Background to the 2019 Community Governance Review

Today, the villages of Bagshot, Lightwater and Windlesham are represented by a single 'Windlesham Parish Council', with a group of 18 councillors representing a Parish of over 17,000 people.

To put this in context, 80% of parishes in England have populations of less that 2,500 and the average number of councillors is between 5 and 7.

The current arrangement is even an anomaly within Surrey Heath - the neighbouring Parish Councils of Bisley, Chobham and West End are all 'village-specific' and typically have only six or seven councillors.

Why should we care?

Since May 2023, a new electoral ward now means that Windlesham voters can elect Windlesham councillors and those who live in the Snows Ride area are no longer treated as if they live in a suburb of Bagshot.

We also managed to gain agreement to a more autonomous operating model, in which each of the three villages should be largely responsible for its own budget, decision-making and funding of projects. These changes were intended to deliver three big improvements:

A more 'right-sized' model that provides improved representation and community cohesion. Smaller, village-aligned structures so that the councillors who are making decisions are the people who are personally engaged in village issues.
Improved community engagement and sense of belonging. Parish Councils are intended to reflect the identity and shared values of the community they serve. Devolved village level committees can better meet the needs of their own village.
More effective use of taxpayers' money. The Parish Council had often taken the 'easy option' rather than the best value option when it came to contracting for services. We hoped the new model would improve the value-for-money Windlesham residents are receiving from these contracts.