Agenda item

The Council considered a report setting out the product of the work of the Electoral Review Working Group in respect of the Council’s proposed submission to the Local Government Boundary Commission for England (LGBCE) on ward patterns.

The purpose of an electoral review was to consider the total number of councillors elected to the council, the names, number and boundaries of the wards, and the number of councillors to be elected to each ward.

The Council at its extraordinary meeting held on 17 December 2021 had approved a submission on a future council size of 48 councillors to the LGBCE. The LGBCE had announced on 19 January 2021 that it was minded to make a recommendation that the Council’s future size remained at 48 councillors.

As part of the next process of the Electoral Review, the LGBCE began a consultation on ward patterns for a council size of 48 councillors on 26 January 2021, ending on 2 August 2021.

The Working Group had met on eight occasions to produce and refine the warding patterns submission together with the accompanying maps. An informal briefing of all councillors was held on 7 July 2021 to enable the Working Group to share their initial proposals, including maps showing proposed alterations to ward boundaries and a discussion of the approach taken by the Working Group in arriving at their proposals.  All councillors had been sent a link to the recording of the briefing, together with a link to view the various maps, and asked to submit any comments or proposals to the working group for consideration. A number of suggested adjustments to boundaries had been suggested and these were investigated further by the Working Group and had resulted in a modification of the proposed pattern of wards.

The Chairman of the Working, Councillor Tony Rooth proposed, and Councillor Colin Cross seconded the following motion:

“That the Warding Patterns Submission, attached at Appendix 1 to the report submitted to the Council, be approved, and presented to the Local Government Boundary Commission for England, together with the accompanying maps at Appendix 2.”

Under Council Procedure Rule 15 (o), Councillor Rooth as the mover of the original motion, indicated that, with the consent of his seconder and of the meeting, he wished to alter his motion as follows:

Insert the following as paragraph (2) of the motion:

“(2)   That a Working Group be formed to consider and make long term recommendations (beyond 2026) regarding the suitable redrawing of borough and parish ward boundaries including the possible creation of new parish councils, taking account of implementation of new housing development on Local Plan Strategic Sites, and that such recommendations be used as follows:

(a)     to consider in respect of borough ward boundaries, seat allocations, and associated arrangements whether to request a further electoral review by the Local Government Boundary Commission for England, and  

(b)     to consider whether the Council should conduct a community governance review of relevant parished areas with a view to identifying appropriate revisions to existing parish boundaries and possible creation of new parish councils.”

The Council agreed to accept the alteration to the original motion, as indicated above. The motion, as altered, therefore became the substantive motion for debate.

Following the debate on the substantive motion, the Council

RESOLVED:

(1)     That the Warding Patterns Submission, attached at Appendix 1 to the report submitted to the Council, be approved, and presented to the Local Government Boundary Commission for England, together with the accompanying maps at Appendix 2.

 (2)   That a Working Group be formed to consider and make long term recommendations (beyond 2026) regarding the suitable redrawing of borough and parish ward boundaries including the possible creation of new parish councils, taking account of implementation of new housing development on Local Plan Strategic Sites, and that such recommendations be used as follows:

(a)     to consider in respect of borough ward boundaries, seat allocations, and associated arrangements whether to request a further electoral review by the Local Government Boundary Commission for England, and  

(b)     to consider whether the Council should conduct a community governance review of relevant parished areas with a view to identifying appropriate revisions to existing parish boundaries and possible creation of new parish councils.

Reasons:

(1)    To respond to the LGBCE’s invitation to make a Warding Patterns submission as part of the periodic electoral review of Guildford Borough Council.

(2)    To ensure the Council is able to respond appropriately to changing circumstances beyond 2026.