Draft Order laid before Parliament under section 59(9) of the Local Democracy, Economic Development and Construction Act 2009; draft to lie for forty days pursuant to section 6(1) of the Statutory Instruments Act 1946, during which period either House of Parliament may resolve that the Order be not made.
2023 No. [****]
Local Government, England
The East Hertfordshire (Electoral Changes) Order 2023
Made ***
Coming into force in accordance with article 1(2) and (3)

Under section 58(4) of the Local Democracy, Economic Development and Construction Act 2009 (“the Act”) the Local Government Boundary Commission for England (“the Commission”) published a report dated August 2022 stating its recommendations for changes to the electoral arrangements for the district of East Hertfordshire. The Commission has decided to give effect to the recommendations.
2009 c. 20.
The Local Government Boundary Commission for England was established on 1st April 2010 by section 55(1) of the Local Democracy, Economic Development and Construction Act 2009.
The report is available for inspection at reasonable times at the principal office of the Local Government Boundary Commission for England, 1st Floor, Windsor House, 50 Victoria Street, London SW1H 0TL. It is also accessible online at https://www.lgbce.org.uk/all-reviews/eastern/hertfordshire/east-hertfordshire.
A draft of the instrument has been laid before Parliament and a period of forty days has expired since the day on which it was laid and neither House has resolved that the instrument be not made.
The Commission makes the following Order in exercise of the power conferred by section 59(1) of the Act.

1 Citation, commencement, extent and application
1 This Order may be cited as the East Hertfordshire (Electoral Changes) Order 2023.
2 This article and article 2 come into force on the day after the day on which this Order is made.
3 Articles 3 and 4 come into force—
(a) for the purpose of proceedings preliminary or relating to the election of councillors, on the day after the day on which this Order is made;
(b) for all other purposes, on the ordinary day of election of councillors in England in 2023.
The ordinary day of election of councillors in England is prescribed by section 37(1) of the Representation of the People Act 1983 (c. 2), as amended by section 18(2) of the Representation of the People Act 1985 (c. 50), renumbered by paragraph 5 of Schedule 3 to the Greater London Authority Act 1999 (c. 29), and further amended by section 6(16) of the Wales Act 2017 (c. 4).
4 This Order extends to England and Wales but applies in relation to England only.

2 Interpretation
1 In this Order, “the map” means the map marked “Map referred to in the East Hertfordshire (Electoral Changes) Order 2023”, held by the Local Government Boundary Commission for England.
Prints of the map are available for inspection at reasonable times at the principal office of the Local Government Boundary Commission for England, 1st Floor, Windsor House, 50 Victoria Street, London SW1H 0TL. It is also accessible online at https://www.lgbce.org.uk/all-reviews/eastern/hertfordshire/east-hertfordshire. .
2 Where a boundary is shown on the map as running along a road, railway line, footway, watercourse or similar geographical feature, it is to be treated as running along the centre line of the feature.

3 Wards of the district of East Hertfordshire and number of councillors
1 The existing wards of the district of East Hertfordshire are abolished.
2 The district of East Hertfordshire is divided into the 26 wards listed in the first column of the table in Schedule 1.
3 Each ward comprises the area identified on the map by reference to the name of the ward.
4 The number of councillors to be elected for each ward is the number specified in relation to that ward in the second column of the table in Schedule 1.

4 Parish wards of the parishes of Bishop’s Stortford, Hertford, Ware and Wareside and number of parish councillors
1 The existing parish wards of the parishes of Bishop’s Stortford, Hertford, Ware and Wareside are abolished.
2 The parish of Bishop’s Stortford is divided into the nine parish wards listed in the first column of Table 1 in Schedule 2.
3 The parish of Hertford is divided into the six parish wards listed in the first column of Table 2 in Schedule 2.
4 The parish of Ware is divided into the five parish wards listed in the first column of Table 3 in Schedule 2.
5 The parish of Wareside is divided into the two parish wards listed in the first column of Table 4 in Schedule 2.
6 Each parish ward comprises the area identified on the map by reference to the name of the parish ward.
7 The number of parish councillors to be elected for each parish ward is the number specified in relation to that parish ward in the second column of the relevant table in Schedule 2.
Sealed with the seal of the Local Government Boundary Commission for England
Name Chief Executive Local Government Boundary Commission for England Date

SCHEDULE 1 Wards of the district of East Hertfordshire and number of councillors
Article 3
(1) Name of ward	(2) Number of councillors
Aston, Datchworth & Walkern	2
Bishop’s Stortford All Saints	2
Bishop’s Stortford Central	2
Bishop’s Stortford North	3
Bishop’s Stortford Parsonage	2
Bishop’s Stortford South	2
Bishop’s Stortford Thorley Manor	3
Braughing & Standon	2
Buntingford	3
Great Amwell & Stansteads	2
Hertford Bengeo	3
Hertford Castle	2
Hertford Heath & Brickendon	1
Hertford Kingsmead	3
Hertford Rural	1
Hertford Sele	2
Hunsdon	1
Little Hadham & The Pelhams	1
Much Hadham	1
Sawbridgeworth	3
The Mundens	1
Ware Priory	2
Ware Rural	1
Ware St Mary’s	2
Ware Trinity	2
Watton-at-Stone	1

SCHEDULE 2 Names of parish wards and number of parish councillors
Article 4

Table 1 Parish wards of the parish of Bishop’s Stortford
(1) Name of parish ward	(2) Number of parish councillors
All Saints	2
Central	2
Chantry	2
Parsonage	2
Silverleys	2
South	2
Thorley Manor North	2
Thorley Manor South	2
Waterside	1

Table 2 Parish wards of the parish of Hertford
(1) Name of parish ward	(2) Number of parish councillors
Bengeo North	4
Bengeo South	1
Castle	3
Kingsmead East	3
Kingsmead West	2
Sele	3

Table 3 Parish wards of the parish of Ware
(1) Name of parish ward	(2) Number of parish councillors
Chadwell	2
Christchurch	2
St Mary’s	4
Trinity	2
Widbury	1

Table 4 Parish wards of the parish of Wareside
(1) Name of parish ward	(2) Number of parish councillors
Rural	3
Urban	4

EXPLANATORY NOTE
(This note is not part of the Order)
This Order makes changes to electoral arrangements for the district of East Hertfordshire following recommendations made by the Local Government Boundary Commission for England. The area of the district remains unchanged.
Article 3 abolishes the existing electoral wards of the district of East Hertfordshire and replaces them with 26 new ones for the purpose of elections held on or after the ordinary day of election of councillors in England in 2023. It establishes the names and areas of the new electoral wards and the number of councillors for each.
Article 4 makes changes to parish wards that are consequential on the changes made by article 3.
The area covered by each ward created by this Order is identified on a map which is available for inspection at reasonable times at the offices of the Local Government Boundary Commission for England, 1st Floor, Windsor House, 50 Victoria Street, London SW1H 0TL.
The map may also be accessed at https://www.lgbce.org.uk/all-reviews/eastern/hertfordshire/east-hertfordshire.
A full impact assessment has not been produced for this instrument as no impact on the private, voluntary or public sectors is foreseen.