A NUMBER of changes to parishes within Mid Devon will be made in time for the local elections this Spring, following a public consultation and review of the current boundaries.

In November 2021 Mid Devon District Council began a Parish Review (previously known as a Community Governance Review) which considered a number of options including:

• creating, merging, altering or abolishing parishes

• changing the name of parishes

• the electoral arrangements for parishes (number of councillors, warding)

• grouping parishes under a common parish council or de-grouping parishes.

The review had a number of aims including changing boundaries as a result of new buildings and growth, removing any existing anomalies in boundaries, as well as improving local democracy.

An initial public consultation took place in the winter of 2021, before draft proposals were drawn up which were followed by a second consultation in 2022.

Mid Devon’s Electoral Review Committee has now reviewed the consultation responses and proposals and a series of changes will be implemented for the next parish elections, which are due to take place on May 4, 2023.

The review has resulted in a number of parishes seeing a change in the number of elected members representing their parish, while boundary changes will come into effect in the Willand / Uffculme / Halberton area as well as at Cheriton Bishop.

Cllr Luke Taylor, Chairman of the Electoral Review Committee, said: “Over time we know that changes to our parishes may need to be made, particularly if an area has seen considerable growth and development.

“Many of the changes may seem small but it is important that as a council we support our parishes to provide the best possible local democracy we can, and to reflect their wishes and sense of community.”

Full details of the changes are available online: Visit the dedicated Parish Review 2021-22 webpage here: https://www.middevon.gov.uk/your-council/consultation-involvement/past-consultations/parish-review-2021-2022/ .