The Local Government Commission undertakes Periodic Electoral Reviews of each principal local authority area in England
The Commission is required by the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions to undertake reviews in accordance with specific legislation
The main purpose of the review is to achieve electoral equality i.e. an equal councillor to elector ratio for each ward as far as practicable
In reporting to the Secretary of State the Commission may recommend changes to the Council's electoral arrangements in any of the following respects:-
The total number of councillors to be elected to the council
The number and boundaries of wards
The number of councillors to be elected for each ward and the election cycle of the local authority, and
The name of any ward
The Commission formally commenced the Periodic Electoral Review for Bournemouth on November 28th 2000 and the whole process lasted just over a year.
The Commission published its Draft Recommendations Report on the 19th June and representations on the Report had to be submitted by the 13th August 2001.
The Commission published its final recommendations on the 11th December 2001. The Boundary Committee of the Electoral Commission decided to accept the Local Government Commission's recommendations and a statutory Order was made in July 2002, giving effect to the new boundaries for the Borough Council Elections on the 1st May 2003. A minor modification was made (at the Council's request) whereby the new wards of Kinson and West Howe were renamed Kinson North and Kinson South respectively.
Please contact Matt Pitcher at the Town Hall on (01202) 451122 if you require any further information.