District-Wide Community Governance Review
Horsham District Council has launched a Community Governance Review in February 2026, to consider all the parishes within the District. The review can consider one or more of the following options:
- Creating, altering, merging or abolishing parishes
- The naming of parishes and the style of new parishes and the creation of parish councils
- The electoral arrangements for parishes (for instance, the ordinary year of election, 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 arrangements including parish meetings
Have your say in the Community Governance Review
Earlier this summer we asked for your views on the boundaries and governance arrangements of parishes across the Horsham District. Following feedback from this initial consultation changes may have been suggested in your parish. You can view the draft recommendations, as agreed by the Governance Committee.
We are holding a second consultation on this from 24 July when you will be able to search for any proposed parish boundary or governance changes in your area, review maps and share your views before the final recommendations are made.
This consultation opens at 10am Friday 24 July 2026
View an interactive map of the proposed parish and ward boundaries
Maps of proposed changes
- Bramber and Steyning Parish Councils
- Broadbridge Heath and Slinfold Parish Councils
- Henfield and Upper Beeding Parish Councils
- Horsham Area (Horsham Town, North Horsham and Rusper Parish Councils)
- Kilnwood Vale (Colgate and Rusper Parish Councils)
- Nuthurst and Lower Beeding Parish Councils
- Rudgwick and Warnham Parish Councils
- Southwater, Shipley, Thakeham and West Grinstead Parish Councils
| Parish Council | Parish Ward | Number of Councillors |
|---|---|---|
| Kilnwood Vale Parish Council | (unwarded) | 12 |
| Horsham Town Area - OPTION 1 Merge | Denne | 4 |
| Forest | 5 | |
| Holbrook | 5 | |
| Mowbray | 3 | |
| Roffey | 5 | |
| Trafalgar | 3 | |
| Horsham Town Council - OPTION 2 | Chesworth & Oakhill | 3 |
| Denne | 2 | |
| Forest | 2 | |
| Highwood & Blackbridge | 3 | |
| Horsham Park | 1 | |
| Millpond | 1 | |
| New Town | 2 | |
| Trafalgar | 3 | |
| North Horsham Parish Council - OPTION 2 | Holbrook East | 4 |
| Holbrook West | 3 | |
| Roffey North | 4 | |
| Roffey South | 4 | |
| Mowbray | 4 | |
| Nuthurst Parish Council | Nuthurst North | 7 |
| Nuthurst South | 4 | |
| Southwater Parish Council | Southwater North | 4 |
| Southwater Central | 6 | |
| Southwater South | 5 | |
| Upper Beeding Parish Council | Small Dole | 3 |
| Upper Beeding | 10 |
| Parish Council | Number of Councillors | Number of Local Government Electors |
|---|---|---|
| Amberley Parish Council | 9 | 504 |
| Ashington Parish Council | 11 | 2118 |
| Ashurst Parish Council | 7 | 213 |
| Billingshurst Parish Council | 15 | 8311 |
| Bramber Parish Council | 9 | 645 |
| Broadbridge Heath Parish Council | 13 | 4449 |
| Coldwaltham Parish Council | 9 | 757 |
| Colgate Parish Council | 9 | 3412 |
| Cowfold Parish Council | 11 | 1503 |
|
Henfield Parish Council (wards below) - Henfield Ward - Small Dole Ward |
15 (total) 13 2 |
4732 (total) 4544 188 |
|
Horsham Parish Council (wards below) - Millpond - Trafalgar - Highwood and Blackbridge - Denne - Horsham Park - Kingslea - New Town - Chesworth and Oakhill - Forest |
18 (total) 1 3 3 2 1 1 1 3 2 |
22243 (total) 867 4736 4273 1675 1551 927 2891 3570 1753 |
| Itchingfield Parish Council | 11 | 1302 |
| Lower Beeding Parish Council | 9 | 885 |
|
North Horsham Parish Council (wards below) - Comptons Ward - Holbrook East Ward - Holbrook West Ward - Roffey North Ward - Roffey South Ward - Rural Ward |
19 (total) 1 5 4 5 3 1 |
17097 (total) 1229 4475 3266 4851 2729 547 |
| Nuthurst Parish Council | 11 | 1590 |
| Parham Parish Council | 7 | 172 |
| Pulborough Parish Council | 15 | 4484 |
| Rudgwick Parish Council | 11 | 2316 |
| Rusper Parish Council | 11 | 1570 |
| Shermanbury Parish Council | 7 | 518 |
| Shipley Parish Council | 11 | 1025 |
| Slinfold Parish Council | 11 | 1614 |
|
Southwater Parish Council (wards below) - Southwater South Ward - Southwater North Ward |
15 (total) 7 8 |
8787 (total) 4422 4365 |
| Steyning Parish Council | 15 | 4537 |
| Storrington and Sullington Parish Council | 15 | 5711 |
| Thakeham Parish Council | 11 | 1971 |
|
Upper Beeding Parish Council (wards below) - Upper Beeding Ward - Small Dole Ward |
15 (total) 12 3 |
2897 (total) 2326 571 |
| Warnham Parish Council | 11 | 1614 |
|
Washington Parish Council (wards below) - Heath Common Ward - Washington Ward |
11 (total) 6 5 |
1666 (total) 827 839 |
| West Chiltington Parish Council | 13 | 3001 |
|
West Grinstead Parish Council (wards below) - Dial Post Ward - Partridge Green Ward |
13 (total) 1 12 |
2337 (total) 252 2085 |
| Wiston Parish Council | 7 | 157 |
| Woodmancote Parish Council | 9 | 428 |
Frequently Asked Questions
We are required to take into account:
- the impact of existing community governance arrangements on community cohesion; and
- the size, population and boundaries of any local community or proposed parish or town council.
Government guidance indicates when undertaking such a review that criteria include:
- a sense of civic pride and civic values;
- a strong, inclusive community and voluntary sector;
- a sense of place – with a positive feeling for people and local distinctiveness;
- effective engagement with the local community at neighbourhood level
- strong leadership;
- the ability of local authorities to deliver quality services economically and efficiently; and
- an area that is of a size that is viable as an administrative unit of local government.
Horsham District Council is responsible for conducting the Review within its electoral area. The Governance Committee will undertake the Review and set the terms of reference. This committee will be responsible for undertaking the communication and consultation strategy, as well as making draft and final recommendations. Following the initial consultation, draft recommendations will be produced, and further consulted upon. This will enable the committee to form their final recommendations.
The Governance Committee will approve the final recommendations. If there are to be any changes to any parishes, a Community Governance Order would then need to be created. Full Council would need to approve the making of an order.
The meetings of the Governance Committee are open to the public and all documentation is available online - https://horsham.moderngov.co.uk/ieListMeetings.aspx?CId=243&Year=0. All meetings are available to view on our YouTube page - https://www.youtube.com/@horshamdistrictcouncil/streams
Legislation requires Community Governance Reviews to be completed within 12 months of the terms of reference being formally published. For this review the 12-month period will run from February 2026 and it is anticipated that the Governance Committee will approve a final recommendation in October 2026. Should there be changes to any parishes, the Community Governance Order would be made in October/November 2026.
Yes. Meetings of the Governance Committee are open to the public. The meetings will also be livestreamed on our YouTube page - https://www.youtube.com/@horshamdistrictcouncil/streams
No. District ward boundaries are reviewed by the Local Government Boundary Commission for England (LGBCE).
This Community Governance Review does not have the power to change any district ward boundaries, nor do it have the power to look at county divisions, or parliamentary constituencies.
The Community Governance Review considers whether governance arrangements would provide effective and convenient local government, but it does not include a detailed financial appraisal of future parish council budgets. As a result, it is not possible to quantify any savings or costs at this stage.
Ultimately, any future financial benefits, costs or changes to precept levels would be a matter for the relevant parish council(s) and are beyond the scope of the Community Governance Review.
The Community Governance Review is concerned with community identity, representation and effective local governance. It does not assess or determine the quality, range or level of services provided by parish councils. As parish councils are independent authorities, it is for each council to decide which services and facilities it provides and how those services are delivered. Therefore, the District Council cannot state whether any proposal would lead to improved services for residents. The intention of the proposals is to ensure that governance arrangements best reflect community identities and provide effective representation. Whether this subsequently results in changes to service delivery would be for the relevant parish council(s) to determine.
One of the objectives of the review is to ensure that governance arrangements reflect community identity and provide effective representation. However, whether residents experience an improvement in representation or communication is ultimately a matter of judgement and is one of the reasons the Council is consulting widely on the proposals.
The consultation seeks residents' views on whether representation would be improved through the proposed changes. The District Council cannot predetermine the outcome of that question and is therefore inviting feedback from residents and stakeholders.
Similarly, the review cannot guarantee that communication or information-sharing with residents would improve under either option, as this would depend on the practices and priorities of the relevant parish council(s). However, the proposals are intended to provide governance arrangements that better reflect the communities they serve.
The Community Governance Review (CGR) process
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 area. This means making sure that those living in the area, and other interested groups, have a say in how their local communities are represented.
The purpose of a CGR is to ensure that these arrangements continue to be effective and efficient, and that they reflect the interests and identity of local communities. The review process gives you the chance to provide your view on how you would like to be governed.
| Action | Date |
|---|---|
| Report to Governance Committee to approve the Terms of Reference for the review. | 18 February 2026 |
| Undertake formal consultation with local electors and other interested bodies in accordance with Section 93 of the Local Government and public Involvement in Health Act 2007 (6 weeks) | 9 May - 22 June 2026 |
| Governance Committee considers consultation outcomes and produces draft recommendations | 22 July 2026 |
| Undertake formal consultation with local electors and other interested bodies in accordance with Section 93 of the Local Government and public Involvement in Health Act 2007 (6 weeks) | 24 July - 7 September 2026 |
| Governance Committee considers consultation outcomes and produces final recommendations | 28 September 2026 |
| Full Council meeting, to approve reorganisation order(s), if required | September/October 2026 |
| Effective date of any change to parish boundaries, and electoral arrangements | 1 April 2027, or other date as detailed in the reorganisation order |
| Elections to take place to elect councillor, based on any agreed changes | 1 May 2027 |