North Hertfordshire is set to have new boundaries for its council wards.
The Local Government Boundary Commission is the independent body that draws these boundaries. It has reviewed North Hertfordshire to make sure councillors will represent about the same number of electors, and that ward arrangements will help the council work effectively.
The Commission has published final recommendations for changes in North Hertfordshire. It says residents should be represented by 51 councillors. This is an increase of two from the current arrangements.
There will be 25 wards, one more than there is now. These wards will represented by six three-councillor wards, 14 two-councillor wards and five one-councillor wards. The boundaries of most wards will change; four will stay the same.
Publishing the recommendations Professor Colin Mellors, Chair of the Commission, said:
“We are very grateful to people in North Hertfordshire. We looked at all the views they gave us. They helped us improve our earlier proposals.
“We believe the new arrangements will deliver electoral fairness while maintaining local ties.”
135 people and organisations made comments to help decide the new wards. Changes in response to what local people said include:
- Moving away from our draft recommendations and reverting to single-councillor Arbury and Weston & Sandon wards, as well creating a two-councillor Baldock East ward. This will ensure that the areas of housing development proposed for Bygrave and Clothall parishes are in an urban Baldock ward.
- Renaming Offley & Pirton ward as Offa ward and renaming Langley, Preston & Walden ward as Hitchwood ward.
The Commission has made further changes to its earlier proposals. Details can be found on its website at www.lgbce.org.uk/all-reviews/north-hertfordshire.
The changes become law once Parliament has approved them. Staff at the council will ensure that the arrangements are in place for the 2024 elections.
Notes to editors:
This consultation relates to arrangements for local government elections. It is separate from the review of parliamentary constituencies that is currently taking place.
For further information contact the Commission’s press office on 0330 500 1525 / 1250 or email press@lgbce.org.uk
An interactive map is available at www.lgbce.org.uk/all-reviews/north-hertfordshire.
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