Review of Electoral Arrangements

In February 2009, the Boundary Committee for England began a review of the Electoral Arrangements for Cheshire West & Chester Council.

“Electoral Arrangements” means;

• How many Councillors there are on Cheshire West & Chester Councillors
• How many electoral Wards there are
• How many Councillors there are for each Ward
• The Boundaries of the Wards (all parts of Cheshire West and Chester have to be included in a Ward)
• The names of Wards
• How often elections are held

The Boundary Committee has three main principles to work to;

• That everybody’s vote should carry equal weight
• That Electoral Arrangements should reflect communities
• That Local Government should be effective and convenient for the people it serves.

The Boundary Committee asked for proposals for new electoral arrangements which should come into effect at the next Council elections in 2011. This is not something that Councils can decide for themselves. The Boundary Committee acts as an independent body, on behalf of electors everywhere.

Cheshire West and Chester Council has proposed that there should be 75 Councillors in 30 Wards. The Council’s proposal and the reasons for it are presented in the document The proposed scheme for new electoral arrangements submitted to the Boundary Committee for England

Accompanying this document are maps showing how Cheshire West & Chester should be divided into Wards, and the boundaries of every Ward:

• Cheshire West & Chester
• Abbey
• Blacon
• Broxton Part 1
• Broxton Part 2
• Broxton Part 3
• Castle, Kingsmead and Leftwich
• Chester City and Boughton
• Chester Villages
• Eddisbury Part 1
• Eddisbury Part 2
• Ellesmere Port Town
• Elton and Whitby
• Frodsham and Helsby
• Gowy
• Great Boughton and Dodleston
• Hoole
• Ledsham and Manor
• Little Neston and Willaston
• Marbury
• Neston & Parkgate
• Newton
• Over and Verdin
• Overleigh
• Rivacre Valley and Pooltown
• Rossmore and Netherpool
• Sealand
• Shakerley
• South Winsford
• Sutton and Strawberry Fields
• Upton & Saughall
• Weaver
• Wharton
• Witton and Winnington

The Boundary Committee will publish its Draft Recommendations in the Autumn of 2009. Everyone will be able to comment on them before Final Recommendations are made and new Electoral Arrangements are put in place in time for the 2011 elections.