New wave of parish and town councils brings power closer to people
Communities across England are gaining a stronger local voice as a growing number of new parish and town councils are created or move closer to being established.
Four new councils were created in April 2026 for Bournemouth, Broadstone, Horsham and Poole. Following its first elections in May, Horsham Parish Council adopted the name Horsham Town Council.
A further 20 parish and town councils have been approved and are due to be created in April 2027. These include councils for Broadnook, Box Hill, Clacton-on-Sea, Dorking, Emsworth, Grove Park, Hayling Island, Holland-on-Sea, Ipswich, Kemsley, Loughborough, Maidstone, Margate, Milton Regis, Murston, Royal Tunbridge Wells, St Albans, Tonbridge, West Clacton and Jaywick Sands, and Westcott. Among the largest new councils will be those serving Ipswich and St Albans.
The new parish covering Ipswich is expected to adopt the name Ipswich Town Council. It will be represented by 17 councillors, with the first elections taking place in May 2027. The council will provide residents with representation focused specifically on the town and create new opportunities for communities to influence local priorities. Ipswich Borough Council has published further details about the new council.
In St Albans, the new council will cover the currently unparished central area, including more than 28,000 households. It follows a community governance review in which 78% of those who took part in an indicative ballot supported creating a new council. The council is due to come into effect on 1 April 2027, with elections taking place in May. Read the final recommendations for St Albans.
Guildford Borough Council has also recommended that a new parish council for Guildford be created from April 2027. The proposal covers the town's 10 currently unparished wards. It would ensure every part of the borough benefits from parish-level representation. The final decision will rest with the future West Surrey shadow authority because of local government reorganisation. Read more about the recommendation for Guildford.
Recommendations have also been made for new parish and town councils covering Banstead and the Villages, Englefield Green, Pyrford, Redhill and Reigate, subject to decisions by the relevant new unitary authority.
The creation of new parish and town councils gives communities a democratic voice on the issues that matter most to them. These councils represent local priorities, shape their area, deliver services, support community organisations and protect valued assets and civic traditions.
We are leading the way nationally by collecting and maintaining the only known data on proposed and newly created parish and town councils. This vital resource provides a unique picture of the sector's growth, helps identify where communities are gaining a stronger local voice, supports councils and county associations through the creation process, and strengthens our work to champion effective neighbourhood governance across England.
Creating new parish and town councils is one of our key campaigns, reflecting our long-standing ambition to extend the benefits to more people. The growing number of councils being established or progressing through community governance reviews marks significant progress towards that ambition, giving more communities democratic representation, a stronger voice and greater influence over the decisions that affect their area.
