To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, if she will make an assessment of the potential merits of creating more (a) town and (b) parish councils.

The Government is committed to promoting local democracy and community empowerment. Parish and town councils are the first tier of local government, often playing a vital role in community engagement and delivering local services. The power to create parish councils is devolved to local authorities and the communities they serve through the community governance review process.