The District of North Hertfordshire (Electoral Changes) Order 2006

Citation and commencement

1.—(1) This Order may be cited as the District of North Hertfordshire (Electoral Changes) Order 2006.

(2) This Order, with the exception of articles 5 and 6, comes into force—

(a) for the purpose of proceedings preliminary or relating to any election to be held on the ordinary day of election of councillors(1) in 2007, on the day after that on which it is made;

(b) for all other purposes, on the ordinary day of election of councillors in 2007.

(3) Article 5 comes into force—

(a) for the purpose of proceedings preliminary or relating to the election of parish councillors for the parish of Letchworth Garden City to be held on the ordinary day of elections in 2009, on 15th October 2008;

(b) for all other purposes, on the ordinary day of elections in 2009.

(4) Article 6 comes into force—

(a) for the purpose of proceedings preliminary or relating to the election of parish councillors for the parish of Royston to be held on the ordinary day of elections in 2010, on 15th October 2009;

(b) for all other purposes, on the ordinary day of elections in 2010.

Interpretation

2.  In this Order—

“district” means the district of North Hertfordshire;

“existing”, in relation to a ward, means the ward as it exists on the date this Order is made;

“map” means the map marked “Map referred to in the District of North Hertfordshire (Electoral Changes) Order 2006”, of which prints are available for inspection at the principal office of the Electoral Commission; and

any reference to a numbered sheet is a reference to the sheet of the map which bears that number.

Wards of the district of North Hertfordshire

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

(2) The district shall be divided into twenty-four wards which shall be named as set out in column (1) of Schedule 1.

(3) Each ward shall comprise the area described in column (2) of that Schedule by reference to parishes and parish wards 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.

(4) 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.

(5) 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.

Elections of the council of the district of North Hertfordshire

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 2007(3).

(2) The councillors holding office for any ward of the district immediately before the fourth day after the ordinary day of election of councillors in 2007 shall retire on that date and the newly elected councillors 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 2007 for any ward of the district is two or more—

(a) the first to retire shall, subject to paragraphs (5) and (6), 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.

Wards of the parish of Letchworth Garden City

5.—(1) The existing wards of the parish of Letchworth Garden City shall be abolished.

(2) The parish shall be divided into five wards which shall be named Letchworth East, Letchworth Grange, Letchworth South East, Letchworth South West and Letchworth Wilbury.

(3) Each ward shall comprise the area designated on sheet 2 by reference to the name of the ward and demarcated by orange lines.

(4) The number of councillors to be elected for Letchworth South West ward shall be six, for each of Letchworth Grange and Letchworth South East wards shall be five, and for each of Letchworth East and Letchworth Wilbury wards shall be four.

Wards of the parish of Royston

6.—(1) The existing wards of the parish of Royston shall be abolished.

(2) The parish shall be divided into three wards which shall be named Royston Heath, Royston Meridian and Royston Palace.

(3) Each ward shall comprise the area designated on sheet 3 by reference to the name of the ward and demarcated by orange lines.

(4) The number of councillors to be elected for each ward shall be five.

Map

7.  North Hertfordshire District Council shall make a print of the map available for inspection at its offices by any member of the public at any reasonable time.

Electoral register

8.  The registration officer(4) 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.

Revocation

9.  The District of North Hertfordshire (Electoral Changes) Order 1998(5) is revoked, save for articles 3(1), 3(10), 4, 5, 7, 8, 9(2), 9(3), 9(4), 9(5), and 9(6).

Sealed with the seal of the Electoral Commission on the 23rd day of November 2006

Sam Younger

Chairman of the Commission

23rd November 2006

Jacqui Dixon

Secretary to the Commission

23rd November 2006