Ward boundaries proposed by SACF
South Ashford Community Forum (SACF) want to know the views of residents of South Ashford on a draft proposal that they have prepared for submission to the Local Government Boundary Commission for England (LGBCE). The proposal is in response to a request from LGBCE for help in drawing up a new pattern of council wards for Ashford Borough Council.
The LGBCE is the independent organisation that provides electoral arrangements for English local authorities that are fair for voters and keeps the map of English local government in good repair.
The consultation is the first part of an electoral review which will re-draw ward boundaries across the borough.
The Commission has also announced that it is minded to recommend that the council should have 47 borough councillors in the future: four more than the current arrangements.
The Commission now needs information from people and groups across Ashford to help it to produce a new pattern of wards to accommodate 47 councillors.
In drawing up new boundaries, the Commission aims to deliver electoral equality for voters in council elections so that each councillor represents roughly the same number of voters. The review also aims to ensure that the new council wards reflect, as far as possible, the interests and identities of communities across Ashford.
SACF’s proposal can be viewed on the South Ashford website, under Local Information / Representation / Electoral Review, https://southashford.org.uk/index.php/2016/08/09/sacf-electoral-review-proposal/.