Community Governance Review

Should Clacton-on-Sea, Holland-on-Sea and Jaywick Sands have their own town or parish councils?

Big changes are coming to local government – and we want to hear your voice.

Tendring District Council is launching a Community Governance Review (CGR) to explore whether new town or parish councils should be created for Clacton-on-Sea, Holland-on-Sea, and Jaywick Sands – the only areas in the district currently without one.

This is your chance to help shape how your community is represented in the future.

About the review - why now?

Community Governance Reviews (CGR) are a process where councils can consult on local governance arrangements, including the creation of new parish or town councils.

Clacton, Holland and Jaywick currently do not have parish or town councils. Services for the areas are provided directly by both Tendring District Council and Essex County Council.

District councillors made a decision in November 2024 to consult residents on whether they feel it is time to create a new town or parish councils for the three areas. Since then, the Government has also launched its Local Government Reorganisation (LGR) programme, which could see both TDC and ECC replaced by a new council at least three times the size of TDC.

What would a town or parish council do?

A town council has the same powers as a parish council. It has elected councillors and works to serve the interests of the local community. It would:

• be a separately elected body of councillors representing the community
• have powers to deliver local services or support initiatives, subject to available resources
• have the ability to raise a precept (an additional amount added to council tax) to fund its activities
• town councils have the power to raise money through the local council tax - the average Council Tax precept for parish/town councils in Tendring in 2025/6 is just less than £76 per year (which equates to £1.46 per week), for services delivered by town and parish councils locally.

For more information on the powers of a Parish or Town Council, view the Terms of Reference‍

What the review can and cannot change

The review may consider one or more of the following options:

• creating parishes (Parish Council can be called Town Councils)
• the naming of parishes and the style of new parishes including the potential creation of town and parish councils
• electoral arrangements for parishes, including the number of councillors
• grouping parishes under a common parish council parishes
• other types of local arrangements, including parish meetings

The review cannot:

• change the number of councillors on Tendring District Council or Essex County Council or the electoral areas that councillors represent.
• influence or change the amount of money that councils or the Police, Fire and Crime Commissioner raises through council tax (known as ‘precept’)

How the review will be carried out

When assessing any suggestions from interested parties, we will be required to take into account both the:

• impact of the community governance arrangements on community cohesion
• size, population and boundaries of a local community or parish suggestion

We will also be required to ensure that community governance within the area under review would be:

• reflective of the identities and interests of the community in that area; and
• effective and convenient

Any other factors, such as potential council tax precept levels, cannot be considered.

Have your say on the community governance review

We are not proposing any options at this stage but we are seeking proposals from:

• existing communities, voluntary and interest groups, individuals, local organisations and businesses, local representatives any other interest parties

This is referred to in the timetable as "stage one – invitation of initial submissions". This can be done by:

• visiting our survey page
• attending a public briefing

Public briefings

We are holding public briefings that will provide additional information on:

• the review process and timetable
• what a community governance review seeks to achieve
• how to make a submission and what to consider as part of any submission

There will also be a Q&A session. The dates, times and locations for the public briefings are as follows:

Further public briefing meetings will take place in the later stages of the consultation.

Timetable for the review

The review runs from 1 July 2025 to March 2026. If residents indicate in this initial consultation that they would like a new council or councils to be established, a second consultation will take place in November 2025 on one or more detailed proposals.

No final decision will be made without residents having the chance to have their say on two separate occasions and for those views to be central to the final decision.

It is expected that a final decision would be made in March 2026 and that if a new town council was to be approved, it could be formed on 1 April 2027.

We must complete the Community Governance Review within 12 months from when we publish the Terms of Reference.

You can view our timetable below.

The area covered by the review

How to take part

We welcome views from residents, businesses, community organisations and local groups.

Take part in the consultation here

The deadline for responses to this initial consultation is 30 September.

A set of questions and answers has been published to help you understand what a town council is responsible for, how much it could cost, and the key issues the review will consider.

Paper copies of the consultation response form are available from Clacton Town Hall, Station Road, Clacton-on-Sea, Essex, CO15 1SP; Tendring District Council Offices, 90 Pier Avenue, Clacton-on-Sea, CO15 1TN; Holland Public Hall, 193 Frinton Road, Holland-on-Sea, CO15 5UR; and Sunspot, Brooklands, Jaywick Sands, CO15 2JE.

Notices and documents

You can view or download our notices and documents:

Community Governance Review - Terms of Reference

Decision notice

Frequently asked questions