Local Government and Rating Act 1997

18 Considerations in deciding about electoral arrangements

(1) This section applies where the Secretary of State, the Local Government Commission for England, a district council or a unitary county council (“the authority”) are considering electoral arrangements under sections 9 to 17.

(2) When considering whether a parish should be divided into parish wards, the authority must consider whether—

(a) the number or distribution of the local government electors of the parish is such as to make a single election of parish councillors impracticable or inconvenient, and

(b) it is desirable that any area or areas of the parish should be separately represented on the parish council.

(3) Where the authority decide that a parish should be divided into parish wards and are considering the size and boundaries of the wards and the number of parish councillors to be elected for each ward, the authority must have regard to—

(a) any change in the number or distribution of local government electors for the parish that is likely to occur in the five years beginning with their consideration,

(b) the desirability of fixing boundaries which are and will remain easily identifiable, and

(c) any local ties which will be broken by the fixing of any particular boundaries.

(4) Where the authority decide that a parish should not be divided into parish wards and are considering the number of councillors to be elected for the parish, the authority must have regard to—

(a) the number of the local government electors for the parish, and

(b) any change in that number which is likely to occur in the period of five years beginning with their decision.