Have your say on new division boundaries across Hertfordshire
The independent Local Government Boundary Commission for England is asking local people for their help to draw up a new pattern of electoral divisions for Hertfordshire County Council.
The consultation is the first part of an electoral review which will re-draw division boundaries across the whole county.
The Commission has also announced that it is minded to recommend that the county council should continue to have 77 county councillors in the future.
In drawing up new boundaries, the Commission aims to deliver electoral equality for voters in council elections so that each county councillor represents roughly the same number of voters. The review also aims to ensure that the new council divisions reflect, as far as possible, the interests and identities of communities across Hertfordshire.
Max Caller, Chair of the Commission, said: “We are asking local people and organisations to help us draw up new electoral divisions for Hertfordshire. As we develop the recommendations, we will take into account local community identities as well as ensuring electoral equality for voters.
“If you have a view about which communities, parishes or neighbourhoods should be part of the same county division, then we want to hear from you. And if you think a road, river or railway makes for a strong boundary between communities in your part of Hertfordshire, then this consultation is for you. Alternatively, if you’re simply interested in the way the county is run, just log on to our website to explore our interactive maps and have your say.
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4. Residents have from 15 April to 23 June 2014 to have their say about where division boundaries for Hertfordshire’s 77 county councillors should be drawn. The Commission will then publish its draft recommendations in September 2014 and open a further phase of consultation with local people. New electoral divisions are scheduled to come into effect at the 2017 county elections.
5. The Commission has announced that it is ‘minded’ to recommend 77 county councillors for Hertfordshire but is not legally bound by that number in its final recommendations if a different number of county councillors would deliver a better pattern of divisions.
6. The electoral review will only consider the electoral division boundaries of Hertfordshire County Council. It will not make any changes to district council wards or the external boundaries of districts in the county.
7. Members of the public can have their say on the new electoral arrangements by writing to:
The Review Officer (Hertfordshire)
Layden House
76-86 Turnmill Street
London EC1M 5LG
Email: [email protected]
Follow the Commission on Twitter: @LGBCE
Go directly to the Commission’s consultation portal at:
https://consultation.lgbce.org.uk
Find out more on our website at:
For further information contact the Commission’s press office on: 0207 664 8530/8534 or email: [email protected]