Local Democracy, Economic Development and Construction Act 2009

Local Government Boundary Commission for England: functions relating to electoral change

56 Review of electoral arrangements

(1) The Local Government Boundary Commission for England must from time to time—

(a) conduct a review of the area of each principal council, and

(b) recommend whether a change should be made to the electoral arrangements for that area.

(2) The Local Government Boundary Commission for England may at any time—

(a) conduct a review of all or any part of the area of a principal council, and

(b) recommend whether a change should be made to the electoral arrangements for the area of the principal council.

(3) In this Part “principal council” means—

(a) a county council in England;

(b) a district council;

(c) the Council of the Isles of Scilly;

(d) a London borough council.

(4) In this Part “electoral arrangements”, in relation to the area of a principal council, means—

(a) the total number of members of the council (“councillors”),

(b) the number and boundaries of electoral areas for the purposes of the election of councillors,

(c) the number of councillors to be returned by any electoral area in that area, and

(d) the name of any electoral area.

(5) Where under this section the Local Government Boundary Commission for England recommends that a change should be made to the electoral arrangements for the area of a principal council, the Commission must also recommend whether, in consequence, a change should be made to the electoral arrangements for the area of any parish council, where that area is within the area of the principal council.

(6) In this Part “electoral arrangements”, in relation to the area of a parish council, means—

(a) the total number of members of the parish council (“parish councillors”),

(b) arrangements for the division of the parish or (in the case of a common parish council) any of the parishes into wards for the purposes of the election of parish councillors,

(c) the number and boundaries of any wards,

(d) the number of parish councillors to be returned by any ward or, in the case of a common parish council, by each parish, and

(e) the name of any ward.

(7) Section 6(2)(a) of the Local Government Act 1972 (c. 70) (electoral divisions of non-metropolitan county to return one councillor each) does not limit the recommendations that may be made under this section.

(8) Schedule 2 (which makes further provision relating to recommendations under this section) is part of this Part.

(9) A principal council or parish council must, if requested by the Local Government Boundary Commission for England to do so, provide the Commission, by such date as it may specify, with any information that it may reasonably require in connection with its functions under this section.

57 Requests for review of single-member electoral areas

(1) A principal council which falls within subsection (3) may request the Local Government Boundary Commission for England to—

(a) conduct a review of the council’s area under section 56(2)(a), and

(b) make recommendations as to single-member electoral areas under section 56(2)(b).

(2) In this section “recommendations as to single-member electoral areas” means recommendations, for each electoral area in the area of a principal council, as to whether the electoral area should return one member of the council.

(3) A principal council falls within this subsection if—

(a) it is not the case that each of the electoral areas in the council’s area returns one member of the council, and

(b) the council is subject to a scheme for whole-council elections.

(4) For the purposes of subsection (3)(b) a principal council is “subject to a scheme for whole-council elections” if, in each year in which ordinary elections of members of the council are to be held, all the members of the council are to be elected.

(5) If the Local Government Boundary Commission for England grants a request under this section, in making its recommendations it must (in addition to the matters to be considered pursuant to Schedule 2) have regard to the desirability of securing that each electoral area in the principal council’s area should return one member of the council.

(6) If the Local Government Boundary Commission for England decides not to grant a principal council’s request under this section, it must notify the council of its decision and the reasons for it.

(7) Nothing in this section prevents the Local Government Boundary Commission for England, when making recommendations as to single-member electoral areas pursuant to subsection (1), from making other recommendations under section 56(2)(b).

(8) In subsections (2) and (5), references to electoral areas are, in relation to a case where the Local Government Boundary Commission for England makes recommendations for change to the number or boundaries of electoral areas in the area of a principal council, to the recommended electoral areas.

58 Review procedure

(1) As soon as reasonably practicable after deciding to conduct a review under section 56, the Local Government Boundary Commission for England must take such steps as it considers sufficient to secure that persons who may be interested in the review are informed of—

(a) the fact that the review is to take place, and

(b) any particular matters to which the review is to relate.

(2) In conducting a review under section 56, the Local Government Boundary Commission for England must—

(a) prepare and publish draft recommendations,

(b) take such steps as its considers sufficient to secure that persons who may be interested in the recommendations are informed of them and of the period within which representations with respect to them may be made, and

(c) take into consideration any representations made to the Local Government Boundary Commission for England within that period.

(3) The Local Government Boundary Commission for England may at any time before publishing draft recommendations under subsection (2)(a) consult such persons as it considers appropriate.

(4) As soon as practicable after conducting a review under section 56, the Local Government Boundary Commission for England must—

(a) publish a report stating its recommendations, and

(b) take such steps as it considers sufficient to secure that persons who may be interested in the recommendations are informed of them.

59 Implementation of review recommendations

(1) Where a report under section 58(4) contains recommendations for electoral changes, the Local Government Boundary Commission for England may by order give effect to all or any of the recommendations.

(2) An order under this section may in particular include provision as to—

(a) the total number of members of any principal council or parish council (“councillors”);

(b) the number and boundaries of electoral areas for the purposes of the election of councillors;

(c) the number of councillors to be returned by any electoral area;

(d) the name of any electoral area;

(e) the election of councillors for any electoral area;

(f) the order of retirement of councillors;

(g) the ordinary year of election for a parish council.

(3) An order under this section may not require or authorise the holding of an election for membership of a principal council otherwise than at an ordinary election for that council.

(4) An order under this section may—

(a) contain incidental, consequential, supplementary or transitional provision, or savings;

(b) make different provision for different cases, including different provision for different areas or councils.

(5) The provision referred to in subsection (4)(a) may include provision—

(a) applying any instrument made under an enactment, with or without modifications,

(b) extending, excluding or amending any such instrument, or

(c) repealing or revoking any such instrument.

(6) Where the Local Government Boundary Commission for England is satisfied that—

(a) a mistake has occurred in the preparation of an order under subsection (1), and

(b) the mistake is such that it cannot be rectified by a subsequent order under this section by virtue of section 14 of the Interpretation Act 1978 (c. 30) (implied power to amend),

the Local Government Boundary Commission for England may by order under this subsection make such provision as it thinks necessary or expedient for rectifying the mistake.

(7) In subsection (6), “mistake”, in relation to an order, includes a provision contained in or omitted from the order in reliance on information supplied by any public body which is inaccurate or incomplete.

(8) An order under this section is to be made by statutory instrument.

(9) A draft of a statutory instrument containing an order under this section is to be laid before Parliament before the instrument is made.