Information on the Community Governance Review for King’s Lynn Unparished Area
Community Governance Review
A community governance review is a process that lets local authorities look at how their communities are represented and make changes if needed. The aim is to make sure governance works well within the area and reflects the identities and needs of local people.
The Borough Council is progressing a community governance review for the unparished area of King’s Lynn.
King’s Lynn is currently the only area of West Norfolk that is unparished. This matters because of the upcoming changes to local government in Norfolk (Local Government Reorganisation), which will see the creation of three new unitary authorities in Norfolk, replacing existing District and Borough Councils, City Councils, and County Council with a single tier model.
When the new unitary councils are in place, on 1 April 2028, the Borough Council of King’s Lynn & West Norfolk will no longer exist, and there will be no lower tier of local government for the town of King’s Lynn below the new West Norfolk unitary, which will cover the whole of the existing West Norfolk and Breckland district areas, as well as a small part of South Norfolk. This may affect how residents are represented at a local level in King’s Lynn and the way local services are provided.
Special arrangements will also be needed to maintain King’s Lynn’s Mayor and proud civic traditions when the Borough Council is replaced. Creating a parish is one of the ways to maintain these historic functions.
A community governance review gives the chance to look at these issues and consider whether a town council is the way forward for the community. It does not guarantee the creation of a new town council.
First consultation
This first stage of the Community Governance Review, which is now complete, involved asking residents whether or not they want a town council set up for King’s Lynn. As part of the consultation, the council wrote to every household within the unparished area of King’s Lynn. This first consultation ran from 9 February to 27 March 2026 and showed there was clear public support for the idea:
- 85.9% of respondents expressed support for setting up a new town council
- 86.11% of respondents were in favour of maintaining the mayor and civic heritage arrangements.
Thank you to everyone who took part in the consultation. You can view the full, detailed results below.
Next steps
After carefully considering the community feedback from the first consultation, Full Council voted unanimously in July 2026 to move to the next stage of the review process, which is a further, more detailed consultation around potential arrangements for how the proposed new town council could function.
Please look out for further details in the coming months.
Consultation documents
Notice of Review
This notice declares the Borough Council’s intention to conduct a Community Governance Review.
Terms of Reference
The Terms of Reference explain why and how the Borough Council is conducting the review. It also includes background information and explanatory notes.
Map
The map shows the outline of the unparished area of King’s Lynn, which is subject to this review.
Frequently Asked Questions
The FAQs answer some common questions about the creation of a new parish council.