The District of Purbeck (Electoral Changes) Order 1998

Citation, commencement and interpretation

1.—(1) This Order may be cited as the District of Purbeck (Electoral Changes) Order 1998.

(2) This Order shall come into force for all purposes on 6th May 1999, except that for the purpose of all proceedings preliminary or relating to an election to be held on or after 6th May 1999 this Order shall come into force on 10th October 1998.

(3) In this Order—

“the district” means the district of Purbeck;

“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 of the Environment, Transport and the Regions marked “Map of the District of Purbeck (Electoral Changes) Order 1998”, and deposited in accordance with regulation 27 of the Local Government Changes for England Regulations 1994(1).

Wards of Purbeck

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

(2) The district shall be divided into 14 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 parishes and parish wards or, where no area is 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.

Elections of the council of Purbeck

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 wards of the district shall be held simultaneously on the ordinary day of election of councillors in 1999(3).

(3) The councillors holding office for any ward in the district immediately before 10th May 1999 shall retire on that date and the newly elected councillors for any such ward 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 1999 for any ward of the district is two, the first to retire shall, subject to paragraphs (7) and (8) below, be the councillor elected by the smaller number of votes.

(6) Where the number of councillors elected in 1999 for any ward of the district is three

(a) the first to retire shall, subject to paragraphs (7) and (8) below, 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.

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

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

(9) 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.

(10) Except as otherwise provided in the foregoing 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.

Numbers of parish councillors

4.  The number of councillors to be elected for the Church Knowle parish shall be nine.

Parish elections

5.—(1) The term of office of any parish councillor elected on the ordinary day of election of councillors in 1999 for the parishes of Arne and East Stoke shall be three years.

(2) Elections of all parish councillors for the parishes of Affpuddle and Turnerspuddle, Bere Regis, Chaldon Herring, Church Knowle, East Lulworth, Langton Matravers, Lytchett Matravers, Morden, Moreton, West Lulworth, Winfrith Newburgh and Worth Matravers shall be held simultaneously on the ordinary day of election of councillors in 2002 and every fourth year after 2002.

(3) Except as otherwise provided in the foregoing 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.

Revocation

6.  The District of Purbeck (Electoral Arrangements) Order 1977 is hereby revoked.

Signed by authority of the Secretary of State

Nick Raynsford

Parliamentary Under Secretary of State,

Department of the Environment,Transport and the Regions

1st September 1998