The Local Government Boundary Commission for England has opened a public consultation on its draft recommendations for new electoral arrangements for Mid Devon District Council.

The draft recommendations propose that:

• Mid Devon should be represented by 42 councillors, the same number as present
• Mid Devon should have 21 wards, three fewer than there are now
• The boundaries of all wards should change

 

The public can view the proposed changes via an interactive map which shows existing and proposed boundaries, as well as leave comments and suggest alternative boundaries on the Commission’s consultation portal.

Alternatively they may wish to write or email the Commission.

Review Officer (Mid Devon)
Local Government Boundary Commission for England
1st Floor, Windsor House
50 Victoria Street
London
SW1H 0TL
Email: reviews@lgbce.org.uk

Professor Colin Mellors, Chair of the Commission, said:

“We are publishing recommendations for a new pattern of wards across Mid Devon and we are keen to hear what local people think of the recommendations. 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 recommendations reflect the interests and identities of local communities across Mid Devon and that the pattern of wards can help the council deliver effective local government for local people.

“We will consider all the submissions we receive, whoever they are from and whether your evidence applies to the whole district or just a part of it.”

Once the Commission has considered all the responses to the consultation, it aims to publish its final recommendations in June 2020 and, subject to all the necessary scrutiny processes, the new electoral arrangements are scheduled to come into effect at the district elections in 2023.

The public consultation will run until 13 April 2020.

The Commission’s full report on its draft recommendations can be found at lgbce.org.uk.

To find out more...

Further information on drawing up a pattern of electoral wards and putting forward alternative proposals is available in the Local Government Boundary Commission’s guidance document: Electoral reviews: technical guidance.

The Local Government Boundary Commission also publish a practical guide for putting forward submissions called How to propose a pattern of wards.

Information about previous electoral reviews of district councils where you can see how the Commission came to its conclusions and how other counties, districts and parishes responded to consultations on draft recommendations is also available at lgbce.org.uk.