Statutory Instruments
LOCAL GOVERNMENT, ENGLAND
Made
12th February 2004
Coming into force in accordance with article 1(2)
Whereas the Boundary Committee for England(1), acting pursuant to section 15(4) of the Local Government Act 1992(2), has submitted to the Electoral Commission(3) recommendations dated October 2003 on its review of the city(4) of Sunderland:
And whereas the Electoral Commission have decided to give effect, with seven modifications, to those recommendations:
And whereas a period of not less than six weeks has expired since the receipt of those recommendations:
1.—(1) This Order may be cited as the City of Sunderland (Electoral Changes) Order 2004.
(2) This Order shall come into force —
(a)for the purpose of proceedings preliminary or relating to any election to be held on the ordinary day of election of councillors in 2004, on the day after that on which it is made;
(b)for all other purposes, on the ordinary day of election of councillors in 2004.
2. In this Order —
“city” means the city of Sunderland;
“existing”, in relation to a ward, means the ward as it exists on the date this Order is made; and
any reference to the map is a reference to the map marked “Map referred to in the City of Sunderland (Electoral Changes) Order 2004”, of which prints are available for inspection at —
(a)the principal office of the Electoral Commission; and
(b)the offices of Sunderland City Council.
3.—(1) The existing wards of the city(7) shall be abolished.
(2) The city shall be divided into twenty-five wards which shall bear the names set out in the Schedule.
(3) Each ward shall comprise 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 three.
(4) Where a boundary is shown on the map as running along a road, railway line, footway, watercourse or similar geographical feature, it shall be treated as running along the centre line of the feature.
4.—(1) Elections of all councillors for all wards of the city shall be held simultaneously on the ordinary day of election of councillors in 2004(8)(9).
(2) The councillors holding office for any ward of the city immediately before the fourth day after the ordinary day of election of councillors in 2004 shall retire on that date and the newly elected councillors for those wards shall come into office on that date.
(3) Of the councillors elected in 2004 for any ward of the city one shall retire in 2006, one in 2007 and one in 2008.
(4) Of the councillors elected in 2004 for any ward of the city —
(a)the first to retire shall, subject to paragraphs (5) and (6), 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.
(5) 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.
(6) If an election of councillors for any ward is not contested, the person to retire in each year shall be determined by lot.
(7) 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.
5. Sunderland City Council shall make a print of the map marked “Map referred to in the City of Sunderland (Electoral Changes) Order 2004” available for inspection at its offices by any member of the public at any reasonable time.
6. The Electoral Registration Officer(10) for the city shall make such rearrangement of, or adaptation of, the register of local government electors as may be necessary for the purposes of, and in consequence of, this Order.
7. The Borough of Sunderland (Electoral Arrangements) Order 1980(11) is revoked, save for articles 8 and 9(7).
Sealed with the seal of the Electoral Commission on the 12th day of February 2004
L.S.
Sam Younger
Chairman of the Commission
12th February 2004
Jacqui Dixon
Secretary to the Commission
12th February 2004
article 3
| Barnes | Pallion | Silksworth |
| Castle | Redhill | Southwick |
| Copt Hill | Ryhope | Washington Central |
| Doxford | St Anne's | Washington East |
| Fulwell | St Chad's | Washington North |
| Hendon | St Michael's | Washington South |
| Hetton | St Peter's | Washington West |
| Houghton | Sandhill | |
| Millfield | Shiney Row |
(This note is not part of the Order)
This Order gives effect, with seven modifications, to recommendations by the Boundary Committee for England, a committee of the Electoral Commission, for electoral changes in the city of Sunderland.
The modifications concern the boundary between the Barnes and St Michael’s wards, the boundary between the Doxford and Silksworth wards, the boundary between the Fulwell and St Peter’s wards, the boundary between the St Anne’s and Shiney Row wards, and the boundary between the St Chad’s and Sandhill wards.
The changes have effect in relation to local government elections to be held on and after the ordinary day of election of councillors in 2004.
Article 3 abolishes the existing wards of the city and provides for the creation of 25 new wards. That article and the Schedule also make provision for the names and areas of, and numbers of councillors for, the new wards.
Article 4 makes provision for a whole council election in 2004 and for reversion to the established system of election by thirds in subsequent years.
Article 6 obliges the Electoral Registration Officer to make any necessary amendments to the electoral register to reflect the new electoral arrangements.
Article 7 revokes the Borough of Sunderland (Electoral Arrangements) Order 1980, with the exception of articles 8 and 9(7).
The areas of the new city wards are demarcated on the map described in article 2. Prints of the map may be inspected at all reasonable times at the offices of Sunderland City Council and at the principal office of the Electoral Commission at Trevelyan House, Great Peter Street, London SW1P 2HW.
The Boundary Committee for England is a committee of the Electoral Commission, established by the Electoral Commission in accordance with section 14 of the Political Parties, Elections and Referendums Act 2000 (c. 41). The Local Government Commission for England (Transfer of Functions) Order 2001 (S.I. 2001/3962) transferred to the Electoral Commission the functions of the Local Government Commission for England.
1992 c. 19. This section has been amended by S.I. 2001/3962.
The Electoral Commission was established by the Political Parties, Elections and Referendums Act 2000 (c. 41). The functions of the Secretary of State, under sections 13 to 15 and 17 of the Local Government Act 1992 (c. 19), to the extent that they relate to electoral changes within the meaning of that Act, were transferred with modifications to the Electoral Commission on 1st April 2002 (S.I. 2001/3962).
The metropolitan district of Sunderland has the status of a city.
This section has been amended by S.I. 2001/3962 and also otherwise in ways not relevant to this Order.
This section has been amended by S.I. 2001/3962.
See the Borough of Sunderland (Electoral Arrangements) Order 1980 (S.I. 1980/756).
Article 4 provides for a single election of all the councillors and for reversion to the system of election by thirds, as established by section 7 of the Local Government Act 1972 (c. 70).
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).
As to electoral registration officers and the register of local government electors, see sections 8 to 13 of the Representation of the People Act 1983 (c. 2).
S.I. 1980/756.