Agenda item

Report of the Leader of the Council

The Leader introduced the report and the Senior Change Manager and the Member and Democratic Services Manager provided a short presentation covering the following areas:

• The stages of the review and the criteria used by the Local Government Boundary Commission for England (LGBCE).

• Member engagement during the process.
• How the proposals had been developed.
• Key dates.

Members were reminded that their role was to scrutinise the review process and the detailed recommendations would be discussed at Council on 16 March 2023.  The submission to the LGBCE would be made on the 20 March 2023 and consultation on their draft recommendations would then take place between the 27 June to 4 September 2023.  The Council is a consultee in the process.

The boundary changes proposed and the request for ‘single member’ wards as part of the Submission was briefly mentioned.  The Committee was reminded that there was no guarantee that single member divisions would be achievable and this had been requested as part of the last review in 2010, however two double divisions remained.

During the discussion, members asked questions and were provided with the following information:

• Any members who weren’t happy with the recommendations and wanted to submit a counter proposal were offered support by the Senior Change Manager so that a personal submission could be made.
• Community identity was often more important to local people than the + or – 10 % criteria.  Discussions had taken place with the LGBCE on this point and community identity was aways a priority, but unfortunately in an area as large as Staffordshire, variations and compromise would always be needed.

The Committee:

• Expressed their satisfaction with the engagement process and opportunity to put forward their views.
• Supported the single ward request.
• Felt that this was an opportunity to provide coterminous boundaries where possible.
• Acknowledged the use of local knowledge and understanding of local geography.

Officers were thanked for their help and support during the process.

Resolved: 

a)   That the progress on the County’s Electoral Review be noted.

b)  That the comments and suggestions from the Committee as listed above be referred to Council for consideration