Communities in North Devon are being asked to have their say on proposed changes to some parish and town councils.
North Devon Council is reviewing the boundaries and electoral arrangements of some parishes within the council area as part of a Community Governance Review.
A Community Governance Review is a way for district councils to make sure that, at parish level, governance arrangements are working as efficiently and effectively as they should be. They can be undertaken periodically and provide an opportunity to put in place strong, clearly defined boundaries which reflect local identities and facilitate effective and convenient local government. It considers the creation, merging and alteration of parishes, and their election arrangements.
A number of parishes have put forward proposals due to population changes and shifts in natural settlements caused by new development.
Residents in the affected parishes are encouraged to have their say on the proposals that affect them by taking part in a consultation, which is open until 30 September 2025.
Residents can view the detailed proposals and take part in the consultation by visiting northdevon.gov.uk/lets-talk
For Ilfracombe the proposal is:
Ilfracombe Town Council would like to return to three wards for the Ilfracombe Parish.
The wards would be: Ilfracombe East, Ilfracombe West, and Ilfracombe Central.
Ilfracombe is currently split into two wards: Ilfracombe East and Ilfracombe West.
The reason for the request is because Ilfracombe Town Council feel that Central Ward is the area in Ilfracombe with the highest statistics of deprivation and poverty etc, and having only two wards dilutes the statistics as the other areas of Ilfracombe have the higher house values and wealth.
The council will oversee the review and will produce draft and final recommendations following the consultation. The final recommendations will be approved by full council before a Community Governance Order is made.
Final recommendations are expected to be published in April 2026 and will come into effect the following year ahead of town and parish council elections in May 2027.
