Electoral Review of Northumberland County Council – recommendations

The Local Government Boundary Commission  for England (LGBCE) has published proposals for new electoral arrangements for Northumberland. A summary is attached Summary

The electoral arrangements for Newbiggin by the Sea Town Council are proposed to change. A map outlining the proposed electoral arrangements for our council area is shown below. It shows Westmorland Avenue, William Hopkinson Way and the entirety of Welfare Crescent (including Spital Estate Park) move from the Newbiggin West ward to Newbiggin South ward.  The same changes  are proposed for the split of our County Councillor divisions.

 

 

It is proposed that 69 councillors should be elected to Northumberland in future. Also proposed is new division boundaries across the authority.

 

A public consultation on the proposals will run to 10 July 2023.

 

Final recommendations will be published in October 2023 once all consultation responses have been considered. A draft order will then be laid in both houses of Parliament. Subject to parliamentary scrutiny, the new electoral arrangements are scheduled to come into effect at the authority’s elections in 2025.

 

All representations received from local people and organisations were considered during the initial consultation when drawing up proposals. LGBCE have sought to balance statutory criteria they must follow when drawing up these proposals, and they seek to:

  • Make sure that, within an authority, each councillor represents a similar number of electors
  • Create boundaries that are appropriate, and reflect community ties and identities
  • Deliver reviews informed by local needs, views and circumstances
  • Reflect the request for single-member divisions

 

LCBCE now invite comments on the proposals before they finalise the new electoral arrangements in our area.

You can explore the draft recommendations, further by visiting the website at www.lgbce.org.uk/all-reviews/northumberland. The website contains links to useful guidance and allows people to explore maps of the proposals in greater detail and make comments.

Newbiggin by the Sea Town Council will be considering our response to the proposed changes at our next meeting on Wedneday 14th June.

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