Draft Order laid before Parliament under section 59(9) of the Local Democracy, Economic Development and Construction Act 2009; draft to lie for forty days pursuant to section 6(1) of the Statutory Instruments Act 1946, during which period either House of Parliament may resolve that the Order be not made.

Draft Statutory Instruments

2018 No.

Local Government, England

The West Suffolk (Electoral Changes) Order 2018

Made

Coming into force in accordance with article 1(2) and (3)

Under section 58(4) of the Local Democracy, Economic Development and Construction Act 2009(1) (“the Act”) the Local Government Boundary Commission for England(2) (“the Commission”) published a report dated October 2018 stating its recommendations for changes to the electoral arrangements for West Suffolk(3). The Commission has decided to give effect to the recommendations.

A draft of the instrument has been laid before Parliament and a period of forty days has expired since the day on which it was laid and neither House has resolved that the instrument be not made.

The Commission makes the following Order in exercise of the power conferred by section 59(1) of the Act.

Citation and commencement

1.—(1) This Order may be cited as the West Suffolk (Electoral Changes) Order 2018.

(2) This article and article 2 come into force on the day after the day on which this Order is made.

(3) Articles 3 and 4 come into force—

(a)for the purpose of proceedings preliminary or relating to the election of councillors, on the day after the day on which this Order is made;

(b)for all other purposes, on the ordinary day of election of councillors(4) in 2019.

Interpretation

2.—(1) In this Order, “the map” means the map marked “Map referred to in the West Suffolk (Electoral Changes) Order 2018”, held by the Local Government Boundary Commission for England(5).

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

Wards of the district of West Suffolk and number of councillors

3.—(1) The existing wards of the district of West Suffolk are abolished.

(2) The district of West Suffolk is divided into 43 wards as listed in the first column of the table in Schedule 1.

(3) Each ward comprises the area identified on the map by reference to the name of the ward.

(4) The number of councillors to be elected for each ward is the number specified in relation to that ward in the second column of the table in Schedule 1.

Wards of the parishes of Brandon, Bury St Edmunds, Haverhill, Mildenhall, Newmarket and Rushbrooke with Rougham

4.—(1) The existing wards of the parishes of Brandon, Bury St Edmunds, Haverhill, Mildenhall, Newmarket and Rushbrooke with Rougham are abolished.

(2) The parish of Brandon is divided into the three parish wards listed in the first column of table 1 in Schedule 2.

(3) The parish of Bury St Edmunds is divided into the nine parish wards listed in the first column of table 2 in Schedule 2.

(4) The parish of Haverhill is divided into the seven parish wards listed in the first column of table 3 in Schedule 2.

(5) The parish of Mildenhall is divided into the four parish wards listed in the first column of table 4 in Schedule 2.

(6) The parish of Newmarket is divided into the five parish wards listed in the first column of table 5 in Schedule 2.

(7) The parish of Rushbrooke with Rougham is divided into the two parish wards listed in the first column of table 6 in Schedule 2.

(8) Each parish ward comprises the area identified on the map by reference to the name of the parish ward.

(9) The number of councillors to be elected for each parish ward is the number specified in relation to that ward in the second column of the relevant table in Schedule 2.

Sealed with the seal of the Local Government Boundary Commission for England

Name

Chief Executive

Local Government Boundary Commission for England

Date

Article 3

SCHEDULE 1Names of wards and number of councillors

(1)

Name of district ward

(2)

Number of councillors

Abbeygate2
Bardwell1
Barningham1
Barrow1
Brandon Central1
Brandon East1
Brandon West1
Chedburgh & Chevington1
Clare, Hundon & Kedington3
Eastgate1
Exning1
Haverhill Central1
Haverhill East2
Haverhill North2
Haverhill South2
Haverhill South East1
Haverhill West2
Horringer1
Iceni2
Ixworth1
Kentford & Moulton1
Lakenheath2
Manor1
Mildenhall Great Heath1
Mildenhall Kingsway & Market1
Mildenhall Queensway1
Minden2
Moreton Hall3
Newmarket East2
Newmarket North2
Newmarket West2
Pakenham & Troston1
Risby1
Rougham1
Southgate2
St Olaves2
Stanton1
The Fornhams & Great Barton2
The Rows2
Tollgate2
Westgate2
Whepstead & Wickhambrook1
Withersfield1

Article 4

SCHEDULE 2Names of parish wards and number of councillors

Table 1

Wards of the parish of Brandon

(1)

Name of parish ward

(2)

Number of councillors

Brandon Central5
Brandon East4
Brandon West5

Table 2

Wards of the parish of Bury St Edmunds

(1)

Name of parish ward

(2)

Number of councillors

Abbeygate2
Eastgate1
Minden2
Moreton Hall3
Out Westgate1
Southgate2
St Olaves2
Tollgate2
Westgate2

Table 3

Wards of the parish of Haverhill

(1)

Name of parish ward

(2)

Number of councillors

Central1
East3
Mount Road1
North3
South3
South East2
West3

Table 4

Wards of the parish of Mildenhall

(1)

Name of parish ward

(2)

Number of councillors

Great Heath4
Kingsway & Market4
Queensway4
West Row3

Table 5

Wards of the parish of Newmarket

(1)

Name of parish ward

(2)

Number of councillors

All Saints3
Freshfields1
Scaltback6
Severals2
Studlands6

Table 6

Wards of the parish of Rushbrooke with Rougham

(1)

Name of parish ward

(2)

Number of councillors

North4
South7

EXPLANATORY NOTE

(This note is not part of the Order)

This Order makes changes to electoral arrangements for West Suffolk following recommendations made by the Local Government Boundary Commission for England. West Suffolk is established as an authority, with effect from 1st April 2019, by virtue of the West Suffolk (Local Government Changes) Order 2018 (S.I. 2018/639). The changes made by this Order apply in respect of local government elections held on and after the ordinary day of election of councillors in 2019.

Article 3 provides for the creation of 43 new electoral wards and establishes the names and areas of those wards and the number of councillors for each.

Article 4 makes changes to parish wards which are consequential to the changes made by article 3.

The area covered by each ward created by this Order is identified on a map which is available for inspection at reasonable times at the offices of the Local Government Boundary Commission for England, 1st Floor, Windsor House, 50 Victoria Street, London, SW1H 0TL.

The map may also be accessed at http://www.lgbce.org.uk/all-reviews/eastern/suffolk/west-suffolk

An impact assessment has not been produced for this instrument as no impact on the private or voluntary sectors is foreseen.

(2)

The Local Government Boundary Commission for England was established on 1st April 2010 by section 55(1) of the Local Democracy, Economic Development and Construction Act 2009.

(3)

See S.I. 2018/639 which abolishes the districts of Forest Heath and St Edmundsbury on 1st April 2019. On the same day, article 3 of that instrument establishes West Suffolk as a new non-metropolitan district. The sole principal authority for the non-metropolitan district of West Suffolk is to be West Suffolk Council. Article 20 of that instrument also makes provision in respect of elections to that Council, in particular by specifying the number of wards which is to comprise West Suffolk and the number of councillors to be elected for each of those wards. Section 60(1) of the Local Democracy, Economic Development and Construction Act 2009 (c. 20) provided for the transfer of functions under Part 1 (Structural and Boundary Change in England) of the Local Government and Public Involvement in Health Act 2007 (c. 28) (“the 2007 Act”) to the Local Government Boundary Commission for England. The Local Government Boundary Commission for England is obliged, by virtue of section 12(5) of the 2007 Act, to consider whether to exercise its power to conduct a review under section 56(2) of the Local Democracy, Economic Development and Construction Act 2009 as soon as reasonably practicable following the making of an Order under section 10 of the 2007 Act (under which power, amongst others, S.I. 2018/639 was made). This Order gives effect to the recommendations arising from that review.

(4)

The ordinary day of election of councillors in England is prescribed by section 37 of the Representation of the People Act 1983 (c. 2), as amended by section 18(2) of the Representation of the People Act 1985 (c. 50) and section 6(16) of the Wales Act 2017 (c. 4).

(5)

Prints of the map are available for inspection at reasonable times at the principal office of the Local Government Boundary Commission for England, 1st Floor, Windsor House, 50 Victoria Street, London, SW1H 0TL. It is also accessible online at http://www.lgbce.org.uk/all-reviews/eastern/suffolk/west-suffolk