Community Governance Review
New Parish Arrangements
Following the completion of a Community Governance Review and the making of the order to implement the final recommendations of the review, the new parish arrangements are now in place. To help residents understand the effects of the review, information is set out below and in the documents available for download from this page.
There are three documents available for download to help set out the outcome of the review:
Document 1 – Community Governance Order with supporting maps. This order sets out the technical details of the changes made. There is an explanatory note at the end of the order to summarise its effects.
Document 2 – Links to maps of all the parishes in the Wakefield district and their boundaries (including parish or town council ward boundaries where applicable). Each link is to the specific parish individually.
Document 3 – A guide to using the online maps. This document shows how you can select which boundaries or detail you wish to display on the maps. You can choose to see only parish boundaries, or can choose to see the individual wards and polling districts within the parish.
Timescales of changes
The practical effects of the order mean that changes take place at different times.
CGR Overview
| Action | Timescale |
| Changes to the register of electors |
Already completed |
| Changes to parish precepts |
In effect from annual council tax bills for 2023-4 |
| Changes to electoral arrangements |
In effect for the parish elections on 4 May 2024 |
The Practical effects of the Order
The following information is provided to answer some of the questions you might have and to direct you to the correct body to help with any questions not answered here. It is important that any questions are asked of the correct council, or council service so that they can be answered more quickly.
(a) Parish boundaries
The maps available from the links in document 2 show the external boundaries of the parishes in the Order. Anyone living within the boundary of a parish will be represented by councillors elected to the town or parish council for that parish.
The only exception to this is for the parish of Wentbridge which will not have a council due to its size. Its interests will be considered and managed at a parish meeting.
If you are not sure whether you live in a parish, please contact Electoral Services on 01924 305023 or email elections@wakefield.gov.uk.
(b) Elections
There are two different types of elections taking place on 4 May 2023. There are District elections to all 21 wards of the Wakefield council which not affected by the review or the Order. There are also Parish elections which will be held on the new parish arrangements. More information about these elections is available here.
If you are registered to vote and are eligible to vote in local elections, you will be sent a poll card showing which elections you can vote in. If you live in a parish, the poll card will show which parish that is and which parish or town council elections you can vote in. If you don't live in a parish then any poll card you are sent will only show the district ward election you can vote in.
There will be no parish election in Wentbridge as this area is served by a parish meeting and not by a council.
The elections to town and parish councils will be held on the new electoral arrangements as set out in the Order. The order sets out the number of seats in areas where there has been a change to that which was in place before the review.
Candidates will be nominated on these new arrangements. Only registered electors within the relevant parish (and ward of a parish where applicable) will be able to support the nomination of a candidate for that area. For example, only a registered elector living in Ackworth Parish West ward will be able to support the nomination of a candidate seeking election for that ward. A registered elector in Ackworth East ward will not be able to support the same nomination.
Voting will only take place where the number of candidates seeking election is higher than the number of seats on the relevant council. If the number of candidates is less than or equal to the number of seats, then the candidates will be elected without a vote. This is always the case and is not a result of the review.
Anyone with any questions about elections can call Electoral Services on 01924 305023 or email elections@wakefield.gov.uk .
(c) Parish precepts
A precept is the amount of money residents within a parish are liable to pay to any town or parish council for that area. A precept is collected by Wakefield council as part of the council tax paid by residents. It is then passed on to the relevant town or parish council.
In the case of Wentbridge, because there is no parish council, no precept is payable.
As a result of the changes to the boundaries of some parishes this will affect the precept for which some residents are liable. Changes to the wards inside parishes have no effect on precepts. Small areas of the district have been removed from existing parishes and have not been moved into another. In these areas, residents will no longer be liable to pay a precept.
In other areas, for example a part of Ackworth and East Hardwick, some residents will no longer be liable to pay a precept to Ackworth Parish Council but will instead be liable for a precept payable to East Hardwick Parish Council. Please refer to the maps of parish areas to see if this affects you.
Precepts are set by each relevant town or parish council and will be clearly set out on the annual council tax bills being sent out in March / early April 2023 and for the financial year 2023-4. Any questions about the amount of the precept should be referred to the relevant town or parish council. Parish and Town Council contact details are available here.