What is a Community Governance Review (CGR)?

Community Governance Reviews (CGRs) provide the opportunity for principal councils (such as Birmingham City Council) to review and make changes to community governance within their areas.

Community governance is the way in which local communities are represented and governed at local authority level through the involvement of other statutory and voluntary agencies and community groups, and by the efforts of local people themselves. Community governance is also about the way in which individuals and communities are listened to and able to influence decisions that affect them.

The city council needs to ensure that community governance within the area under review will be both reflective of the identities and interests of the community in that area, and effective and convenient. Ultimately, the recommendations made in a CGR ought to bring about improved community engagement, better local democracy, and result in more effective and convenient delivery of local services.