Agenda item

To receive a presentation from Professor Colin Mellors, Lead Commissioner and Richard Buck, Review Manager of the Local Government Boundary Commission for England on a review of the Council’s electoral arrangements.

The Council received a presentation from Professor C Mellors, Lead Commissioner and Richard Buck, Review Manager of the Local Government Boundary Commission for England (LGBCE) on a review of the Council’s electoral arrangements. Members were advised of their primary objective to work with local authorities to assist them with delivering effective and convenient local government. The last review was conducted some 13 years previously and since that time electoral imbalances had emerged in certain wards of the District.

The Council was acquainted with details of the electoral review by way of an examination of the Council’s electoral arrangements and would be looking at the total number of members to be elected to the Council, the number and names of the wards and the boundaries of the wards. Members were advised of the review process, including the various stages and timetable for implementation. The preliminary stage would be addressing the council size followed by proposals for new ward boundaries, ensuring that each Councillor represented a similar number of electors, reflecting the interests and identities of local communities and ensuring effective and convenient local government in accordance with their statutory criteria.

Members were advised that as the Council currently elected by thirds there would be an assumption of a clear pattern of three member wards and should Members want to move away from this pattern there would need to be evidence to support such a proposal.

Councillor S Criswell suggested that multi-member wards often confused the electorate as there was uncertainty as to who to contact for the respective ward. This view was shared by Councillor D A Giles and in response Professor Mellors explained that some local authorities had moved to whole Council elections with uniform single members wards.

The Executive Leader reported to the Council of the recent meetings that had been held with the LGBCE and explained that he was keen to work with them to their timescales but was disappointed that contact had only been made at the latter part of the preliminary period unlike neighbouring authorities also undertaking a review. In response Professor Mellors reassured Members that the decision to be taken at the next Council meeting on Council size was still within the appropriate timescale and it was not necessary to submit a lengthy argument to support any proposals.

Councillor Mrs B E Boddington referred to the large rural size of her ward and questioned whether this would be taken into account in the warding patterns. In response, Professor Mellors explained that this did not form part of the criteria and was based upon the size of the electorate. He also explained that it was not possible create a difference between urban and rural areas.

In relation to the evidence to support the decision on Council size, Councillor M F Shellens commented that there was little support for a decrease in the number of Councillors with the continuing pressures on the Council’s budget and more demands on Members. Councillor Shellens also referred to the future growth in the District and the potential for the variance in the ratio of electors to councillors in some wards to become obsolete soon after the conclusion of the review. Professor Mellors explained that the 10% variance rule could be extended to some degree to allow for such instances in certain wards. In concluding Professor Mellors advised Members of the consultative exercise that would follow the decision on Council size and urged Members to use their knowledge base to participate in shaping the future warding patterns.