Borough welcomes Boundary Commission view on having 18 fewer councillors

Bexley Council has welcomed an announcement last month by the Local Government Boundary Commission for England that it is minded to recommend that the borough should have 18 fewer councillors than its current 63.

The Commission is now asking people and groups in Bexley to provide information to help it to set the boundaries of new wards to accommodate the proposed 45 councillors.

In drawing up new boundaries, the Commission said it would have two aims:

1. To deliver electoral equality for voters in council elections, so that each councillor represents roughly the same number of voters.

2. To ensure that the new council wards reflect, as far as possible, the interests and identities of communities across Bexley.

The Commission added that it would consider all the evidence it received, whether it related to all the borough, or just part.

Local people will have until 16 November 2015 to submit their views. Residents will have a further chance to have their say after the Commission publishes its draft recommendations in June 2016.

The new arrangements will come into effect after the Council elections in May 2018.

Max Caller, Chair of the Commission, said: “The starting point of an electoral review is for the Commission to take a view on the number of councillors that should represent the authority in future. On the evidence presented to the Commission, we are minded to recommend that Bexley should have 45 councillors in future: 18 fewer than the current arrangements.  

“We are now asking local people and organisations to help us draw up new wards for Bexley. As we develop the recommendations, we will take into account local community identities as well as ensuring electoral equality for voters.”