CHANGES could be on the way in a shake-up of grassroots local government in South Lakeland.

SLDC has drawn-up a number of draft recommendations after consultation with local town and parish councils.

In some areas, changes could be on the way to parish boundaries, council names, wards, election cycles and even the number of councillors.

An initial “stage one” consultation has finished and the process – called a “community governance review” – now moves to stage two in 2019.

SLDC plans to ask for further feedback on its draft recommendations before final proposals are compiled.

Among the more eye-catching proposals is Windermere Town Council having its seats cut from 20 to 13.

SLDC said the town council, serving an electorate of more than 6,000 people, carried “many vacancies” and had a “history of uncontested elections”.

The change, however, would require an application to the Local Government Boundary Commission for England.

SLDC cabinet member Andrew Jarvis does not agree with the proposals.

He said the town council had 15 councillors, which would mean two “hard-working” members losing their seats.

“Reducing the number of councillors in Windermere will disadvantage people in the town who are under-represented compared to other parishes in South Lakeland,” said Cllr Jarvis, who represents Windermere on SLDC.

Cllr David Williams said he was in favour of the town council being reduced in size.

“The numbers can never be filled and we are always looking for new town councillors,” said Mr Williams, the Conservative councillor for Bowness and Levens on SLDC.

Also included in the draft recommendations is a proposal that Arnside Parish Council be reduced from 11 councillors to eight.

The parish council told SLDC it struggles with “permanently vacant seats” and wanted its number cut to six.

The number of councillors on the 15-member Lower Allithwaite Parish Council, near Grange-over-Sands, could also be reduced by five to 10.

Five changes are suggested for Kendal Town Council, all relating to altering parish boundaries.

Despite representations from Oxenholme that it should have its own parish council, no recommendation has been made. Instead, SLDC has suggested the idea could be explored in stage two.

It said: “Suggestions could include a new parish or a new pattern of warding in the current parish.”

Changes to different wards or parish boundaries could also take place in Grange-over-Sands, Natland, and Kirkby Ireleth in the Broughton and Coniston ward.

It is also proposed that Dent Parish Council becomes “unparished” by losing two wards – but keeping the same number of councillors at nine.

It is being recommended that the parish of Fawcett Forest – north of Selside – amalgamates with the parish of Whitwell and Selside.

It would then be called Selside Parish but instead of becoming a parish council, would just hold a parish meeting, which are usually held annually.

Helsington Parish Council suggested a number of changes but SLDC said it did not intend to put a recommendation forward but would consider further comments on the issue.