Time running out to have your say on council shake up

There are just a few weeks left for residents to have their say on the future of Stratford-on-Avon District Council.

The independent Local Government Boundary Commission for England is asking local people whether they think Stratford-on-Avon should be represented by 36 councillors in the future, seventeen fewer than the current arrangements.

The public consultation is the first part of the Commission's electoral review which will also consider changes to the number, names and boundaries of all the council's wards.

Max Caller, Chair of the Commission, said: “We are asking people across the district whether they agree that the council should have 36 councillors in future. We are keen to hear local views on the right number of councillors to manage the business of the council. We also want to ensure that Stratford-on-Avon has the right number of elected members to represent the interests of communities across the district.  Your views matter. We will consider every piece of evidence we receive before we take a decision."

For more information and to have your say, log on to consultation.lgbce.org.uk or www.lgbce.org.uk.

The current phase of consultation closes on 8 April 2013. Once it has considered the evidence provided by local people and organisations, the Commission will publish its proposal on the total number of councillors in May 2013 and then begin to gather information from local people on new ward boundaries across Stratford-on-Avon.  

To have your say, write to:

The Review Officer (Stratford-on-Avon)
Local Government Boundary Commission for England
Layden House
76-86 Turnmill Street
London EC1M 5LG

Email: reviews@lgbce.org.uk.

Follow the Commission on Twitter @LGBCE.

Have your say directly through our consultation portal at: consultation.lgbce.org.uk. 

1. The Local Government Boundary Commission for England is responsible for reviewing local authority electoral arrangements e.g. defining boundaries for local elections and the number of councillors to be elected. The Commission also carries out reviews of the external boundaries of local authorities and their structure.
   
   
   
2. The Commission is carrying out an electoral review of Stratford-on-Avon following a formal request from the council in August 2012. The council requested the Commission to undertake a review to consider the number of councillors elected to the council.
   
   
   
3. In this phase of consultation, the Commission is asking local people to consider whether 36 councillors is the right number for Stratford-on-Avon and, if not, how many would better promote effective and convenient local government. In coming to a conclusion on council size, the Commission is also asking people to consider the following types of questions:
   
   
   
   • Do you think 36 councillors is the right number for the council to be able to take decisions for Stratford-on-Avon effectively?
   • Could 36 councillors effectively represent the interests of all Stratford-on-Avon's various communities?
   
   
   

4. The electoral review of Stratford-on-Avon District Council is a separate undertaking from the review of parliamentary constituency boundaries which was carried out by a separate body (Boundary Commission for England) under different rules and legislation.