The Boundary Review Committee met to discuss the 2025 Community Governance Review, focusing on proposed changes to town and parish council boundaries and arrangements. The committee approved some proposals for adoption and agreed to further consultation on others, delegating authority to the Monitoring Officer, in consultation with the Chair of the Boundary Review Committee, to arrange and publish consultation documents. The decisions aim to ensure effective and efficient local governance, reflecting community identities and interests.

Community Governance Review 2025

The main item under consideration was the Community Governance Review (CGR) 2025, which is being undertaken in accordance with the Local Government and Public Involvement in Health Act 2007¹. The review, which commenced on 17 February 2025, aims to assess and update the Town and Parish Council arrangements within Telford & Wrekin. The committee was asked to consider proposals outlined in Appendices B to D of the meeting's public reports pack, with associated maps in Appendix E. These appendices detailed proposals for adoption, areas where current arrangements should be maintained, and areas where further consultation may be required.

Proposals for Adoption (Appendix B)

The committee approved the adoption of proposals in Appendix B, with some changes to councillor numbers based on consultation feedback. These proposals include:

• Chetwynd Aston and Church Aston Parish Council: Creation of a new parish council. The proposed Chetwynd Aston, Woodcote and Church Aston Parish Council will have an electorate of 1,453, represented by 10 parish councillors across 2 wards.
• Hadley & Leegomery Parish Council: Retention of existing arrangements, with an increase in the number of parish councillors from 16 to 17.
• Ketley Parish Council: Amendment of the existing boundary of the Parish Council so that the area of Beveley Road and Lea Brook form part of the proposed Oakengates, Wrockwardine Wood & Trench Parish Council. The arrangements for Ketley Parish Council will consist of a current electorate of 3,171 represented by 11 parish councillors in two wards.
• Lilleshall Parish Council: Retention of existing arrangements. The proposed arrangements for Lilleshall Parish Council will consist of an electorate of 1,108 and 7 councillors in a single unwarded parish.
• Muxton Parish Council: Creation of its own parish council. The proposed Muxton Parish Council will have a current electorate of 3,848 and 9 councillors in a single unwarded parish.
• Newport Town Council: Movement of the boundary to incorporate the area known as Station Road that is currently within the parish of Chetwynd Aston & Woodcote. The proposed Newport Town Council will have an electorate of 10,083, represented by 12 parish councillors across 4 wards.
• Priorslee Parish Council: Creation of its own parish council. The proposed Priorslee Parish Council will have a current electorate of 5,185 and be served by 9 parish councillors across two parish wards.
• St Georges and Donnington Parish Council: Establishment of a parish council to serve these two communities. The arrangements for the proposed St Georges and Donnington Parish Council, are a current electorate of 12,759 served by 17 councillors across 3 parish wards.
• Tibberton & Cherrington Parish Council: Retention of current boundary arrangements. The Parish Council area will comprise 804 electors represented by 6 councillors in a single unwarded parish.
• Wellington Town Council: Incorporation of Admaston and Bratton into Wellington Town Council from Wrockwardine Parish Council. The proposed Wellington Town Council would have an electorate of 20,294 served by 25 Councillors in 5 town wards.
• Wrockwardine Wood, Trench & Oakengates Town Council: Establishment of a parish council to serve these two communities. The proposed Wrockwardine Wood, Trench & Oakengates Town Council will have a current electorate of 10,992 and be served by 15 parish councillors across three parish wards.

Retention of Pre-Existing Parish Arrangements (Appendix C)

The committee approved the adoption of proposals in Appendix C, recommending that no changes be made to the current pre-existing arrangements for the following:

• Chetwynd Parish Council: The current parish arrangements in Chetwynd consist of a total electorate of 481 and is represented by 7 parish councillors.
• Edgmond Parish Council: The current parish council arrangements for Edgmond consist of a total electorate of 1100 and is presented by 13 parish councillors in a single parish ward.
• The Weald Moors Further to consultation and the strength of feeling regarding community identity, it is proposed that the pre-existing parish arrangements for Eyton, Preston and Kynnersley are retained.
  • Preston upon the Weald Moors Village: Preston currently has a parish meeting, it serves an electorate of 228.
  • Eyton on the Weald Moors: Eyton currently has a Parish Meeting. The electorate for this area is 72.
  • Kynnersley Parish Council: The current arrangements for Kynnersley Parish Council consist of a total electorate of 149 and is presented by 5 parish councillors.
• Waters Upton and Ercall Magna Following consultation and the strength of feeling regarding community identity, it is proposed that the pre-existing arrangements for Waters Upton and Ercall Magna are retained.
  • Waters Upton: The current arrangements for Waters Upton consist of 1063 electors represented by 6 councillors in a single parish ward.
  • Ercall Magna: The current parish arrangements for Ercall Magna consist of 1456 electors represented by 13 parish councillors across two parish wards.

Further Consultation (Appendix D)

The committee noted the contents of Appendix D and agreed to undertake further consultation on proposals related to:

• Great Dawley, Lawley & Overdale, Madeley Town Council, The Gorge:
  • Creation of new Parish Council comprising broadly those areas made up of Horsehay, Lightmoor and Aqueduct;
  • Specific submissions in terms of the name of the proposed new Parish Council area;
  • Changes to The Gorge Parish Council as a result of the creation of new Parish Council;
  • Amendments to Madeley Town Council to take on the Nightingale Walk parish ward (polling district TWL) from current Dawley Hamlets Parish Council.
• Brookside, Stirchley and Hollinswood & Randlay: The committee has a number of options to consider:-
  • retain the existing Hollinswood & Randlay Parish Council and the Stirchley & Brookside Parish Council;
  • create two new parish councils; one for Brookside and the second for Stirchley and Hollinswood & Randlay;
  • create two new parish councils; one for Brookside and the second for Stirchley with the existing Hollinswood & Randlay Parish Council remaining in its current form;
  • create two new parish councils; one for Hollinswood and the second for Randlay with the existing Stirchley & Brookside Parish Council remaining in its current form.
• Little Wenlock, Wrockwardine and Rodington:
  • The existing arrangements for Little Wenlock retained and a new proposed Wrockwardine and Rodington Parish.

The consultation period will be for three weeks.