Update: Community Governance Review

Published: 09 March 2021

Following on from the petition raised by Windlesham residents in 2019 that triggered a Community Governance review of the Windlesham Parish area, we have received excellent news from the Boundary Commission that draws the formal Community Governance review process to a close.

The request made by Surrey Heath Borough Council to the Boundary Commission to alter the parish ward boundaries has been accepted and will become effective from the parish elections taking place in 2023.

What does this mean? This means that at parish level, the village of Windlesham will be electorally re-united. The number of Parish Councillors representing Windlesham village will increase from 3 (as it is currently) to 5 and all Windlesham residents will vote for their own representatives (and the Snows Ride area of the village will no longer be classed as part of Bagshot, voting for Bagshot representatives).

The Council is nearing the conclusion of discussions to change its internal workings to move to a village aligned committee structure, where each village group will be largely responsible for its own budget and focus solely on their own issues, important to their residents. Although yet to be formally agreed, it is hoped that, alongside the now agreed changes to the boundaries, this will deliver a new model of working that reflects the wishes expressed by residents through the consultation process.

The Council extends its thanks to all those who have been involved in the process thus far; Tony Murphy, the lead petitioner who sought to right a wrong “imposed” on Windlesham residents; the working party who have been in negotiations for a considerable amount of time regarding the new operating framework for the Council and the residents who took the time to engage with the formal review process conducted by Surrey Heath Borough Council.