The independent Local Government Boundary Commission for England is asking people across Cheshire West and Chester to comment on its draft proposals for new council ward boundaries.A ten-week public consultation on the recommendations begins today and will end on 6 November 2017. The consultation is open to anyone who wants to have their say on new council wards, ward boundaries and ward names across Cheshire West and Chester
The Commission’s draft recommendations propose that the Cheshire West and Chester should have 70 councillors in the future, five fewer than the current arrangements. The recommendations also outline how those councillors should represent eight three-councillor wards, eleven two-councillor wards and 24 one-councillor wards across Cheshire West and Chester
The full recommendations and detailed interactive maps are available on the Commission’s website at consultation.lgbce.org.uk and www.lgbce.org.uk. Hard copies of the Commission’s report and maps will also be available to view at council buildings. Chair of the Commission, Professor Colin Mellors said that “we are keen to hear what local people think of the recommendations. Over the next ten weeks, we are asking local people to tell us if they agree with the proposals or if not, how they can be improved.
“Our review aims to deliver electoral equality for local voters. This means that each councillor represents a similar number of people so that everyone’s vote in council elections is worth roughly the same regardless of where you live. We also want to ensure that our proposals reflect the interests and identities of local communities across Cheshire West and Chester and that the pattern of wards can help the council deliver effective local government to local people.”
You can comment to the Commission in various ways up until November 6th:
Write to: The Review Officer (Cheshire West and Chester)
Local Government Boundary Commission for England
14th floor, Millbank Tower
London
SW1P 4Q
Email: reviews@lgbce.org.uk
Twitter @LGBCE
Directly via the website https://consultation.lgbce.org.uk/node/9255
Link to the dedicated web page for the Cheshire West and Chester electoral review: www.lgbce.org.uk/current-reviews/north-west/cheshire/cheshire-west-and-chester
The Commission will consider all submissions and aims to publish its final recommendations in January 2018. Once the Commission agrees its final recommendations it will lay a draft order in both Houses of Parliament. Parliament will then have 40 days in which to consider the recommendations. If both Houses are satisfied with the recommendations, the draft order will be ‘made’ and the new wards will come into effect at the council elections in May 2019.
The Chester blog 