Scottish Elections (Reform) Act 2020

29 Reviews of local government wards and number of councillors

(1) In the Local Government (Scotland) Act 1973—

(a) for section 16(2) substitute—

“(2) Boundaries Scotland must review the electoral arrangements for a local government area for the purpose of—

(a) considering whether to make proposals to the Scottish Ministers for a substantive change in those arrangements,

(b) considering what proposals, if any, to make, and

(c) formulating any such proposals.

(2A) Boundaries Scotland must submit to the Scottish Ministers a report on its review of the electoral arrangements for a local government area under subsection (2)—

(a) in the case of the first report on its review of that area after the coming into force of this subsection by, in so far as is reasonably practicable, no later than 31 December 2028, and

(b) thereafter, in so far as is reasonably practicable, at intervals of not more than 15 years after the date of the submission of the report on its previous review of that area under subsection (2).”,

(b) the title of section 16 becomes “Wards and councillors: substantive changes in electoral arrangements”.

(2) For the purposes of subsection (2A) of section 16 of the Local Government (Scotland) Act 1973 (as inserted by subsection (1)(a) of this section), a report on the review of the electoral arrangements for a local government area under section 20 of the Islands (Scotland) Act 2018 is to be taken to be the first report mentioned in paragraph (a) of subsection (2A) (irrespective of whether the report is submitted before or after that subsection comes into force).

(3) Accordingly, section 20(4) of the Islands (Scotland) Act 2018 is repealed.