1.—(1) This Order may be cited as the District of Huntingdonshire (Electoral Changes) Order 2002.
(2) This order, with the exception of articles 5, 6, 8 and 9, shall come into force—
(a)for the purpose of proceedings preliminary or relating to any election to be held on 6th May 2004, on 15th October 2003;
(b)for all other purposes, on 6th May 2004.
(3) Articles 5 and 9 shall come into force—
(a)for the purpose of proceedings preliminary or relating to the election of a parish councillor for the parishes of Houghton and Wyton, and The Stukeleys to be held on 4th May 2006, on 15th October 2005;
(b)for all other purposes, on 4th May 2006.
(4) Articles 6 and 8 shall come into force—
(a)for the purpose of proceedings preliminary or relating to the election of a parish councillor for the parishes of Huntingdon and St Neots to be held on 3rd May 2007, on 15th October 2006;
(b)for all other purposes, on 3rd May 2007.
2. In this Order—
“district” means the district of Huntingdonshire;
“existing”, in relation to a ward, means the ward as it exists on the date this Order is made; and
any reference to the map is a reference to the map marked “Map referred to in the District of Huntingdonshire (Electoral Changes) Order 2002”, of which prints are available for inspection at—
(a)the principal office of the Electoral Commission; and
(b)the offices of Huntingdonshire District Council.
3.—(1) The existing wards of the district(1) shall be abolished.
(2) The district shall be divided into twenty-nine 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.
4.—(1) Elections of all councillors for all wards of the district shall be held simultaneously on the ordinary day of election of councillors in 2004(2)(3).
(2) The councillors holding office for any ward of the district immediately before 10th May 2004 shall retire on that date and the newly elected councillors for those wards shall come into office on that date.
(3) The order of retirement of councillors shall be as set out in Schedule 2.
(4) Where the number of councillors elected in 2004 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.
(5) 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.
(6) If an election of councillors for any ward is not contested, the person to retire in each year shall be determined by lot.
(7) 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.
5. The parish of Houghton and Wyton shall be divided into two 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.
6.—(1) The existing wards of the parish of Huntingdon shall be abolished.
(2) The parish shall be divided into three parish wards which shall bear the names Huntingdon East, Huntingdon North and Huntingdon West; each parish ward shall comprise the area of the district ward bearing the same name.
(3) The number of councillors to be elected for the Huntingdon East parish ward shall be eight and for each of the Huntingdon North and Huntingdon West parish wards shall be four.
7.—(1) The existing wards of the parish of St Ives shall be abolished.
(2) The parish shall be divided into three parish wards which shall bear the names St Ives East, St Ives South and St Ives West; each parish ward shall comprise the area of the district ward bearing the same name.
(3) The number of councillors to be elected for each of the St Ives East and St Ives South parish wards shall be six and for the St Ives West parish ward shall be four.
8.—(1) The existing wards of the parish of St Neots 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 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.
9. The parish of The Stukeleys shall be divided into two 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.
10.—(1) Elections of all parish councillors for the parishes of Brampton, Broughton, Conington, Godmanchester, Great Gidding, Hemingford Abbots, Hilton, Little Gidding, Little Paxton, Old Hurst, Pidley cum Fenton, St Ives, Sawtry, Warboys and Woodhurst shall be held simultaneously on the ordinary day of election of councillors in 2004 and every fourth year after 2004.
(2) Elections of all parish councillors for the parishes of Alconbury, Alconbury Weston, Alwalton, Buckden, Bury, Elton, Farcet, Great Paxton, Hemingford Grey, Houghton and Wyton, Offord Cluny, Offord Darcy, Sibson cum Stibbington, The Stukeleys, Toseland, Upton and Coppingford, Wistow and Yelling shall be held simultaneously on the ordinary day of election of councillors in 2006 and every fourth year after 2006.
(3) Elections of all parish councillors for the parishes of Abbotsley, Abbots Ripton, Barham and Woolley, Bluntisham, Brington and Molesworth, Buckworth, Bythorn and Keyston, Colne, Earith, Easton, Ellington, Eynesbury Hardwicke, Fenstanton, Grafham, Great Gransden, Great Staughton, Hail Weston, Holme, Holywell-cum-Needingworth, Huntingdon, Kings Ripton, Leighton, Old Weston, Perry, Ramsey, St Neots, St Neots Rural, Somersham, Spaldwick, Stilton, Upwood and The Raveleys, Waresley, Woodwalton and Yaxley shall be held simultaneously on the ordinary day of election of councillors in 2007 and every fourth year after 2007.
(4) The term of office of every parish councillor elected on the ordinary day of election of councillors in 2003 for the parish of Glatton shall be five years.
(5) Elections of all parish councillors for the parish of Glatton shall be held simultaneously on the ordinary day of election of councillors in 2008 and every fourth year after 2008.
(6) The term of office of every parish councillor elected on the ordinary day of election of councillors in 2003 for the parish of Folksworth and Washingley shall be three years.
(7) Elections of all parish councillors for the parish of Folksworth and Washingley shall be held simultaneously on the ordinary day of election of councillors in 2006 and every fourth year after 2006.
(8) The term of office of every parish councillor elected on the ordinary day of election of councillors in 2004 for the parishes of Catworth, Kimbolton, Stow Longa and Tilbrook shall be three years.
(9) Elections of all parish councillors for the parishes of Catworth, Kimbolton, Stow Longa and Tilbrook shall be held simultaneously on the ordinary day of election of councillors in 2007 and every fourth year after 2007.
(10) Elections of all parish councillors for the parish of Southoe and Midloe shall be held simultaneously on the ordinary day of election of councillors in 2004, 2006 and every fourth year after 2006.
(11) The term of office of every parish councillor elected on the ordinary day of election of councillors in 2004 for the parish of Southoe and Midloe shall be two years.
(12) Rule 8 of the Local Elections (Parishes and Communities) Rules 1986(4) (filling of casual vacancies) shall have effect, in the case of a casual vacancy occurring before 5th May 2008 in the office of a parish councillor for the parish of Glatton as if the references in paragraphs (1) and (4) of that rule to the day on which that councillor would regularly have retired were a reference to 5th May 2008.
11. Huntingdonshire District Council shall make a print of the map marked “Map referred to in the District of Huntingdonshire (Electoral Changes) Order 2002” available for inspection at its offices by any member of the public at any reasonable time.
12. The Electoral Registration Officer(5) for the district shall make such rearrangement of, or adaptation of, the register of local government electors as may be necessary for the purposes of, and in consequence of, this Order.
13. The District of Huntingdon (Electoral Arrangements) Order 1976(6) is revoked, save for articles 5 and 6(8).
Signed by the members of the Electoral Commission
Pamela Gordon
Commissioner
2nd December 2002
Glyn Mathias
Commissioner
2nd December 2002
Neil McIntosh
Commissioner
2nd December 2002
Karamjit Singh
Commissioner
2nd December 2002
Sam Younger
Commissioner
2nd December 2002
Graham Zellick
Commissioner
2nd December 2002