Local residents and organisations are invited to attend engagement events for the forthcoming Community Governance Review to find out more about the process and how you can get involved.
Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole (BCP) Council is conducting a Community Governance Review of the area.
A Community Governance Review is a legal process where we will ask residents and organisations to share their views on the most suitable ways of representing the people at a community level, and whether there is an appetite to create, merge, alter or abolish town and parish councils.
This means that those taking part have a say in how their local communities are represented.
BCP Council will be launching the Community Governance Review survey on 25 November through to 19 January 2025, as the first stage of the process for receiving initial submissions.
Prior to that, there is an opportunity to attend early engagement events that are open to the public to find out more about the process. These are being held across Bournemouth, Christchurch, and Poole through to the end of November and are free to attend, with no booking required.
Speaking of the Community Governance Review, Leader of the Council, Councillor Millie Earl, said, “When BCP Council was created, Christchurch established a town council as well as parish councils to cover the former borough and give neighbourhoods more say over their local area. However, the majority of Bournemouth and Poole do not have parish or town councils and have never had the chance to decide, like Christchurch, as to whether they should have them or not.
“This review of community governance is an opportunity for the residents of our three towns to improve democracy at a community level and strengthen the voice of local people in their own neighbourhoods. I’d really encourage all residents to engage with the review and consider whether there is a need to change the governance arrangements currently in place.”
Event dates, times and locations, together with more information on the Community Governance Review, including an explanatory video, can be found on the BCP Council website www.bcpcouncil.gov.uk/CGR.
For more information, please email cgr@bcpcouncil.gov.uk
