Published: Wednesday, 4th March 2026
Hundreds of King’s Lynn residents have already taken part in an important consultation asking if they’d like a dedicated Parish/Town council set up for the historic town.
Time is running out to have your say. The Government is looking at options to reorganise Norfolk’s councils, replacing the county council and all seven districts with one, two or three larger ‘unitary’ councils that will run all council services across wider areas. Parish/Town councils will remain under the reorganisation agenda.
As King’s Lynn currently has no Town council, when the Borough Council is replaced by a new unitary council or councils in April 2028, King’s Lynn will only be represented by unitary councillors covering much larger areas than the current borough councillors.
A new Parish/Town council could give a localised democratic voice to the people of King’s Lynn, when the Borough Council goes. It is also one way of keeping King’s Lynn’s Mayor, a non-political ceremonial position which dates back some 800 years and plays an important part in the civic life of Norfolk’s biggest town.
To help borough councillors decide next steps, the borough council first wants to hear if residents want King’s Lynn to be parished and a new Parish/Town council set up to serve the area of King’s Lynn that’s currently unparished.
The public consultation runs until Friday 27 March and letters have already gone to every home within the unparished area – some 20,000 properties – to invite people to share their views. Community groups, businesses, partner organisations and others also welcome to take part.
Cllr Alistair Beales, Leader of the Borough Council, said:
“Firstly I’d like to thank the hundreds of residents who have so far taken part in our important consultation – and to remind those who haven’t done so but have opinions to please participate now as time in running out to have your say.
“With the Government bringing in large unitary councils, the time is right to ask the King’s Lynn community whether you’d like a dedicated town council as a way to ensure localised democratic representation and maintain our mayor and civic identity into the future.
“Every other part of West Norfolk already has its own Parish or Town council, including Hunstanton and Downham Market, and across Norfolk, nearly every market town has its own council including Thetford, Holt, Wymondham and North Walsham.
“What happens to the county and district councils is now in the hands of the Government, we cannot control that locally, but we can still decide locally if we want to set up a town council. As borough councillors, we’re asking this timely question and we first want to hear whether you, King’s Lynn’s residents, want a town council to help decide the best way forward.
“No decisions have been made yet, and the more people who take part in this consultation, the better idea we’ll have of public opinion. Your voice matters, so please have your say. Don’t miss out.”
The simplest way to take part is online at www.west-norfolk.gov.uk/kingslynncgr where there is further information and a detailed map of the unparished area of King’s Lynn.
If you don’t have online access, you are welcome to use the public-access computers at the council offices at King’s Court reception, or call Customer Services on 01553 616200 for a paper copy of the survey form to post back. Paper copies of the survey form and submissions boxes are also available at King’s Court reception and the Lynnsport entrance area.
You can also write with comments, making sure you state your postcode, to: Corporate Governance Team, Borough Council of King’s Lynn & West Norfolk, King’s Court, Chapel Street, King’s Lynn, Norfolk, PE30 1EX.