District wide Community Governance Review

What is a Community Governance Review?

A Community Governance Review (CGR) looks at how town and parish councils are set up, whether any changes are needed, and if residents would support a parish council in unparished areas.

Public Notice (PDF)

Terms of Reference (PDF, 26.1 MB)

Community Governance Review – what it means for you

A Community Governance Review (CGR) is your opportunity to have your voice heard. It allows Three Rivers District Council to review, create and make changes to existing town and parish councils and to areas that are currently unparished.

What parish councils do

Parish councils sit beneath the district council and provide local services. Depending on the parish, responsibilities can include:

• Allotments - managing plots for local residents
• Open spaces - including parks, play areas and green spaces
• Dog bins and basic environmental maintenance
• Community centres and halls - running or supporting local facilities
• Local features - benches, bus shelters, noticeboards, war memorials
• Community events - such as Village Days, fireworks or celebrations
• Planning input - commenting on planning applications
• Most have Neighbourhood Plans - shaping development in their area

Parish councils are not a mandatory tier of local government and do not exist in all parts of England. Where they do exist, they are the lowest tier of local government in England.

Parish councils can decide to call themselves 'town, or 'community', 'neighbourhood' or 'village' councils. You can read more about parish councils here: https://www.gov.uk/understand-how-your-council-works.

Why this matters now

With Three Rivers District Council due to cease in April 2028, and a new South West Hertfordshire Unitary Council replacing it, parish councils will become the most local level of government in the area.

The new South West Hertfordshire Unitary Council will replace Three Rivers District Council, Watford Borough Council, Hertsmere Borough Council and Hertfordshire County Council, having a population of 320,000.

Most of the current Three Rivers area already has a parish or community council execept:

• Maple Cross
• West Hyde
• Penn
• Mill End

Please refer to the maps for more information.

Residents in these areas are being asked whether they would like to:

• Create a new parish council, or
• Join an existing neighbouring parish council, or
• Remain unparished

Who runs parish councils?

Parish Councillors are elected and decide on their services. The next elections will take place in May 2027, at the same time as elections for the new unitary council.

How parish councils are funded

Parish councils can raise a small precept (a local charge/ council tax) from residents to cover the services they provide.

Why are we doing the Community Governance Review?

Three Rivers District Council has received a number of requests to consider changing existing parish arrangements. Chorleywood Parish Council has requested a change to the parish wards within the parish. Croxley Green Parish Council has requested parish boundaries to be reviewed with Sarratt Parish Council. Batchworth Community Council has requested to alter the number of councillors that sit on the council and consideration of name change status.

Three Rivers District Council would also like to ask residents in Maple Cross, West Hyde, Penn and Mill End if they want a parish council for all or part of the area, whether they would prefer to join an existing neighbouring parish council, or remain unparished.

This question is being raised now because of the creation of the new, larger South West Hertfordshire Unitary Council, which will replace Three Rivers District Council in April 2028. Once the unitary council is in place, parish councils will become the closest and most local tier of government for communities.

The review also gives Three Rivers residents a chance to say what changes, if any, they would like the council to consider before the next all-out parish elections in 2027. Elections for the new unitary authorities are also due to take place in the same year.

Timetable of the Community Governance Review

What the review can and cannot change

The review may consider the following options:

• Creating, merging, altering or abolishing parishes
• The naming of parishes and the style of parishes including the potential creation of town and parish councils
• The electoral arrangements for parishes. For instance, the ordinary year of elections; council size; the number of councillors to be elected to the council and parish warding
• Grouping parishes under a common parish council or de-grouping parishes
• Other types of local arrangements including parish meetings

The review cannot:

• Change the number of councillors on Three Rivers District Council
• Influence or change the amount of money that an existing parish or town council raises through Council Tax known as precept

How the review will be carried out

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

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

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

• Reflective of the identities and interests of the community in that area
• Effective and convenient

Any other factors, such as potential Council Tax precept levels, cannot be considered.

What happens after the consultation?

1. Three Rivers District Council will review all responses received

2. Draft recommendations will be prepared

3. There will be a further opportunity to comment on the draft recommendations

4. The council will consider all responses before making its final recommendations

5. If changes are approved, they will usually take effect from the date specified in the council’s final order

Number of parish councillors

Abbots Langley Parish Council has 15 Councillors, split across 6 wards:

• Abbots Langley Ward – Electorate 3,827
• Abbots Langley West Ward – Electorate 1,763
• Bedmond Ward – Electorate 1,127
• Hunton Bridge Ward – Electorate 1,148
• Leavesden Ward – Electorate 5,803
• Primrose Hill Ward – Electorate 2,082

Batchworth Community Council has 8 Councillors, split across 2 wards:

• Moor Park and Eastbury Ward – Electorate 4,493
• Rickmansworth Town Ward – Electorate 4,666

Chorleywood Parish Council has 19 Councillors, split across 5 wards:

• Chorleywood Cedars Ward – Electorate 885
• Chorleywood Common and Loudwater Ward – Electorate 2,739
• Chorleywood East Ward – Electorate 1,326
• Chorleywood Quickwood Ward – Electorate 394
• Chorleywood South Ward – Electorate 3,744

Croxley Green Parish Council has 16 Councillors, split across 2 wards:

• Dickinsons Ward – Electorate 5,025
• Durrants Ward – Electorate 4,942

Sarratt Parish Council has 8 Councillors, split across 2 wards:

• Grove Ward – Electorate 354
• Sarratt Ward – Electorate 1,143

Watford Rural Parish Council has 14 Councillors, split across 5 wards:

• Ashridge Ward – Electorate 1,291
• Carpenders Park Ward – Electorate 3,950
• Hayling Ward – Electorate 2,725
• Oxhey Hall Ward – Electorate 2,567
• South Oxhey Ward – Electorate 5,332

Parish council maps

The below maps show the parished areas in Three Rivers, the wards within the parishes, and the unparished areas:

Parish wards - district view (PDF, 3.8 MB)

Unparished areas in Three Rivers (PDF, 2.1 MB)

Abbots Langley parish wards (PDF, 3.9 MB)

Batchworth parish wards (PDF, 2.3 MB)

Chorleywood parish wards (PDF, 3.4 MB)

Croxley Green parish wards (PDF, 3.1 MB)

Sarratt parish wards (PDF, 3.5 MB)

Watford Rural parish wards (PDF, 3.7 MB)

How can I have my say?

The consultation will open on 31 July 2026 on the council’s consultation platform until 18 September 2026.

You can also e-mail enquiries@threerivers.gov.uk (please put CGR in the subject line of the e-mail) or write to Three Rivers House, Northway, Rickmansworth, Hertfordshire, WD3 1RL.

You are welcome to tell us your general thoughts about the review – for example, whether you have any concerns or feel there would be any benefits to making changes, as well as any thoughts you have on specific amendments to the parish or unparished areas.