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Community Governance Review stage two – have your say on local representation

Working with residents and community groups, we have put together proposals on how communities in Herne Bay, Whitstable and the surrounding areas are represented and whether any changes are needed to rural parish councils.

Have your say now – complete the survey by 9am on Thursday 17 December 2026.

More information about the review, including details about public meetings, can be found below.

Why this review is taking place

Some parts of the district have a parish or town council. Others, including Herne Bay and Whitstable, do not.

Parish and town councils are the most local level of government. They speak up for their communities and can provide some local services.

It is good practice to review these arrangements every 10 to 15 years and ours was almost due.

Councillors also wanted to look at this because the government has planned to replace Canterbury City Council and Kent County Council with new councils that deliver all services in one place.

Ministers have since paused that process and are reviewing their earlier decisions.

It could restart, so councillors felt it was sensible to ask people whether they would like a more local voice.

What the review is about

We are asking two main questions:

  • Should Herne Bay, Whitstable and surrounding areas have their own town or parish councils? They do not currently have one.
  • Are any changes needed to the parish councils in our rural areas?

How the review works

Stage one (7 May to 5 July 2026): We asked residents, organisations and partners for their views and ideas. Thank you to everyone who took part.

View the report on the first-round consultation results.

Stage two (24 September to 17 December 2026): Based on what you told us, we have drawn up proposals. These are not final decisions. Before councillors decide, they want to hear what you think of the proposals.

Proposals for your area

Leaflets are being sent to households that may be affected. You can also read them online.

Some files are large and may take a moment to open.

Have your say

Please give us your views by completing the consultation form by 9am on Thursday 17 December 2026.

Need help or an alternative format?

You can download a paper version of the survey if you like to see the questions before completing it online, or to submit your responses by post.

Paper copies are also available on request.

  • Email: consultations@canterbury.gov.uk
  • Phone: 01227 862000 (8.45am to 5pm, Monday to Friday)
  • Write: Policy Team, Canterbury City Council, 14 Rose Lane, Canterbury, CT1 2UR

Public meetings

Come along to find out more and ask questions.

Each meeting runs from 6pm to 7.30pm.

Consultation on parish election timing

We are also carrying out a separate consultation on a proposal to defer the scheduled parish and town council elections from May 2027 to May 2028.

Find out more about how to respond to this consultation.

Resource library

To read more about the Community Governance Review, including information on assets, precepts (the part of council tax that goes to the parish council), and issues such as merging, grouping and boundaries, please read our stage one public meetings questions and answers.

Please see our privacy notice to find out how we store, process and share your personal information.

Published: 24 September 2026

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