Community Governance Review
As a district council we are responsible for reviewing parish arrangements and implementing any appropriate changes to benefit the decision making and community management in the local area. We undertake a community governance review approximately every four years.
Upcoming reviews
A Community Governance Review for South Oxfordshire District Council is currently underway.
The Community Governance and Electoral Issues Committee had their first meeting on Tuesday 13 January 2026 to discuss the proposals submitted for the South Oxfordshire Community Governance Review, with the agenda and minutes of the meeting available here.
The Terms of Reference for the review will be published in February. A public consultation on the proposals put forward for review will also be conducted in February. Further information will be published here when available.
What can a Community Governance Review do?
- alter the existing boundary of a parish
- create, merge or abolish parishes
- change the name of existing parishes
- amend the electoral arrangements for parishes (e.g. how many parish councillors are required and parish warding)
- group parishes under a common parish council, or de-group parishes
- alter the “style” of a parish (enabling an area to be known as a town, community, neighbourhood or village rather than a parish)
Historic reviews
2021 – 2022
- The Community Governance and Electoral Issues Committee agreed final changes at the meeting on Tuesday 29 November 2022, with changes taking effect for the May 2023 elections.
Further Reading
- Department for Communities and Local Government: Guidance on Community Governance Reviews
- Community Governance and Electoral Issues Committee
Contact us - Electoral services
01235 422422
(Text phone users add 18001 before dialing)
South Oxfordshire District Council
Abbey House
Abbey Close
Abingdon
OX14 3JE
