Local views sought on number of councillors
Date:
24 July 2012
24 Jul 2012
Local Government Boundary Commission for England news release
The independent Local Government Boundary Commission for England is asking local people how many councillors they think should represent Three Rivers District Council in the future.
The six-week public consultation is the first part of an electoral review which will also consider changes to the number, names and boundaries of all the council’s wards.
The Commission has considered evidence submitted to it by Three Rivers District Council and is now consulting local people on a proposal that would see the authority represented by 39 councillors in future, nine fewer than under the current arrangements.
The Commission is asking local people whether they think 39 is the right number of councillors for Three Rivers. Max Caller, Chair of the Commission, said: “This is your chance to shape your council for the future.
“We are asking people across Three Rivers district whether they agree that 39 councillors is the right number to represent the district in the future. “We want to know if you think 39 is the right number of councillors to be able to take decisions effectively and whether it’s the right number to represent the interests of all Three Rivers’ communities.
“If you don’t agree that Three Rivers should be represented by 39 councillors, we’d like you to tell us your alternative and why you think there should be more – or fewer – members of the council in the future.
“Once we’ve taken a view on the number of councillors for the district, we will redraw ward boundaries to accommodate those elected members and we’ll be asking local people to have their say during that process as well.”
The current phase of consultation closes on 3 September 2012. Once it has considered the evidence provided by local people and organisations, the Commission will publish its proposal on the total number of councillors in October and then begin to gather information from local people and organisations on new ward boundaries across the district.
The Commission aims to publish its draft recommendations for a new pattern of wards for Three Rivers in April 2013 when it will consult local people again for twelve weeks. Final recommendations are due to be published in October 2013 and the new electoral arrangements would come into effect for the council elections in 2014.
Further information on electoral reviews and guidance on what sort of information the Commission is looking for, log on to our website...
To have your say, please write to:
The Review Officer (Three Rivers)
Local Government Boundary Commission for England
Layden House
76-86 Turnmill Street
London EC1M 5LG
Or email:reviews@lgbce.org.uk