The District of Rochford (Electoral Changes) Order 2001

Statutory Instruments

2001 No. 2624

LOCAL GOVERNMENT, ENGLAND

The District of Rochford (Electoral Changes) Order 2001

Made

18th July 2001

Coming into force in accordance with article 1(2) to (4)

Whereas the Local Government Commission for England, acting pursuant to section 15(4) of the Local Government Act 1992(1), has submitted to the Secretary of State a report dated March 2001 on its review of the district of Rochford together with its recommendations:

And whereas the Secretary of State has decided to give effect to those recommendations:

Now, therefore, the Secretary of State, in exercise of the powers conferred on him by sections 17(2) and 26 of the Local Government Act 1992, and of all other powers enabling him in that behalf, hereby makes the following Order:

Citation, commencement and interpretation

1.—(1) This Order may be cited as the District of Rochford (Electoral Changes) Order 2001.

(2) This article and articles 2, 3, 9, 10 and 11 shall come into force—

(a) for the purpose of proceedings preliminary or relating to any election to be held on 2nd May 2002, on 15th October 2001;

(b) for all other purposes, on 2nd May 2002.

(3) Articles 4, 5 and 6 shall come into force—

(a) for the purpose of proceedings preliminary or relating to elections of parish councillors for the parishes of Ashingdon, Great Wakering, and Hawkwell, on 1st May 2003, on 15th October 2002;

(b) for all other purposes, on 1st May 2003.

(4) Articles 7 and 8 shall come into force—

(a) for the purpose of proceedings preliminary or relating to elections of parish councillors for the parishes of Hockley and Rayleigh on 6th May 2004, on 15th October 2003;

(b) for all other purposes, on 6th May 2004.

(5) In this Order—

“district” means the district of Rochford;

“existing”, in relation to a ward, means the ward as it exists on the date this Order is made;

any reference to the map is a reference to the map prepared by the Department for Transport, Local Government and the Regions marked “Map of the District of Rochford (Electoral Changes) Order 2001”, and deposited in accordance with regulation 27 of the Local Government Changes for England Regulations 1994(3); and

• any reference to a numbered sheet is a reference to the sheet of the map which bears that number.

Wards of the District of Rochford

2.—(1) The existing wards of the district(4) shall be abolished.

(2) The district shall be divided into nineteen wards which shall bear the names set out in column (1) of Schedule 1.

(3) The wards shall comprise the areas described in column (2) of that Schedule by reference to parishes or, where an area is not so described, the area designated on the map by reference to the name of the ward and demarcated by red lines; and the number of councillors to be elected for each ward shall be the number specified in respect of the ward in column (3) of that Schedule.

(4) Where a boundary is shown on the map as running along a road, railway line, footway, watercourse or similar geographical feature, it shall be treated as running along the centre line of the feature.

Elections of the council of the district of Rochford

3.—(1) Subject to the following provisions of this article, the election of councillors for wards of the district shall be by thirds.

(2) Elections of all councillors for all wards of the district shall be held simultaneously on the ordinary day of election of councillors in 2002(5).

(3) The councillors holding office for any ward of the district immediately before 6th May 2002 shall retire on that date and the newly-elected councillors for those wards shall come into office on that date.

(4) The order of retirement of councillors shall be as set out in Schedule 2.

(5) Where the number of councillors elected in 2002 for any ward of the district is two or more—

(a) the first to retire shall, subject to paragraphs (6) and (7), be the councillor elected by the smallest number of votes; and

(b) the second to retire shall, subject to those paragraphs, be the councillor elected by the next smallest number of votes.

(6) In the case of an equality of votes between any persons elected which makes it uncertain which of them is to retire in any year, the person to retire in that year shall be determined by lot.

(7) If an election of councillors for any ward is not contested, the person to retire in each year shall be determined by lot.

(8) Where under this article any question is to be determined by lot, the lot shall be drawn at the next practicable meeting of the council after the question has arisen and the drawing shall be conducted under the direction of the person presiding at the meeting.

(9) Except as otherwise provided in the preceding paragraphs of this article, the term of office of councillors shall be four years; and all councillors shall retire on the fourth day after the ordinary day of election of councillors in the year of retirement and the newly-elected councillors shall come into office on the day on which their predecessors retire.

Wards of the parish of Ashingdon

4.—(1) The existing wards of the parish of Ashingdon shall be abolished.

(2) The parish shall be divided into four parish wards which shall bear the names set out in column (1) of Schedule 3; each parish ward shall comprise the area of the district ward specified in respect of the parish ward in column (2) of that Schedule; and the number of councillors to be elected for each parish ward shall be the number specified in respect of the parish ward in column (3) of that Schedule.

Wards of the parish of Great Wakering

5.—(1) The existing wards of the parish of Great Wakering shall be abolished.

(2) The parish shall be divided into three parish wards which shall bear the names Great Wakering East, Great Wakering Central, and Great Wakering West; and the wards shall comprise the areas designated on sheet 4 by reference to the name of the ward and demarcated by orange lines.

(3) The number of councillors to be elected for the Great Wakering Central parish ward shall be five, and for each of the Great Wakering East and Great Wakering West parish wards shall be four.

Wards of the parish of Hawkwell

6.—(1) The existing wards of the parish of Hawkwell shall be abolished.

(2) The parish shall be divided into three parish wards which shall bear the names set out in column (1) of Schedule 4; each parish ward shall comprise the area of the district ward specified in respect of the parish ward in column (2) of that Schedule; and the number of councillors to be elected for each parish ward shall be the number specified in respect of the parish ward in column (3) of that Schedule.

Wards of the parish of Hockley

7.—(1) The existing wards of the parish of Hockley shall be abolished.

(2) The parish shall be divided into three parish wards which shall bear the names set out in column (1) of Schedule 5; each parish ward shall comprise the area of the district ward specified in respect of the parish ward in column (2) of that Schedule; and the number of councillors to be elected for each parish ward shall be the number specified in respect of the parish ward in column (3) of that Schedule.

Wards of the parish of Rayleigh

8.—(1) The existing wards of the parish of Rayleigh shall be abolished.

(2) The parish shall be divided into eight parish wards which shall bear the names Central, Downhall, Grange, Lodge, Sweyne Park, Trinity, Wheatley and Whitehouse; the parish wards of Grange, Lodge, Sweyne Park, Trinity, Wheatley and Whitehouse shall comprise the area of the district wards of the same name, the Central parish ward shall comprise the area of the district ward of Rayleigh Central; and the Downhall parish ward shall consist of the rest of the parish.

(3) The number of councillors to be elected for each of the Grange, Lodge, Sweyne Park, Trinity, Wheatley and Whitehouse parish wards shall be three and for the Downhall parish ward shall be two.

Wards of the parish of Rochford

9.—(1) The wards of the parish of Rochford shall be abolished.

(2) The parish shall be divided into four parish wards which shall bear the names Eastwood, North, Roche and St Andrews; and the wards shall comprise the areas designated on sheet 5 by reference to the name of the ward and demarcated by orange lines.

(3) The number of councillors to be elected for the Roche parish ward shall be six, for the St Andrews parish ward shall be five, for the Eastwood parish ward shall be four, and for the North parish ward shall be two.

Parish elections

10.—(1) Elections of all parish councillors for the parish of Rochford shall be held simultaneously on the ordinary day of election of councillors in 2002 and every fourth year after 2002.

(2) Elections of all parish councillors for the parishes of Hockley and Hullbridge shall be held simultaneously on the ordinary day of election of councillors in 2004 and every fourth year after 2004.

(3) The term of office of any parish councillor to whom paragraph (1) or paragraph (2) of this article applies shall be four years; and those parish councillors shall retire on the fourth day after the ordinary day of election of councillors in the year of retirement, and the newly-elected councillors shall come into office on the day on which their predecessors retire.

Revocation

11.  The District of Rochford (Electoral Arrangements) Order 1975 is hereby revoked.

Signed by authority of the Secretary of State, for Transport, Local Government and the Regions

Alan Whitehead

Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State,

Department for Transport, Local Government and the Regions

18th July 2001

article 2

SCHEDULE 1 Names and Areas of Wards and Numbers of Councillors

(1)	(2)	(3)
Name of Ward	Area of Ward	Number of Councillors
Ashingdon and Canewdon		2
Barling and Sutton	The parishes of Barling Magna and Sutton	1
Downhall and Rawreth		2
Foulness and Great Wakering	The parishes of Foulness and Great Wakering	3
Grange		2
Hawkwell North		2
Hawkwell South		2
Hawkwell West		2
Hockley Central		3
Hockley North		1
Hockley West		1
Hullbridge	The parish of Hullbridge	3
Lodge		2
Rayleigh Central		2
Rochford		3
Sweyne Park		2
Trinity		2
Wheatley		2
Whitehouse		2

article 3(4)

SCHEDULE 2 Order of Retirement of Councillors

(1)	(2)	(3)	(4)
Name of Ward	Number of councillors to retire in 2003	Number of councillors to retire in 2004	Number of councillors to retire in 2006
Ashingdon and Canewdon	1	1
Barling and Sutton	1
Downhall and Rawreth	1		1
Foulness and Great Wakering	1	1	1
Grange	1		1
Hawkwell North	1		1
Hawkwell South	1		1
Hawkwell West	1		1
Hockley Central	1	1	1
Hockley North		1
Hockley West		1
Hullbridge	1	1	1
Lodge	1	1
Rayleigh Central		1	1
Rochford	1	1	1
Sweyne Park	1	1
Trinity		1	1
Wheatley		1	1
Whitehouse		1	1

article 4

SCHEDULE 3 Wards of the Parish of Ashingdon Names and Areas of Wards and Numbers of Councillors

(1)	(2)	(3)
Name of Ward	Area of Ward	Number of Councillors
Ashingdon West	So much of the district ward of Ashingdon and Canewdon as comprises part of the parish of Ashingdon	7
Ashingdon Heights	So much of the district ward of Hawkwell North as comprises part of the parish of Ashingdon	1
South West	So much of the district ward of Hockley Central as comprises part of the parish of Ashingdon	1
West	So much of the district ward of Hockley North as comprises part of the parish of Ashingdon	2

article 6

SCHEDULE 4 Wards of the Parish of Hawkwell Names and Areas of Wards and Numbers of Councillors

(1)	(2)	(3)
Name of Ward	Area of Ward	Number of Councillors
North	So much of the district ward of Hawkwell North as comprises part of the parish of Hawkwell	5
South	So much of the district ward of Hawkwell South as comprises part of the parish of Hawkwell	6
West	The district ward of Hawkwell West	6

article 7

SCHEDULE 5 Wards of the Parish of Hockley Names and Areas of Wards and Numbers of Councillors

(1)	(2)	(3)
Name of Ward	Area of Ward	Number of Councillors
Central	So much of the district ward of Hockley Central as comprises part of the parish of Hockley	10
North	So much of the district ward of Hockley North as comprises part of the parish of Hockley	2
West	The district ward of Hockley West	3

Explanatory Note

(This note is not part of the Order)

This Order gives effect to recommendations by the Local Government Commission for England for electoral changes in the district of Rochford.

Article 2 abolishes the existing wards of the district and provides for the creation of nineteen new wards. That article and Schedule 1 also make provision for the names and areas of, and numbers of councillors for, the new wards.

Article 3 makes provision for a whole council election in 2002 and for reversion to elections by thirds in subsequent years. Schedule 2 regulates the order of retirement of councillors.

Articles 4 to 9 make electoral changes in the parishes of Ashingdon, Great Wakering, Hawkwell, Hockley, Rayleigh and Rochford.

Article 10 provides for elections of parish councillors for the parishes of Hockley, Hullbridge and Rochford in the district.

Article 11 revokes the District of Rochford (Electoral Arrangements) Order 1975.

The areas of the new district and parish wards are demarcated on the map described in article 1(3). Prints of the map may be inspected at all reasonable times at the offices of Rochford District Council and at the offices of the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions, 2nd Floor, Ashdown House, 123 Victoria Street, London SW1E 6DE.

(1)

1992 c. 19.

(2)

Section 17 is amended by section 39(4) and (5) of the Police and Magistrates' Courts Act 1994 (c. 29).

(3)

S.I. 1994/867, to which there are amendments not relevant to this Order.

(4)

See the District of Rochford (Electoral Arrrangements) Order 1975 (S.I. 1975/1919).

(5)

For the ordinary day of election of councillors of local government areas, see section 37 of the Representation of the People Act 1983 (c. 2), amended by section 18(2) of the Representation of the People Act 1985 (c. 50) and section 17 of, and paragraphs 1 and 5 of Schedule 3 to, the Greater London Authority Act 1999 (c. 29).