Community Governance Review - Shipton Gorge and Loders parishes

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Following consultation on the draft recommendations, a report of the final recommendations will be considered by Full Council at its meeting on 16 April 2026.

What is a Community Governance Review?

A Community Governance Review is a legal process where 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 parishes 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.

What the review can and can’t change

The review can consider one or more of the following options:

creating, merging, altering or abolishing parishes
the naming of parishes and the style of new parishes and the creation of town councils
the electoral arrangements for parishes (for instance, the ordinary year of election; council size; the number of councillors to be elected to the council, and parish warding)
grouping parishes under a common parish council or de-grouping parishes
other types of local arrangements, including parish meetings

The review cannot:

change the number of councillors on Dorset Council
change Dorset Council ward boundaries
change the amount of money that a parish council raises through your council tax (known as ‘precept’)

Who carries out the review

Dorset Council is statutorily responsible for carrying out this Community Governance Review. Formal decisions as to the Terms of Reference for the Review and the recommendations arising from the Review will be made by Full Council.

Why we are having a review

On 7 July 2025, Dorset Council received a petition seeking a review of part of the boundary between the parishes of Shipton Gorge and Loders. Following receipt of a petition, the council has a duty to undertake a review which must be concluded within 1 year of receipt of the petition, ie 6 July 2026.

At its meeting on 14 July 2022, Dorset Council agreed to change the parish boundary between these parishes following no adverse comments from either parish council or any local residents, and a related change to Dorset Council’s ward boundaries was subsequently made by the Local Government Boundary Commission for England to ensure that the parish and ward boundaries were the same (coterminous).

Local residents have since raised concerns about the changes to the parish boundaries as they do not believe the current arrangements reflect community identity and have petitioned Dorset Council for a further review, asking that the boundary be returned to its previous line prior to the change that took effect in 2024.

What the review will focus on

A Community Governance Review is required to take into account:

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

The council is required to ensure that community governance within the area under review will:

be reflective of the identities and interests of the community in that area; and
be effective and convenient

Any other factors, such as council tax precept levels, cannot be considered.

How the review will be carried out and how you can make representations

Before making any recommendations or publishing final proposals, the council must consult local government electors for the area under review and any other person or body (including a local authority) which appears to the council to have an interest in the Review.

The council will therefore:

publish a Notice and Terms of Reference
send a copy of the Notice and these Terms of Reference to all parish clerks and to the Dorset Association of Town and Parish Councils
send a copy of the Notice and these Terms of Reference to the local Member of Parliament
inform local groups and interested parties such as local businesses, local residents’ associations, local public and voluntary organisations such as schools or health bodies

The council recognises that the development of strong, sustainable communities depends on residents’ active participation in decision making in respect of the governance arrangements of parish councils, and the council is therefore committed to engaging effectively with the diverse communities it serves and to enabling local people to participate meaningfully in the creation of effective community governance arrangements where all people feel able to take an active part in influencing service delivery.

The timetable below sets out dates for 2 periods of public consultation. The first period of public consultation, based on the Community Governance Review consultation paper, took place between 3 November and 5 December 2025. Following consideration of the submissions/representations received, a report of draft recommendations was considered and agreed by Full Council at its meeting on 10 February 2026. A second period of public consultation, based on the draft recommendations, took place between 23 February and 27 March 2026. A report of final recommendations will be considered by Full Council at its meeting on 16 April 2026.

Timetable for the review

The council has to complete the Community Governance Review within 12 months of receipt of the petition, ie 6 July 2026. A Community Governance Review is concluded on the day on which the council publishes the recommendations made by the Community Governance Review.

Any changes adopted by Full Council will be implemented via an order, the terms of which will be agreed by Full Council.

Timetable for the Community Governance 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 – 5 December 2025 (4 weeks)	Initial submissions invited: Shipton Gorge and Loders parish council Dorset Association of Parish and Town Councils (DAPTC) Dorset Council Ward members Member of Parliament Any local groups and interested parties such as local businesses and local public and voluntary organisations Publish proposals on Dorset Council website.
Consider submissions	8 December 2025 - 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 – 27 March 2026 (4 weeks)	Publish draft recommendations for further consultation with: all local government electors all town and parish councils DAPTC Member of Parliament local groups and interested parties. Publish draft recommendations on Dorset Council website.
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.

Further information

View the following documents: