultation – Responses and Final Recommendations

Responses to the second consultation:

Final recommendations considered by the Scrutiny Committee for Community, Leisure & Parking on the 14th September 2022:

Final recommendations approved by full Council on the 12th October 2022:

Worth Parish Council

Mid Sussex District Council conducted a community governance review of the Worth Parish Council area in 2022. The review was undertaken in response to a petition received from electors and considered whether a new parish and parish council should be created for Crawley Down.

Please find all documents associated with this review below.

Consultation Documents

First Stage Consultation – Responses and Draft Recommendations

Responses to the first consultation:

Draft recommendations considered by the Scrutiny Committee for Customer Services & Service Delivery on the 25th May 2022:

Second Stage Consultation – Responses and Final Recommendations

Responses to the second consultation:

Final recommendations considered by the Scrutiny Committee for Community, Leisure & Parking on the 14th September 2022:

Final recommendations approved by full Council on the 12th October 2022:

Contact us

Electoral services
Tel: 01444-477003
Email: communitygovernancereviews@midsussex.gov.uk

Last updated: 30 April 2025