The Wokingham (Electoral Changes) Order 2023

Statutory Instruments

2023 No. 1271

Local Government, England

The Wokingham (Electoral Changes) Order 2023

Made

27th November 2023

Coming into force in accordance with article 1(2), (3), (4) and (5)

Under section 58(4) of the Local Democracy, Economic Development and Construction Act 2009(1) (“the Act”) the Local Government Boundary Commission for England(2) (“the Commission”) published a report dated July 2023(3) stating its recommendations for changes to the electoral arrangements for Wokingham. The Commission has decided to give effect to the recommendations.

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

The Commission makes the following Order in exercise of the power conferred by section 59(1) of the Act.

Citation, commencement, extent and application

1.—(1) This Order may be cited as the Wokingham (Electoral Changes) Order 2023.

(2) This article and article 2 come into force on the day after the day on which this Order is made.

(3) Articles 3, 4 and 5 come into force—

(a) for the purposes of proceedings preliminary or relating to the election of councillors, on the day after the day on which this Order is made;

(b) for all other purposes, on the ordinary day of election of councillors in England(4) in 2024.

(4) Article 6 comes into force—

(a) for the purposes of proceedings preliminary or relating to the election of councillors, on 15th October 2025;

(b) for all other purposes, on the ordinary day of election of councillors in England in 2026.

(5) Article 7 comes into force—

(a) for the purposes of proceedings preliminary or relating to the election of councillors, on 15th October 2026;

(b) for all other purposes, on the ordinary day of election of councillors in England in 2027.

(6) This Order extends to England and Wales but applies in relation to England only.

Interpretation

2.—(1) In this Order, “ the map” means the map marked “Map referred to in the Wokingham (Electoral Changes) Order 2023”, held by the Local Government Boundary Commission for England(5).

(2) 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 borough of Wokingham and number of councillors

3.—(1) The existing wards of the borough of Wokingham are abolished.

(2) Wokingham is divided into the 18 wards listed in Schedule 1.

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

(4) The number of councillors to be elected for each ward is three.

Elections of the borough of Wokingham

4.—(1) Elections of all councillors for each ward of the borough of Wokingham are to be held simultaneously on the ordinary day of election of councillors in England in 2024.

(2) The councillors holding office for any ward abolished by article 3(1) immediately before the fourth day after the ordinary day of election of councillors in 2024 are to retire on that fourth day, and the newly elected councillors are to come into office on that fourth day.

(3) Of the councillors elected for a ward in 2024—

(a) one is to retire on the fourth day after the ordinary day of election of councillors in England in 2026;

(b) one is to retire on the fourth day after the ordinary day of election of councillors in England in 2027;

(c) one is to retire on the fourth day after the ordinary day of election of councillors in England in 2028.

(4) Of the councillors elected for a ward in 2024—

(a) the first councillor for each ward to retire is to be the councillor elected by the smallest number of votes; and

(b) the second councillor for each ward to retire is to 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 is to be determined by lot.

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

(7) An election to replace a councillor who is to retire under paragraph (3) is to be held on the ordinary day of election of councillors in England in the year in which the retirement is due to take place, and any newly elected councillor is to come into office on the fourth day after that day.

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

Parish wards of the parish of Finchampstead and number of councillors

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

(2) The parish of Finchampstead is divided into the four parish wards listed in the first column of the table in Schedule 2.

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

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

Parish wards of the parish of Swallowfield and number of councillors

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

(2) The parish of Swallowfield is divided into the two parish wards listed in the first column of the table in Schedule 3.

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

(4) The number of councillors to be elected for each parish ward is the number specified in relation to that parish ward in the second column of the table in Schedule 3.

Parish wards of the parishes of Earley, Shinfield, Wokingham and Woodley and number of councillors

7.—(1) The existing parish wards of the parishes of Earley, Shinfield, Wokingham and Woodley are abolished.

(2) The parish of Earley is divided into the seven parish wards listed in the first column of table 1 in Schedule 4.

(3) The parish of Shinfield is divided into the six parish wards listed in the first column of table 2 in Schedule 4.

(4) The parish of Wokingham is divided into the nine parish wards listed in the first column of table 3 in Schedule 4.

(5) The parish of Woodley is divided into the ten parish wards listed in the first column of table 4 in Schedule 4

(6) Each parish ward comprises the area identified on the map by reference to the name of the parish ward.

(7) The number of councillors to be elected for each parish ward is the number specified in relation to that parish ward in the second column of the relevant table in Schedule 4.

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

Jolyon Jackson

Chief Executive

Local Government Boundary Commission for England

27th November 2023

Article 3

SCHEDULE 1 Wards in Wokingham

1.  Barkham & Arborfield

2.  Bulmershe & Coronation

3.  Emmbrook

4.  Evendons

5.  Finchampstead

6.  Hawkedon

7.  Hillside

8.  Loddon

9.  Maiden Erlegh & Whitegates

10.  Norreys

11.  Shinfield

12.  South Lake

13.  Spencers Wood & Swallowfield

14.  Thames

15.  Twyford, Ruscombe & Hurst

16.  Wescott

17.  Winnersh

18.  Wokingham Without

Article 5

SCHEDULE 2 Names of parish wards and number of councillors of the parish of Finchampstead

(1) Name of parish ward	(2) Number of councillors
Finchampstead North	7
Finchampstead South	6
Finchampstead West	3
Lower Wokingham	1

Article 6

SCHEDULE 3 Names of parish wards and number of councillors of the parish of Swallowfield

(1) Name of parish ward	(2) Number of councillors
East	1
West	8

Article 7

SCHEDULE 4 Names of parish wards and number of councillors of the parishes of Earley, Shinfield, Wokingham and Woodley

Table 1

Parish wards of the parish of Earley

(1) Name of parish ward	(2) Number of councillors
Cutbush	4
Hawkedon	4
Hillside	3
Maiden Erlegh	3
Radstock	5
St Nicolas	2
Whitegates	4

Table 2

Parish Wards of the parish of Shinfield

(1) Name of parish ward	(2) Number of councillors
Grazeley	2
Shinfield North	2
Shinfield North East	1
Shinfield Village	5
Spencers Wood & Three Mile Cross	4
Spencers Wood South	1

Table 3

Parish wards of the parish of Wokingham

(1) Name of parish ward	(2) Number of councillors
Emmbrook North	3
Emmbrook South	3
Evendons East	3
Evendons West	4
Norreys East	2
Norreys West	4
Wescott North	2
Wescott East	2
Wescott West	2

Table 4

Parish wards of the parish of Woodley

(1) Name of parish ward	(2) Number of councillors
Bulmershe East	2
Bulmershe West	2
Coronation Central	1
Coronation East	3
Loddon Airfield	5
Loddon South	3
Loddon West	2
South Lake North	2
South Lake South	3
Warren	2

EXPLANATORY NOTE

(This note is not part of the Order)

This Order makes changes to electoral arrangements for the borough of Wokingham (“the authority”) following recommendations made by the Local Boundary Commission for England. This Order does not change the boundary of the authority itself.

Article 3 abolishes the authority’s existing electoral wards and replaces them with the 18 new ones listed in Schedule 1 for the purpose of elections to be held on or after the ordinary day of election of councillors in England in 2024. It also establishes the names and areas of the new electoral wards and the number of councillors for each.

Article 4 makes provision for the retirement of the authority’s councillors elected in 2024.

Articles 5, 6 and 7 make changes to parish wards which are consequential on the changes made by article 3. The changes to parish wards introduced by articles 5, 6, and 7 come into force for the purpose of parish elections in 2024, 2026 and 2027 respectively, and in respect of subsequent parish elections.

The area covered by each ward created by this Order is identified on a map which is available for inspection at reasonable times at the offices of the Local Government Boundary Commission for England, 1st Floor, Windsor House, 50 Victoria Street, London SW1H 0TL.

The map may also be accessed at: https://www.lgbce.org.uk/all-reviews/wokingham.

A full impact assessment has not been produced for this instrument as no impact on the private, voluntary or public sectors is foreseen.

(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.

(3)

The report is available for inspection at reasonable times at the principal office of the Local Government Boundary Commission for England, 1st Floor, Windsor House, 50 Victoria Street, London SW1H 0TL. It is also accessible online at https://www.lgbce.org.uk/all-reviews/wokingham.

(4)

The ordinary day of election of councillors in England is prescribed by section 37(1) of the Representation of the People Act 1983 (c. 2), as amended by section 18(2) of the Representation of the People Act 1985 (c. 50), renumbered by paragraph 5 of Schedule 3 to the Greater London Authority Act 1999 (c. 29), and further amended by section 6(16) of the Wales Act 2017 (c. 4).

(5)

Prints of the map are available for inspection at reasonable times at the principal office of the Local Government Boundary Commission for England, 1st Floor, Windsor House, 50 Victoria Street, London SW1H 0TL. It is also accessible online at https://www.lgbce.org.uk/all-reviews/wokingham.