The Democratic and Electoral Services Manager introduced the report and informed the Committee that the Local Government Boundary Commission for England (LGBCE) had agreed the figure of 48 Councillors as proposed by the Council. 

The LGBCE would be undertaking a virtual community engagement event on 31 January 2022, focusing primarily on the borough’s parishes. A Member workshop focussed on the urban and rural areas of the borough would be arranged for February 2022. A draft series of options, for example whether to have one-Member urban wards, would be presented to the Committee and its next meeting and then discussed at the Member workshop.

The boundary review consultation being carried out by the LGBCE had commenced on the 25 January 2022. It included the projected electorate forecast figures that demonstrated the electoral inequality there would be in 2027 between the number of residents per Councillor across existing wards. 

In response to questions, the Democratic and Electoral Services Manager emphasised that the review would focus on the creation of the new wards and that multiple options would be considered.

The Committee expressed support for the consideration of a multitude of options as the next stage of the review progressed and thanked Officers for the work undertaken. The intensity and speed with which the next stage of the review had to be completed was noted. 

RESOLVED: That

1.  The proposed timetable as set out in point 2.6 of the report alongside the approach set out in the report be agreed; and

2.  The tight and intense period of work required with Members between the February and March meetings of the Committee be noted.