Local Government Act 1888

51Directions for constitution of electoral divisions.

In the constitution, of electoral divisions of a county, whether for the first election or for subsequent elections, the following directions shall be observed—

(1)The divisions shall be arranged with a view to the population of each division being, so nearly as conveniently may be, equal, regard being had to a proper representaion both of the rural and of the urban population, and to the distribution and pursuits of such population, and to area, and to the last published census for the time being, and to evidence of any considerable change of population since such census ;

(2)Electoral divisions shall, so far as may be reasonably practicable, be framed so that every division shall be a county district or ward, or a combination of county districts or wards, or be comprised in one county district or ward, but where an electoral division is a portion of a county district or ward, and such portion has not a defined area for which a separate list or part of a list of voters is made under the Acts relating to the registration of electors, such portion shall, until a new register of electors is made, continue to be part of the district or ward of which it has been treated as being part in the then current register of electors;

(3)Whenever under the provisions of this section a county district is divided into two or more portions, every such portion shall, as far as possible, consist of an entire parish or of a combination of entire parishes ;

(4)In determining the electoral divisions for the first election, the foregoing provisions shall apply as if, where a rural sanitary district is situate in more than one county, each portion of the district which is situate in the same county were a county district, and any such portion may be combined with a county district, or portion of a county district, although not adjoining;

(5)The electoral divisions for the first election shall be fixed on or before the eighth day of November next after the passing of this Act.