The Central Bedfordshire (Electoral Changes) Order 2011

Draft Order laid before Parliament under section 59(9) of the Local Democracy, Economic Development and Construction Act 2009 on 29th November 2010; draft to lie for forty days, pursuant to section 6(1) of the Statutory Instruments Act 1946, during which period either House of Parliament may resolve that the Order be not made.

Draft Statutory Instruments

2011 No. 0000

Local Government, England

The Central Bedfordshire (Electoral Changes) Order 2011

Made

Coming into force in accordance with article 1(2)

Under section 58(4) of the Local Democracy, Economic Development and Construction Act 2009(1) (“the 2009 Act”) the Local Government Boundary Commission for England(2) published a report dated October 2010 stating its recommendations for changes to the electoral arrangements for the district of Central Bedfordshire.

A draft of the instrument has been laid before Parliament and a period of forty days has expired and neither House has resolved that the instrument be not made.

The Local Government Boundary Commission for England has decided to give effect to the recommendations for electoral changes and in exercise of the powers conferred by section 59(1) of the 2009 Act makes the following Order:

Citation and commencement

1.—(1) This Order may be cited as the Central Bedfordshire (Electoral Changes) Order 2011.

(2) This Order comes into force—

(a) for the purpose of proceedings preliminary or relating to the elections of councillors, on the day after that on which it is made;

(b) for all other purposes, on the ordinary day of election of councillors in 2011.

Interpretation

2.  In this Order—

“map” means the map marked “Map referred to in the Central Bedfordshire (Electoral Changes) Order 2011”, of which prints are available for inspection at the principal office of the Local Government Boundary Commission for England;

“ordinary day of election of councillors” has the meaning given by section 37 of the Representation of the People Act 1983(3).

Wards of the district of Central Bedfordshire and number of councillors

3.—(1) The existing wards of the district of Central Bedfordshire are abolished.

(2) The district is divided into thirty-one wards each bearing a name listed in the Schedule.

(3) Each ward comprises the area designated on the map by reference to the name of the ward.

(4) The number of councillors to be elected for each ward is the number specified in relation to that ward in column 2 of the Schedule.

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

Wards of the parish of Biggleswade and number of councillors

4.—(1) The existing wards of the parish of Biggleswade are abolished.

(2) The parish is divided into three wards named respectively—

(a) Holme;

(b) Ivel;

(c) Stratton.

(3) Each ward comprises the area designated on the map by reference to the name of the ward.

(4) Seven councillors are to be elected for Ivel ward.

(5) Five councillors are to be elected for Stratton ward.

(6) Three councillors are to be elected for Holme ward.

Wards of the parish of Dunstable and number of councillors

5.—(1) The existing wards of the parish of Dunstable are abolished.

(2) The parish is divided into five wards named respectively—

(a) Central;

(b) Icknield;

(c) Manshead;

(d) Northfields;

(e) Watling.

(3) Each ward comprises the area designated on the map by reference to the name of the ward.

(4) Five councillors are to be elected for each of the following wards:

(a) Icknield;

(b) Northfields;

(c) Watling.

(5) Three councillors are to be elected for each of the following wards:

(a) Central;

(b) Manshead.

Wards of the parish of Houghton Regis and number of councillors

6.—(1) The existing wards of the parish of Houghton Regis are abolished.

(2) The parish is divided into three wards named respectively—

(a) Houghton Hall;

(b) Parkside;

(c) Tithe Farm.

(3) Each ward comprises the area designated on the map by reference to the name of the ward.

(4) Six councillors are to be elected for Houghton Hall ward.

(5) Four councillors are to be elected for each of the following wards:

(a) Parkside;

(b) Tithe Farm.

Wards of the parish of Leighton-Linslade and number of councillors

7.—(1) The existing wards of the parish of Leighton-Linslade are abolished.

(2) The parish is divided into eight wards named respectively—

(a) Barnabas;

(b) Brooklands;

(c) Grovebury;

(d) Leston;

(e) Planets;

(f) Plantation;

(g) Southcott;

(h) St George’s.

(3) Each ward comprises the area designated on the map by reference to the name of the ward.

(4) Four councillors are to be elected for each of the following wards:

(a) Grovebury;

(b) Southcott.

(5) Three councillors are to be elected for each of the following wards:

(a) Barnabas;

(b) Plantation.

(6) Two councillors are to be elected for each of the following wards:

(a) Brooklands;

(b) Planets;

(c) St George’s.

(7) One councillor is to be elected for Leston ward.

Sealed with the seal of the Local Government Boundary Commission for England on the

Chairman

Local Government Boundary Commission for England

Article 3

SCHEDULE Names of district wards and numbers of councillors

1	2
Name of District Ward	Number of Councillors
Ampthill	3
Arlesey	3
Aspley and Woburn	1
Barton-le-Clay	1
Biggleswade North	2
Biggleswade South	2
Caddington	2
Cranfield and Marston Moretaine	3
Dunstable – Central	1
Dunstable – Icknield	2
Dunstable – Manshead	1
Dunstable – Northfields	2
Dunstable – Watling	2
Eaton Bray	1
Flitwick	3
Heath and Reach	1
Houghton Conquest and Haynes	1
Houghton Hall	2
Leighton Buzzard North	3
Leighton Buzzard South	3
Linslade	3
Northill	1
Parkside	1
Potton	2
Sandy	3
Shefford	2
Silsoe and Shillington	1
Stotfold and Langford	3
Tithe Farm	1
Toddington	2
Westoning, Flitton and Greenfield	1

EXPLANATORY NOTE

(This note is not part of the Order)

This Order makes changes to the electoral arrangements for the district of Central Bedfordshire following recommendations made by the Local Government Boundary Commission for England. The area of the district remains unchanged.

The electoral changes apply in respect of local government elections to be held on and after the ordinary day of election of councillors in 2011.

Article 3 abolishes the existing wards of the district and replaces them with 31 new ones. That article, the map and the Schedule also establish the names and areas of the new wards and the number of councillors for each ward.

Article 4 abolishes the existing wards of the parish of Biggleswade and replaces them with 3 new ones. That article and the map also establish the names and areas of the new wards and the number of councillors for each ward.

Article 5 abolishes the existing wards of the parish of Dunstable and replaces them with 5 new ones. That article and the map also establish the names and areas of the new wards and the number of councillors for each ward.

Article 6 abolishes the existing wards of the parish of Houghton Regis and replaces them with 3 new ones. That article and the map also establish the names and areas of the new wards and the number of councillors for each ward.

Article 7 abolishes the existing wards of the parish of Leighton-Linslade and replaces them with 8 new ones. That article and the map also establish the names and areas of the new wards and the number of councillors for each ward.

The map defined in article 2 shows the new district wards and parish wards. It is available at www.lgbce.org.uk/all-reviews/eastern/bedfordshire/central-bedfordshire-electoral-review and, at all reasonable times, at the offices of the council of the district of Central Bedfordshire and at the principal office of the Local Government Boundary Commission for England at Layden House, 76-86 Turnmill Street, London EC1M 5LG.

(1)

2009 c.20.

(2)

The Local Government Boundary Commission for England was established on 1st April 2010 by section 55(1) of the Local Democracy, Economic Development and Construction Act 2009 (c.20).

(3)

1983 c.2. Section 37 has been amended by section 18(2) of the Representation of the People Act 1985 (c.50), section 17 of the Greater London Authority Act l999 (c.29) and section 60 of the Local Government and Public Involvement in Health Act 2007 (c.28).