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Community Governance Review (CGR)

Background to the Community Governance Review (CGR)

West Oxfordshire District Council (“The Council”) passed a motion on 28 January 2026 which requested officers to consider the Council undertaking a CGR. The motion suggested that the review should:

  • Assess whether existing boundaries remain appropriate considering housing growth, demographic change, and community identity.
  • Consider requests or representations from parish and town councils and residents.
  • Seek to ensure boundaries promote effective governance, community cohesion, and clarity for residents.

At their subsequent meeting on 16 September 2026, the Council agreed to undertake a review focused solely on the parish boundaries of the three principal towns in the district of Witney, Carterton and Chipping Norton.

The Community Governance Review has now commenced in accordance with the Terms of Reference agreed at Council:

PDF Icon CGRR Terms of Reference - pdf - 64 Kb

What is a Community Governance Review:

CGRs are the means by which a principal council can review town and parish council arrangements. CGRs can consider:

  • Changing parish boundaries
  • Creating/abolishing parishes
  • Creating/abolishing parish councils
  • Merging or splitting parishes
  • Grouping and de-grouping parishes
  • Town/parish councillor numbers
  • Town/parish warding
  • Changing parish names/styles

A principal council can undertake a CGR at any time. It is good practice for a principal council to consider conducting a review every 10-15 years as well as in circumstances where there has been significant new housing development.

A CGR can also be conducted as/when requests for change are received in the form of valid petitions and applications.

The rationale for conducting a CGR is to consider whether it is necessary to re-align boundaries to better reflect the geography of local communities and their sense of place and identity and facilitate effective and convenient local government. A CGR may be considered especially relevant where developments have been built around existing towns but outside of town council boundaries impacting community identity and effective and convenient community governance.

Any decision taken by a Council on changes to parishes will take account of the recommendations put forward as part of the CGR process and the views of local people through appropriate consultation.

Scope of the review for West Oxfordshire

The focus of this CGR is on the administrative boundaries and electoral arrangements for the parishes and town councils in the Carterton, Chipping Norton and Witney areas of the district only, as well as councillor numbers in all parishes within those areas. No other parish or town councils are being considered for administrative boundary changes as part of this review.

Given the scope outlined above, the CGR will initially involve an invitation to Carterton, Chipping Norton and Witney Town Councils and those parishes bordering the towns of Carterton, Chipping Norton and Witney to submit any proposals for boundary changes and councillor numbers.

The following town and parish councils will be notified of the review and invited to submit proposals:

  • Carterton Town Council and neighbouring parishes: Alvescot Parish Council, Black Bourton Parish Council, Brize Norton Parish Council, and Shilton Parish Council.
  • Chipping Norton Town Council and neighbouring parishes: Chadlington Parish Council, Churchill and Sarsden Parish Council, Cornwell Parish Meeting, Enstone Parish Council, Heythrop Parish Meeting, Over Norton Parish Council, Salford Parish Council, and Spelsbury Parish Council.
  • Witney Town Council and neighbouring parishes: Curbridge & Lew Parish Council, Ducklington Parish Council, Hailey Parish Council, Minster Lovell Parish Council and South Leigh & High Cogges Parish Council.

Key milestones

  • Full Council to consider whether to undertake CGR - Complete
  • Invitation for affected town and parish councils to submit proposals - In progress
  • Officers to review responses and work-up options with the Constitution Working Group and ward Members
  • Council to consider options and agree to proceed to public consultation
  • Public consultation (2 months)
  • Officers to review consultation responses and work-up final recommendations in consultation with Constitution Working Group and ward Members
  • Recommendations published and considered/agreed
  • Reorganisation Order made

© West Oxfordshire District Council 2026