New local electoral arrangements for City Council
The Leader of Winchester City Council has welcomed the announcement of new electoral arrangements for Winchester City Council published today (30 June) by the independent Local Government Boundary Commission for England.
Cllr Stephen Godfrey said:
Although the Commission refers to its decision as ‘final recommendations’ this is the end of the process and there is no further consultation stage. The final recommendations result in a statutory instrument being laid before Parliament for approval in the autumn.
The outcome, which will mean a smaller number of councillors, is intended to bring a more effective Council for the Winchester district.
The publication follows an eight-week public consultation on draft proposals and draws new boundaries for each council ward across Winchester.
The Commission’s final recommendations propose that Winchester should be represented by 45 city councillors in the future, 12 fewer than the current arrangement. The recommendations also propose that those councillors should represent 13 three-member wards and three two-member wards across the city.
Full details of the final recommendations are available on the Commission’s website at www.lgbce.org.uk.
The proposed new arrangements must now be implemented by Parliament. A draft order – the legal document which brings into force the recommendations – will be laid in Parliament in the coming months. The draft Order provides for the new electoral arrangements to come into force at the council elections in 2016.