4.—(1) Subject to the following provisions of this article, elections of councillors for wards of the district shall be by thirds.
(2) Elections of all councillors for all wards of the district shall be held simultaneously on the ordinary day of election of councillors in 2002(1).
(3) The councillors holding office for any ward of the district immediately before 6th May 2002 shall retire on that date and the newly-elected councillors for those wards 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 2002 for any ward of the district is two or more—
(a)the first to retire shall, subject to paragraphs (6) and (7), 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 preceding 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.
For the ordinary day of election of councillors of local government areas, see section 37 of the Representation of the People Act 1983 (c. 2), amended by section 18(2) of the Representation of the People Act 1985 (c. 50) and section 17 of, and paragraphs 1 and 5 of Schedule 3 to, the Greater London Authority Act 1999 (c. 29).