12.—(1) The ordinary election of councillors in 1997 for the electoral divisions of Kent comprised in Gillingham and Rochester(1) shall not take place; and any councillor for such a division holding office immediately before the relevant date who would, but for this paragraph, have retired on that date shall, unless he resigns his office or it otherwise becomes vacant, continue to hold office until the reorganisation date.
(2) Section 89 of the 1972 Act (filling of casual vacancies in case of councillors) shall have effect, in relation to a casual vacancy occurring in the office of councillor of the Gillingham Council, the Rochester Council, or any electoral division referred to in paragraph (1) above, as if the reference in subsection (3) of that section to the day on which the councillor whose office is vacant would regularly have retired were a reference to the reorganisation date.
(3) The electoral divisions of Kent comprised in Gillingham and Rochester shall cease to be electoral divisions on the reorganisation date.
The electoral divisions of the county of Kent are constituted by the County of Kent (Electoral Arrangements) Order 1981 (S.I. 1981/85).