The Borough of Crewe and Nantwich (Electoral Changes) Order 1998

Citation, commencement and interpretation

1.—(1) This Order may be cited as the Borough of Crewe and Nantwich (Electoral Changes) Order 1998.

(2) This article, paragraphs (3), (5) and (6) of article 10, and so much of articles 2 to 4, 6, 8, 9 and 11 as relates to proceedings preliminary or relating to any election to be held on 6th May 1999, shall come into force on the day after that on which this Order is made.

(3) Articles 2 to 4, 6, 8, 9 and 11 shall come into force for all other purposes on 6th May 1999.

(4) Paragraph (7)(a) of article 10, and so much of article 7 and paragraph (1) of article 10 as relates to proceedings preliminary or relating to any election of parish councillors to be held on 4th May 2000 shall come into force on 10th October 1999.

(5) Article 7 and paragraph (1) of article 10 shall come into force for all other purposes on 4th May 2000.

(6) So much of article 5 and paragraphs (2) and (4) of article 10 as relates to proceedings preliminary or relating to any election of parish councillors to be held on 2nd May 2002 shall come into force on 10th October 2001.

(7) Article 5 and paragraphs (2) and (4) of article 10 shall come into force for all other purposes on 2nd May 2002.

(8) Paragraph (7)(b) of article 10 shall come into force on 10th October 2002.

(9) In this Order–

“the borough” means the borough of Crewe and Nantwich;

“existing”, in relation to a ward, means the ward as it exists on the date this Order is made;

any reference to the map is a reference to the map prepared by the Department of the Environment, Transport and the Regions marked “Map of the Borough of Crewe and Nantwich (Electoral Changes) Order 1998”, and deposited in accordance with regulation 27 of the Local Government Changes for England Regulations 1994(1); and

any reference to a numbered sheet is a reference to the sheet of the map which bears that number.

Wards of Crewe and Nantwich

2.—(1) The existing wards of the borough(2) shall be abolished.

(2) The borough shall be divided into twenty-seven wards which shall bear the names set out in column (1) of Schedule 1.

(3) The wards shall comprise the areas described in column (2) of that Schedule by reference to parishes, or parishes and parish wards, or, where no area is so described, the area designated on the map by reference to the name of the ward and demarcated by red lines; and the number of councillors to be elected for each ward shall be the number specified in respect of that ward in column (3) of that Schedule.

(4) Where a boundary is shown on the map as running along a road, railway line, footway, waterway or similar geographical feature, it shall be treated as running along the centre of the feature.

Elections of the council of Crewe and Nantwich

3.—(1) Subject to the following provisions of this article, the election of councillors for wards of the borough shall be by thirds.

(2) Elections of all councillors for all wards of the borough shall be held simultaneously on the ordinary day of election of councillors in 1999(3).

(3) The councillors holding office for any ward in the borough immediately before 10th May 1999 shall retire on that date and the newly elected councillors for any such ward shall come into office on that date.

(4) The order of retirement of councillors shall be as set out in Schedule 2.

(5) Where the number of councillors elected in 1999 for any ward of the borough is two or more–

(a) the first to retire shall, subject to paragraphs (6) and (7) below, be the councillor elected by the smallest number of votes; and

(b) the second to retire shall, subject to those paragraphs, be the councillor elected by the next smallest number of votes.

(6) In the case of an equality of votes between any persons elected which makes it uncertain which of them is to retire in any year, the person to retire in that year shall be determined by lot.

(7) If an election of councillors for any ward is not contested, the person to retire in each year shall be determined by lot.

(8) Where under this article any question is to be determined by lot, the lot shall be drawn at the next practicable meeting of the council after the question has arisen and the drawing shall be conducted under the direction of the person presiding at the meeting.

(9) Except as otherwise provided in the foregoing paragraphs of this article, the term of office of councillors shall be four years and all councillors shall retire on the fourth day after the ordinary day of election of councillors in the year of retirement and the newly elected councillors shall come into office on the day on which their predecessors retire.

Wards in the parish of Leighton

4.—(1) The existing wards in the parish of Leighton shall be abolished.

(2) The parish shall be divided into two parish wards which shall bear the names set out in column (1) of Schedule 3; each parish ward shall comprise the area of the borough ward specified in respect of the parish ward in column (2) of that Schedule; and the number of councillors to be elected for each parish ward shall be the number specified in respect of the parish ward in column (3) of that Schedule.

Wards of the parish of Nantwich

5.—(1) The existing wards of the parish of Nantwich shall be abolished.

(2) The parish shall be divided into four parish wards which shall bear the names Barony, Birchin, Weaver and Wellington; each parish ward shall comprise the area designated on sheet 4 by reference to the name of that parish ward and demarcated by orange lines; and the number of councillors to be elected for each parish ward shall be three.

Wards of the parish of Shavington cum Gresty

6.  The parish of Shavington cum Gresty shall be divided into two parish wards which shall bear the names set out in column (1) of Schedule 4; each parish ward shall comprise the area of the borough ward specified in respect of that parish ward in column (2) of that Schedule; and the number of councillors to be elected for each parish ward shall be the number specified in respect of that parish ward in column (3) of that Schedule.

Wards of the parish of Willaston

7.  The parish of Willaston shall be divided into two wards which shall bear the names set out in column (1) of Schedule 5; each parish ward shall comprise the area of the borough ward specified in respect of the parish ward in column (2) of that Schedule; and the number of councillors to be elected for each parish ward shall be the number specified in respect of the parish ward in column (3) of that Schedule.

Wards in the parish of Wistaston

8.—(1) The existing wards in the parish of Wistaston shall be abolished.

(2) The parish shall be divided into three parish wards which shall bear the names set out in column (1) of Schedule 6; each parish ward shall comprise the area of the borough ward specified in respect of the parish ward in column (2) of that Schedule; and the number of councillors to be elected for each parish ward shall be the number specified in respect of the parish ward in column (3) of that Schedule.

Numbers of parish councillors

9.—(1) The number of councillors for the parish of Minshull Vernon shall be seven.

(2) The number of councillors for the parish of Woolstanwood shall be four.

(3) The number of councillors for the parish of Wybunbury shall be nine.

Parish elections

10.—(1) Elections of parish councillors for the parishes of Alpraham, Baddiley, Bunbury, Calveley, Wardle and Willaston shall be held simultaneously on the ordinary day of election of councillors in 2000 and every fourth year after 2000.

(2) Elections of parish councillors for the parishes of Audlem, Bickerton, Brindley, Buerton, Bulkeley, Dodcott-cum-Wilkesley, Egerton, Faddiley, Nantwich, Ridley and Spurstow shall be held simultaneously on the ordinary day of election of councillors in 2002 and every fourth year after 2002.

(3) The ordinary election of parish councillors for the parishes of Marbury-cum-Quoisley, Norbury, Wirswall and Wrenbury-cum-Frith in 1999 shall not take place; and any such parish councillor holding office immediately before 10th May 1999 who would, but for this paragraph, have retired on that date shall, unless he resigns his office or it otherwise becomes vacant, continue to hold office until 8th May 2000.

(4) The ordinary election of parish councillors for the parishes of Baddington, Broomhall and Sound in 2002 shall not take place; and any such parish councillor holding office immediately before 6th May 2002 who would, but for this paragraph, have retired on that date shall, unless he resigns his office or it otherwise becomes vacant, continue to hold office until 5th May 2003.

(5) The term of office of parish councillors elected on the ordinary day of election of councillors in 1999 for the parishes of Cholmondeley, Chorley and Hankelow shall be three years and elections shall be held simultaneously on the ordinary day of election of councillors in 2002 and every fourth year after 2002.

(6) Except as otherwise provided in the foregoing paragraphs of this article, the term of office of parish councillors shall be four years and all parish councillors shall retire on the fourth day after the ordinary day of election of councillors in the year of retirement and the newly elected parish councillors shall come into office on the day on which their predecessors retire.

(7) Rule 8 of the Local Elections (Parishes and Communities) Rules 1986(4) (filling of casual vacancies) shall have effect–

(a) in the case of a casual vacancy occurring before 8th May 2000 in the office of parish councillor for the parishes of Marbury-cum-Quoisley, Norbury, Wirswall and Wrenbury-cum-Frith as if references in paragraphs (1) and (4) of that rule to the day on which that councillor would regularly have retired were a reference to 8th May 2000; and

(b) in the case of a casual vacancy occurring before 5th May 2003 in the office of parish councillor for the parishes of Baddington, Broomhall and Sound as if references in paragraphs (1) and (4) of that rule to the day on which that councillor would regularly have retired were a reference to 5th May 2003.

Revocation

11.  The Borough of Crewe and Nantwich (Electoral Arrangements) Order 1977 is hereby revoked.

Signed by authority of the Secretary of State

Hilary Armstrong

Minister of State,

Department of the Environment, Transport and the Regions

13th November 1998