FAQs
- Allotments
- Recreation – Parks, Playgrounds, Community Centres, leisure centres
- Amenities – Bus Shelters, clocks, litter bins, toilets.
- Parking and public lighting
- Crime prevention
- Maghull Town Council (Sefton) - £131.29 per year
- Penwortham Town Council (South Ribble) - £34.12 per year
- Rainford Parish Council (St Helens) - £42.24 per year
- Rivington Parish Council (Chorley) - £164.81 per year
- Prescot Town Council (Knowsley) - £79.79 per year
- Shevington Parish Council (Wigan) - £28.88 per year
- Continued local representation after local government reorganisation. After April 2029, West Lancashire Borough Council will cease to exist, being replaced by a larger council.
- Statutory consultee status: must be consulted on planning applications in the parish area.
- Ability to raise a precept: can raise its own funding through council tax to pay for local services, facilities or events.
- Access to parish-only funding: some grants and funding streams are only open to town or parish councils.
- Local asset ownership or management: could take on assets such as allotments, parks or community buildings, but this would be in negotiation with the new council which replaces West Lancashire Borough Council.
- Parish councillors are usually unpaid volunteers who are democratically elected for four-year terms and are accountable to local residents.
- Additional cost to council tax payers: funded through its own precept, an additional charge on top of existing council tax.
- An extra layer of local government: some residents may see this as adding bureaucracy rather than improving services.
- Uncertainty over scope: exactly which services or assets a new council would take on, and how well it could deliver them, would only become clear over time.
- Set-up and running costs: establishing a council involves costs for elections, staffing (such as a clerk) and administration, particularly in its early years.
- Time to build: new parish councils typically take time to become fully effective, so any benefits may not be immediate.
What is the purpose of this consultation
This consultation is seeking to assess the appetite and demand for potential community governance arrangements in Ormskirk, Skelmersdale, and Westhead (the only areas of West Lancashire without any community governance arrangements at the moment).
The options being explored include the potential for a Town or Parish Council, an Area Committee, or no change to the current arrangements.
No implementation of any of the potential options will be brought forward on the basis of this consultation alone. Should the consultation show that there is a desire for a Town or Parish Council in these areas, the Council may decide to conduct a formal Community Governance Review in one or all of these areas, which could result in the implementation of new Town or Parish Councils.
What is a Parish or Town Council
A Parish Council is the first tier of local government in England. It is a separate organisation from the principal council (West Lancashire Borough Council) and has its own elected councillors, budget and responsibilities. It is funded through a precept, which is a charge collected as part of Council Tax and used to fund local services and activities provided by the Parish Council. A Parish Council may choose to be called a Town, Village, Community, or Neighbourhood Council if they wish, but the legal powers remain the same.
What is an Area Committee
An Area Committee would be a standing committee of the new Unitary Authority, locally focussed and made up of councillors from that specific area. Its purpose is to bring decision-making closer to local communities by providing a forum to discuss local issues, priorities and services. Area Committees would be part of the Unitary Council rather than a separate organisation and would not have the same legal status or powers as Parish or Town Councils.
Because the final arrangements for Local Government Reorganisation have not yet been decided, the exact role and responsibilities of any future Area Committees are not known at this stage.
What are the powers and duties of a Parish or Town Council
Parish or Town Councils have discretionary powers to deliver local services through a local tax precept. Such local services could include;
Parish and Town Councils also have a right to be formally consulted by principal authorities on local planning and development applications.
Parish Councils can act as the civic focal point for local areas, representing and championing the area with residents, businesses, community group and other bodies.
The Chair of a Town Council can be styled as the Mayor and have a civic role within the area.
What is the election process
Parish or Town Councillors would be elected by local residents through the same democratic process used for other local elections, likely once every 4 years. The cost of Parish or Town Council elections would be paid from the precept.
Councillors on Area Committees would be elected as part of Unitary Council elections, once every 4 years. They would then be assigned to an Area Committee based on the Ward they represent.
How much would it cost
Town and Parish Councils are funded through a precept, which is an additional amount added to council tax bills.
The precept for any new Parish or Town Council would depend on the services it would deliver and the area it is responsible for. If the parish or town council were to take on a broader range of responsibilities, the precept could be higher.
Of the areas within West Lancashire that are currently serviced by Parish or Town Councils, the average precept is £36.42 per year (£3.04 per month).
Nationally, the average Band D precept for Parish and Town Councils in 2026/27 is £99.79 per year (£8.33 per month).
Nearby Parish and Council precepts for 2026/27 (Based on a Band D property):
For Area Committees, as they would be part of the principal Unitary Authority, the cost of facilitating them would most likely come from general council tax, without the need for an additional precept.
Has a decision already been made
No. The purpose of the consultation is to gather views from residents and stakeholders. No decision has been made and all options remain under consideration.
Why are Ormskirk, Skelmersdale, and Westhead being considered
Ormskirk, Skelmersdale and Westhead are the only areas of West Lancashire not currently represented by a Parish Council, Town Council or other local community governance arrangements.
What is the difference between a Parish/Town Council and an Area Committee
A Parish or Town Council is an independent and separate local authority with its own elected councillors and budget. An Area Committee would form part of the larger principal authority council and would not operate as a separate local authority.
What does 'retaining current arrangements' mean
This means no new local community governance arrangements would be considered for introduction at this time, and representation would continue through the council structure.
Would a Town or Parish Council increase my Council Tax
Yes. Parish and Town Councils are funded through a precept, which forms part of Council Tax. If a Town or Parish Council were established, there would be an additional charge. However, no decisions have been made, and no potential costs have been determined at this stage.
What are the potential advantages / disadvantages of having local community representation?
| Potential advantages | Potential disadvantages |
Would an Area Committee increase Council Tax
Unlikely. No decision has been made regarding how any future Area Committee arrangements would operate or be funded as part of Local Government Reorganisation, but it would likely be funded through existing Council Tax.