About us
The Local Government Boundary Commission for England
We are responsible for conducting reviews of local authority electoral arrangements. We can also conduct reviews of the structure of local government, and the external boundaries of local authorities.
The Commission was established on 1 April 2010, when we took on the functions of the Boundary Committee for England.
The Commission is made up of a chair, a deputy chair, and four commissioners.
Our aim
Our aim is to conduct thorough, consultative and robust reviews of local government areas in England, and for our recommendations to be evidence-based, accurate and accepted.
Types of reviews
Electoral reviews
Electoral reviews look at whether the boundaries of wards or divisions within a local authority need to be altered. We might conduct these reviews either to ensure fairer representation at local government elections after any significant changes in the distribution of electors, or at the request of a local authority for other reasons.
Things we look at:
- the number of councillors on the council
- the number of wards or divisions
- whether the wards or divisions should be represented by a single councillor, or jointly by two or three councillors
- the boundaries and names of those wards or divisions
More detailed information about electoral reviews can be found on the about electoral reviews page.
Our responsibilities relate solely to local government in England. We do not have responsibility for reviewing Parliamentary boundaries. If you want to find more information about Parliamentary boundaries in England, please contact the Parliamentary Boundary Commission for England.
Administrative boundary reviews
In addition to the reviews of ward or division boundaries, we may also undertake reviews of the external boundary of a district or county. This is either at the request of the Department for Communities and Local Government, at the request of a local council or on our own initiative.
Read more about administrative boundary reviews
Structural reviews
A structural review is used to consider whether one or more single, all-purpose councils, known as unitary authorities, should be established in an area instead of the existing two-tier system.
More detailed information about structural reviews, including current structural reviews, can be found on the about structural reviews page.
Commission meetings
The Commission meets regularly to discuss current and future reviews and the strategic direction of the Commission. Minutes of our meetings can be found here.