Agenda item

Members considered a report providing a detailed review of electoral boundaries in the District, being conducted by the Local Government Boundary Commission for England (LGBCE).

The draft Council Ward Pattern proposal had been drawn up by Officers with input from individual Members, reviewed and agreed by the member led BDC Ward Patterning Working Group. Once the draft proposals had been agreed by the Committee, draft proposals would be considered by the Council for endorsement.  It was suggested that as the consultation period closed before the next Council meeting the LGBCE had agreed to accept a late final submission if the agreed draft submission was submitted before the closing date.  Proposals were supposed to be made to the LGBCE by 2nd December 2024.

Members were informed that part of the draft proposals included a methodology for the working group comprising of an Introduction, Current Ward Analysis, Approach to New Ward Patterning, Proposed Ward Pattern, Proposed Change Detail and a Conclusion.

The Committee expressed their gratitude to the Officers and Members involved in assisting with the production of the proposed draft report.

During consideration of this item, the following proposal was made Councillor J.W. Robinson.  

“The ward pattern for the Rock Hill Ward be changed to Rock Hill and Stoke Heath Ward”.

Members discussed this proposal and in doing so agreed that a combined ward for the Rock Hill and Stoke Heath Ward would be suitable.  In response, the Senior Electoral Services Officer informed Members that included in the working group comments was the suggestion that a potential name change for the ward might be appropriate.  It was for the Electoral Matters Committee to discuss further.  It was concluded that the suggestion should be reflected in the draft proposal report.

Also, during consideration of the item, a recommendation was proposed by Councillor J.W. Robinson.  The recommendation was:

“The Catshill Ward be considered as a single-member ward and not a two-member ward, as suggested”.

The recommendation was proposed by Councillor J.W. Robinson and seconded by Councillor S. Ammar.

In proposing the recommendation, Councillor Robinson suggested that his proposal was designed to improve the ward boundary for electoral balance purposes.

Members discussed the proposed recommendation.  In doing so, it was noted that considerable work had been undertaken in producing the draft report, including that of the working group.  It was also suggested that the proposals were still only in draft form and needed to be considered by the Council and through various consultations.  Therefore, Members commented that at this stage the proposed Catshill and Washingstocks Ward should remain as a two-member ward.

On being put to the vote the recommendation was lost.

In conclusion, Members were informed thatthe LGBCE would publish draft recommendations regarding warding patterns in March 2025. A consultation on the draft recommendations would run from 6th May 2025 to 14th July 2025, which the Council might want to respond to, and a final recommendation would be published in November 2025.  It was suggested that a working group could be established to consider the draft recommendations and collate a suitable response to the LGBCE.

RECOMMENDED that

1)    The Council endorse the Council Warding Pattern submission including any amendments made.

2)    Council delegates authority to the Chief Executive following consultation with Group Leaders to produce and submit the formal submission document to the Local Government Boundary Commission for England.