A Community Governance Review is a formal process that looks at how people are represented at the most local level. It can lead to changes such as the creation of a new parish or town council or review of changes to governance arrangements for town and parish councils. This is to ensure that the identity and interest of local communities continue to be represented.

Currently there are no parish or town councils in the borough of Crawley.

Community Governance Reviews are undertaken in accordance with the Local Government and Public Involvement in Health Act 2007. Visit the GOV.UK legislation website for further information on the local Government and Public Involvement in Health Act 2007.

The council responsible for the area will carry out the review and set the terms of reference for it.  People who live in, or have an interest in, the area will be consulted before any decision is made. The final decision will be made at a Full Council meeting.

Community Governance Reviews must be completed within 12 months of the terms of reference being formally published.  

There is very little difference, except in the name. They both have the same powers and can provide the same services. A town council usually has a mayor.

A consultation is now open on whether a town council should be created to represent the residents of Crawley. You can read the details of the proposal and why it is being made on this page before you take part in the consultation.

You have until 1 December to take part.

The creation of a town council to cover the whole borough of Crawley.

Local government in West Sussex is being reorganised. Crawley Borough Council will be replaced by a new Unitary Council in 2028 that will operate across a much wider area. This could be across Crawley, Horsham and Mid-Sussex, or even across the whole of West Sussex.

To retain a dedicated voice for Crawley, and some local decisions on services and facilities, a new town council could be established.

Most areas of West Sussex benefit from having a parish or town council, but because Crawley has its own borough council it has never needed one before. Creating one now would put Crawley on an equal footing with other areas.

It would be focused only on and provide a voice for Crawley, providing and protecting services and facilities that are in addition to those provided by the new unitary.  

Town and parish council cannot provide statutory services, but they can provide discretionary facilities and services that communities value but might otherwise be lost or not provided.

A town council would ensure localised democracy, giving residents in the borough more say in how some facilities are run. It could also represent the interests of Crawley and its residents to other organisations.

Town councillors that would represent residents would be elected only by residents that live in Crawley and could drive improvements.

The town council would be able to make decisions on some local matters and could take over the ownership and running of certain services and facilities in Crawley. These could include allotments, play areas, live entertainment and events, cemeteries, local grants, community centres and maybe even larger facilities such as parks, neighbourhood parades, K2 Crawley and The Hawth.

A new ‘precept’ charge would be introduced within residents’ Council Tax bills. The exact figure for the town council precept will depend on which services are transferred to the town council and what income they can obtain from them.  The precept would be kept to a minimum.

The number of town councillors to be elected to the town council and how they can represent residents, will be shaped by your feedback through our consultations.

The precise amount would depend on how much residents wanted the town council to do and how much income it can generate.  

Town councils are funded through a sum of money called a ‘precept’, which is collected along with your existing council tax.

The feedback you provide will help shape a costed proposal that will then be consulted on early next year before any decision is made.

No, businesses are subject to business rates, which are calculated separately from Council Tax.

Crawley Borough 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.

We have decided to undertake a CGR to consider whether there is a desire and need to create a single town council to cover the whole of the borough as it is currently unparished. We acknowledge that comments regarding alternative proposals for other potential parishes and town councils may be brought to our attention, and we will consider these within the scope of this review.

The scope of the review will consider:

• The creation of one or more town or parish councils
• The electoral arrangements for town or parish councils including:
  • the ordinary year of election
  • the number of councillors to be elected
  • the warding (if any) of the town or parish councils

We will consider the following factors as part of assessing proposals within the scope of the review:

• a strong, inclusive community and voluntary sector
• a sense of civic values, responsibility and pride
• a sense of place – a place with a ‘positive’ feeling for people and local distinctiveness
• reflective of the identities and interests of the community in that area
  effectiveness and convenience
• the impact of community governance arrangements on community cohesion
• the size, population and boundaries of a local community or parish
• people from different backgrounds having similar life opportunities
• people knowing their rights and responsibilities

Part of the consultation will seek views on what facilities residents would hope to be the responsibility of any town or parish councils, if they are established.

The Governance Committee will approve the final recommendations.  If there will be a town council, a Community Governance Order would then need to be created. Full Council would need to approve the making of an order.

Governance Committee meeting agendas and associated reports are available on our democracy website.

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 July 2025 and it is anticipated that the Governance Committee will approve a final recommendation in July 2026.  

Yes, meetings of the Governance Committee are open to the public. 

The meetings will also be livestreamed on our YouTube channel.

A town council cannot provide statutory services, but they can provide discretionary facilities and services that communities value but might otherwise be lost or not provided locally. Services that the town council could be responsible for include allotments, play areas, live entertainment and events, cemeteries, local grants, community centres and maybe even larger facilities such as parks, neighbourhood parades, K2 Crawley and The Hawth.

There is no statutory obligation on Crawley Borough to transfer any assets to a newly created parish or town council, except for allotments. Any newly formed parish or town council would be responsible for them. The transfer of any assets other than allotments would be entirely at our discretion.

If the creation of new parish or town council(s) is recommended, a list of assets that could transfer from Crawley Borough Council to any new council(s) would be included in the draft recommendations. These would be published early next year. 

When we determine the asset list, we have to make sure there is equality of assets across parish and town councils within the borough.

At the end of the review process, any newly formed parish or town council(s) would consider what other assets, currently owned or leased by Crawley Borough Council, it might wish to negotiate the transfer of. These negotiations do not form part of this review process.

The town council would have authority to make decisions on the facilities and services that it provides.

Candidates for the town council could choose to stand for a political party, or as an independent. This is because the town council elections would be required to follow the legislation in relation to parish council elections.

Collaborative work would need to be developed by the town council, once elected. It would be able to represent the interests of residents to the new unitary council. Many town and parish councils have well established relationships with the other councils operating in the area.

The town council, once established, would need to decide on where its offices would be. 

Crawley is one of the only places in Sussex without any town or parish council. This change would ensure Crawley has the same representation as the majority of Sussex.

Services would continue to be run by the new unitary council.

All decisions that affect the borough would be made by this wider unitary authority meaning Crawley would no longer have its own dedicated voice.

Crawley would be at a disadvantage compared to neighbouring areas who already have either a parish or a town council in place providing local representation, something Crawley has not needed before now.

No.

Yes, we want to hear your views through the consultation. These will be considered before any decisions are taken. 

If changes are agreed, it's anticipated they would take place following town and parish elections in May 2027.

Read the proposed terms of reference for the Community Governance Review.