HUNDREDS of homeowners across west Suffolk could find themselves living in different parishes - if proposals put forward by council chiefs are backed by the public.

St Edmundsbury Borough Council is currently carrying out a review of parish and town boundaries prior to next May’s local government elections.

The council has now come back with a raft of proposals for changing parish and town boundaries and is planning to put its suggestions out for public consultation.

Under the proposls, 20 people living in Pakenham could end up in Great Barton, 16 residents of Wickhambrook could be transferred to Ousden, two people in Stanton could be moved to either Barningham or Bardwell and 271 residents of Fornham All Saints could end up in Bury St Edmunds.

The council is also planning to keep an eye on Moreton Hall and Fornham All Saints because of major development plans in those parishes. Although no action is currently planned, the council said those parishes might have to change in the future as resident numbers swell.

The council is also planning to accept a name change request from Barrow cum Denham parish to become Barrow and Denham.

Bob Cockle, chairman of Bury Town Council, said he was pleased that the town-Fornham boundary arrangements would be consulted on adding: “It will be up to the public to decide.”

In her report to the council’s democratic renewal panel, which meets tomorrow, Fiona Osman, electoral serv ices manager, said if the authority agreed to consult on the proposals then the next phase could start the next day.

She said consultation on the proposals would last eight weeks, the findings of which would be presented in a report to the democratic renewal panel on November 25.

Any changes could then take affect on December 1.