Residents are being asked to have their say on possible changes to existing parish boundaries in Whittlesey.

A ‘Community Governance Review’, requested by Whittlesey Town Council, will consider what changes may be needed to ensure boundaries reflect the identities and interests of local people and are effective and convenient for them.

It will also consider the number of councillors needed to serve each of the affected parishes.

The review’s aim is to strengthen local democracy and encourage more community engagement. It has to take into account the identity of each area and consider the impact that any new arrangements would have on their communities.

The review involves a two-phase consultation. The first stage was launched on Monday (December 11) and runs until January 26, 2018.

Feedback from the first stage will then be considered in the drafting of boundary proposals which will be presented to a full council meeting on February 22, 2018.

A second, further six-week consultation will then be held from February 26 to April 6, 2018, to give people a chance to comment on the draft proposals, before final proposals are published in May.

Any changes would need to be approved by the Local Government Boundary Commission for England, with any new arrangements coming into force at the next all out Town Council elections in May 2019.

Councillor Chris Seaton, the council’s cabinet member responsible for corporate governance, said: “Parish councils play a very important part in representing the views and promoting the needs of the district’s local communities.

“We want to ensure that electors are able to clearly identify with the parish in which they live and that they have proper representation. That’s why it is very important that people take this opportunity to let us know what they think.”

Further details on the review, including area maps, can be found at www.fenland.gov.uk/communitygovreview and at the Whittlesey community hub.

Anyone wishing to have their say on potential future arrangements under the review can either submit written comments to electoral services at Fenland District Council or e-mail them to elections@fenland.gov.uk.