Cotswold village declares independence... from Parish Council
Residents in Wormington have decided to break away from Dumbleton Parish Council and set up their own parish meeting
Last updated 9th Jun 2024
Never mind Scottish independence, it’s all about a small Cotswold village which has decided to go it alone.
Residents in Wormington, north of Winchcombe, have decided to break away from Dumbleton Parish Council and set up their own parish meeting.
The move came about after Tewkesbury Borough Council carried out a review of governance structures and examined how well they serve democracy.
One of the proposals developed with input from residents was the formation of two new parishes – Dumbleton and Wormington.
County councillor David Gray (C, Winchcombe and Woodmancote) said the split is down to the fact Wormington has got bigger over time and he joked they may have been inspired by Scottish nationalists.
He said: “I don’t think there is anything controversial about it.
“Maybe they’ve been inspired by Scottish nationalists or something. But as far as I know there has been no burning of effigies of anybody or anything like that.”
He explained they’ve decided they are of a size where they should really be looking after their own affairs and it made sense as the villages are not contiguous.
“They are on either side of a road and there is a big gap between them. I think it will go reasonably smoothly. They will just have to divide up nice and neatly. It’s democracy in action.”
The new parishes will be set up in April next year from the existing Dumbleton parish which also includes the village of Great Washbourne.
To create a parish council, a minimum of 150 electors are usually needed but a loophole meant that Wormington, which has fewer than 100, could have set one up as they have been part of a parish council.
However, they have instead opted to create a parish meeting. This was reaffirmed unanimously by Tewkesbury Borough Council at a meeting earlier this week.
Parish meetings are less formal than a parish council. The one in Wormington will be run by a chairman and will be open to every elector in the village.
It will allow them to speak and vote. On the other hand, a parish council has elected representatives who make decisions based on residents’ views.
Dumbleton Parish Council chairman Jim Harmsworth Cowles believes the new parishes will improve representation in the community.
He says the new parish council can focus on Dumbleton and Great Washbourne and ensure both villages are properly represented.
“It will continue to listen to all residents, develop policies for the next few years, including its proposed neighbourhood plan, and aim to give everyone the best value for money.
“Wormington has been very well represented on the council over the last 25 years and, until 2019, had the majority.
“The new Wormington parish meeting, while not having the same powers as a parish council, will give residents a chance to vote directly on matters in the village.”
“Some may say it’s disappointing to see one parish becoming two, but this is the whole point of the community governance review.
“It lets the people who elect us and whom we work for tell us what they want. It’s real democracy in action at the most important level – locally.”
Historically, Wormington, which is on the northern edge of the Cotswold area of outstanding natural beauty, was an ancient parish and became a civil parish in 1866.
However, it was abolished and merged into the parish of Dumbleton on April 1, 1935.