1.1 Dorset Council, at its meeting on 23 October 2025, agreed Terms of Reference for a Community Governance Review of the parishes of Shipton Gorge and Loders, in accordance with Part 4, Chapter 3 of the Local Government and Public Involvement in Health Act 2007. The council is required to have regard to the Guidance on Community Governance Reviews issued by the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government.
1.2 This consultation document is divided into two sections. Section 1 provides background to the review process and explains how the review will be undertaken. Section 2 details the specific topics for consideration by the review to assist those wishing to make representations.
2.1 A Community Governance Review is a legal process whereby the council will consult with those living in the area, and other interested parties, on the most suitable ways of representing the people in the area identified in the review. This means making sure that those living in the area, and other interested groups, have a say in how their local communities are represented.
2.2 Section 93 of the 2007 Act allows principal councils to decide how to undertake a review, provided that it complies with certain duties in that Act, including details set out relating to consultation, the need to ensure any proposals reflect the identities and interests of the community in that area, and is effective and convenient. The council has to publish its recommendations but the manner in which the council consults with its residents is not prescribed.
2.3 A review can consider one or more of the following options:
3.1 On 7 July 2025, Dorset Council received a petition signed by a percentage of residents of Shipton Gorge parish council seeking a review of the Shipton Gorge and Loders parish boundaries. A Community Governance Review offers an opportunity to put in place strong, clearly defined boundaries, tied to firm ground features, and remove any parish boundaries anomalies that may exist.
4.1 Dorset Council is responsible for conducting the review and will be responsible for making both draft and final recommendations during the process. In coming to its recommendations in the review, the council will need to take account of the views of local people obtained through consultation that will form part of the review to obtain these views.
4.2 The council will publicise the review by placing articles on the council’s website and on social media. The council will also write to all relevant parish councils, the Dorset Association of Town and Parish Councils, and other voluntary and community organisations, Dorset councillors and Members of Parliament for the area.
4.3 Full Council will be required to approve the final recommendations prior to a Community Governance Reorganisation Order being made.
5.1 The timetable for the review is included at Appendix 1 to this consultation document. The programme and timeline may be adjusted after representations have been received from local people and bodies in response to the initial public consultation. This will allow the council a degree of flexibility in the interests of ensuring that it manages the review process efficiently. Any adjustments to the programme and timetable will be approved by the council and published on its website.
5.2 The review will include four key stages:
5.3 This document relates to stage one of the process and is inviting initial submissions.
6.1 The review will be conducted using electoral data taken from the October 2025 electoral register.
6.2 When the council comes to consider the electoral arrangements of the parishes, it is required to consider any change in the number or distribution of the electors which is likely to occur in the period of five years beginning with the day when the review starts. Electorate forecasts have been prepared by the council using extant planning permissions and the Local Plan to project the five-year electorate forecast.
6.3 It is the government’s guidance that these forecasts should be made available to all interested parties as early as possible in the review process, so that they are available to all who may wish to make representations. The electorate forecasts are, therefore, set out in Appendix 2 to this consultation document.
7.1 Dorset Council welcomes all representations from any person or body who may wish to comment or make proposals on any aspect of the matters under review. Representations that are received will be taken into account by judging them against the criteria in the Local Government and Public Involvement in Health Act 2007.
7.2 All initial submissions and representations must be made by 5 December 2025.
7.3 Our preferred method of response is using our online consultation form [please note: the first consultation period for the Community Governance Review for Shipton Gorge and Loders parishes has now closed.]
7.4 Alternatively, you can request a paper copy of the consultation response form by calling 01305 838299 and then sending your completed form to:
Electoral Services, Legal & Democratic Services, Dorset Council, County Hall, Colliton Park, Dorchester, DT1 1XJ
7.5 It would be helpful if you could make clear in your response whether you represent an individual, organisation or group, and in what capacity you are responding.
7.6 All representations received will be published. In accordance with the Act, representations received in connection with the review will be taken into account, and steps will be taken to notify consultees of the outcome of the review.
8.1 Information provided in response to this consultation, including personal information, may be published, or disclosed in accordance with the access to information regimes.
8.2 If you want any information you provide to be treated as confidential, you should be aware that under the Freedom of Information Act 2000, there is a statutory Code of Practice with which public authorities must comply, and which deals with, amongst other things, obligations of confidence. In view of this, it would be helpful if you could explain to us why you regard the information you have provided as confidential.
8.3 If we receive a request for disclosure of the information, we will take full account of your explanation, but we cannot give any assurance that confidentiality can be maintained in all circumstances. An automatic confidentiality disclaimer generated by IT systems will not, of itself, be regarded as binding on the council.
8.4 Dorset Council will process your personal data in accordance with data protection legislation and in the majority of circumstances this will mean that your personal data will not be disclosed to third parties.
9.1 The council will publish full details on the council’s website; press releases and social media posts will be issued at key points and key documents will be on deposit at the council’s offices.
10.1 The review will concentrate on the boundaries of Shipton Gorge and Loders parishes but may consider other matters raised by local residents.
10.2 Arising from the review, it may be necessary for the council to consider a series of ‘consequential matters’ (where permitted) but these are not included within this initial submission consultation document.
10.3 Each response will be considered on its merits, and on the basis of the information and evidence provided during the course of the review.
| Action | Timeline | Details |
|---|---|---|
| Report to Full Council | 23 October 2025 | Council approves the Community Governance review Terms of Reference. |
| Publish Terms of Reference | 27 October 2025 | Publish Terms of Reference and notify stakeholders of the commencement of the review. |
| Prepare consultation document and invite initial submissions | 3 November 2025 to 5 December 2025 (4 weeks) | Initial submissions invited:
Publish proposals on Dorset Council website. |
| Consider submissions | 8 December 2025 to 16 January 2026 | Consider any submissions/representations and prepare report of draft recommendations for Full Council on 10 February 2026. |
| Publish draft recommendations | 23 February to 27 March 2026 (4 weeks) | Publish draft recommendations for further consultation with:
|
| Make final recommendations | 16 April 2026 Full Council meeting |
Consider any further submissions/ representations and prepare final recommendations for report to Full Council. |
| Publish final recommendations | May 2026 | Publish final recommendations and arrange for the preparation of a Reorganisation Order. |
| Polling District | Parish | Number of Councillors (if applicable) | Electorate 2025 | Projected Electorate 2031 | Electors per Councillor 2031 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| EGA8 | Loders | 10 | 425 | 425 | 43 |
| CHB15 | Shipton Gorge | 9 | 344 | 344 | 38 |
[Please note: the first consultation period for the Community Governance Review for Shipton Gorge and Loders parishes has now closed.]
Please note, the map may be difficult to access for some users so we have also provided the following location description:
Map showing the current parish boundaries of Loders and Shipton Gorge. The map shows the immediate area where the parishes of Loders and Shipton Gorge are located, with the parish boundaries indicated by a thick blue line. To the top of the map is the parish of Loders and immediately below it, towards the bottom of the map, is the parish of Shipton Gorge. Parts of adjoining parishes are also shown for context. Place names and the names of some properties, such as farms, are shown, as well as some roads and topographical features.
Please note, the map may be difficult to access for some users so we have also provided the following location description:
Map showing a close-up of the current parish boundary between Loders and Shipton Gorge. At the top of the map is shown the parish of Loders, with the parish of Shipton Gorge immediately below. The boundary between the parishes is shown by a thick blue line. Place names and the names of some properties, such as farms, are shown, as well as the outlines of buildings, and roads and topographical features.
