The County of Durham (Electoral Changes) Order 2005

Explanatory Note

(This note is not part of the Order)

This Order gives effect, with modifications, to recommendations by the Local Government Commission for England for electoral changes in the county of Durham. The recommendations were submitted to the Secretary of State, but the functions of the Secretary of State under sections 13 to 15 and 17 of the Local Government Act 1992 so far as they relate to electoral changes were transferred with modifications to the Electoral Commission under the Local Government Commission for England (Transfer of Functions) Order 2001 (S.I. 2001/3962), with effect from 1st April 2002. That Order provides that recommendations submitted to the Secretary of State before 1st April 2002 would have effect as if they had been submitted to the Electoral Commission.

The modifications concern the boundaries between Craghead and South Moor, and Stanley electoral divisions, Dawdon and Seaham electoral divisions and Seaham Harbour North and Seaham Harbour South parish wards of the parish of Seaham.

The changes have effect in relation to local government elections to be held on and after the ordinary day of election of councillors in 2005.

Article 3 abolishes the existing electoral divisions of the county and provides for the creation of 63 new electoral divisions. That article and Schedule 1 also make provision for the names and areas of, and numbers of councillors for, the new electoral divisions. The number of councillors for each electoral division shall be one.

Articles 4 to 7 make electoral changes in the parishes of Cassop-cum-Quarrington, Great Aycliffe, Seaham and Spennymoor.

Article 9 obliges the Electoral Registration Officer for each district, borough or city in the county of Durham to make any necessary amendments to the electoral register to reflect the new electoral arrangements.

Article 10 revokes the County of Durham (Electoral Arrangements) Order 1981, with the exception of article 5.

The areas of the new electoral divisions and of the new parish wards of the parishes of Great Aycliffe, Seaham and Spennymoor are demarcated on the map described in article 2. Prints of the map may be inspected at all reasonable times at the offices of Durham County Council and at the principal office of the Electoral Commission at Trevelyan House, Great Peter Street, London SW1P 2HW.