Community Governance Review (CGR)

Winchester is reviewing how local councils are organised. One option is for Harestock to merge into a new, much larger Winchester parish.

This could mean paying more for less control over what happens locally.

For this to happen, all residents must be consulted in what is known as a Community Governance Review. Everyone living in our Parish can have a say by responding to the short survey.

The closing date is 22^nd December 2025.

What is at stake?

For people living in Harestock, choosing to join the new Winchester Parish is a leap into the unknown. The parish tax (precept) will not be known until after the consultation process. It is not clear how residents will be represented on the new council and the services that will be provided – and paid for by you – are not yet determined. There will be staffing and admin costs as well as the running of a range of assets, like council offices and leisure facilities.

Joining Winchester will mean leaving Littleton and Harestock Parish.

Why does it matter to you?

Littleton and Harestock Parish Council supports the creation of a new Winchester parish. But we don’t support the proposal to incorporate Harestock within it. Apart from the fact that the existing parish will be split in two, with a likely impact on our existing services, we are concerned about the many questions that won’t be answered until well after the decision has been made.

What could change?

Residents will not know exactly what services the new Winchester parish will provide – or at what cost – until the new council meets in May 2027. These might include the Guildhall, Abbey House, Leisure Centre, Riverside Park, toilets, events and festivals. The parish tax (precept) to pay for all of this is likely to be higher than the current L&H precept of £87.38, which is one of the lowest across the district. Some local parishes already cost their residents over £230 and there is no guarantee that the Winchester parish won’t go even higher. Harestock residents are being asked to sign up to this with a ‘blank cheque’.

LHPC consistently aims to provide value for money for its services and the maintenance of its assets. We respond quickly to residents’ concerns, we broker discussions and negotiations to improve the area we all live in and have built up knowledge and experience that is firmly tied to our community. We might lose this if the parish is split and our local voice risks being drowned out in a much larger city-wide parish. To find out more about what our Parish Council does now, visit our What We Do page

How to have your say

Have your say in the community consultation

https://www.winchester.gov.uk/elections/community-governance-reviews/cgr-winchester-town-area

If you support Littleton & Harestock staying together, then select either “Strongly disagree” or “Tend to disagree” in Q5 of the consultation.

Even if you’re unsure, make your voice count. Every response helps shape what happens to your community — and your money.

Drop-in events have been arranged by Winchester Council:

Wednesday 12 November; Guildhall Winchester; 3-7pm
Tuesday 18 November; Badger Farm Community Centre; 3-7pm
Wednesday 26 November; Community Lounge, Henry Beaufort School; 5-8pm
Saturday 29 November; Guildhall Winchester; 10am-2pm

In the bigger picture…

There are plans to create a Hampshire and Solent Combined Authority with a regional mayor similar to those in Greater Manchester the West Midlands Cambridge & Peterborough. Within this Combined Authority large (around 500,000 people) unitary authorities will be formed by merging existing districts. Parish Councils will form the next tier. Locally this means that Winchester City Council will have to merge with other districts and a number of options have been submitted to the Secretary of State.