Agenda and minutes

To receive any apologies or substitutions for the meeting.

An apology for absence was received from Councillor Clare Cape.

To approve the minutes of the meeting held on 25 June 2018.

The minutes of the meeting held on 25 June 2018 were presented and after consideration it was,

Resolved:

To approve and sign the minutes as a true and correct record.

To receive any declarations of disclosable interests or dispensations granted by the Standards Committee.

There were no declarations.

To receive any announcements through the Chair.

The Chairman thank the Committee and the supporting officers for their work on the submissions to the Local Government Boundary Commission for England, who had on 28 August 2018 announced their ‘minded to’ decision that the Council retain a council size of 98.

The Council welcomes contributions from members of the public.

Statements

If you would like to make a statement at this meeting on any item on this

agenda, please register to do so at least 10 minutes prior to the meeting. Up to 3 speakers are permitted to speak for up to 3 minutes each on any agenda item.

Please contact the officer named on the front of the agenda for any further

clarification.

Questions

To receive any questions from members of the public or members of the Council received in accordance with the constitution.

Those wishing to ask questions are required to give notice of any such

questions in writing to the officer named on the front of this agenda no later than 5pm on 29 August 2018 in order to be guaranteed of a written response. In order to receive a verbal response questions must be submitted no later than 5pm on 31 August 2018. Please contact the officer named on the front of this agenda for further advice. Questions may be asked without notice if the Chairman decides that the matter is urgent.

Details of any questions received will be circulated to Committee members prior to the meeting and made available at the meeting and on the Council’s website.

There were no questions or statements submitted.

Full Council on 10 July 2018 approved an additional submission to the Local Government Boundary Commission for England (LGBCE) in support of the original submission arguing a future council size of 99 was the most appropriate figure.

On 28 August 2018 the LGBCE announced it was minded to agree a figure of 98 councillors to apply from 2021.

A consultation on a pattern of divisions is therefore running from 28 August – 5 November 2018.

The Electoral Review Committee is asked to consider the next stage of the review and how it wishes to proceed.

Towns and parishes, other organisations and members of the public are also invited to make representations directly to the LGBCE, but also the Committee, to assist the Committee in preparing its own submission, which will be considered at Full Council on 16 October 2018.

Timeline

28 August – LGBCE consultation begins

5 September – Electoral Review Committee

2 October – Electoral Review Committee

16 October – Full Council

5Novembr – End of LGBCE consultation

The Chairman of the Electoral Review Committee, Councillor Richard Clewer, formally advised the Committee of the ‘minded to’ decision of the Local Government Boundary Commission for England (LGBCE) that Wiltshire Council retain 98 councillors, and that the consultation for people to propose a pattern of divisions would run until 5 November 2018. The Council would therefore need to prepare a submission for that date.

The Committee was informed that information gathering sessions had been arranged for all Wiltshire Councillors in area board groupings to discuss potential issues and solutions to creating divisions with a maximum 10% variance from the target electorate of 4291. The Committee agreed that as the community areas had been a central argument in the Council’s submissions to the LGBCE, which had been accepted by the Commissioners, new divisions inasmuch as possible should be contained within existing community area boundaries, however it was recognised that in some areas parishes might need to be split between divisions or parishes moved between community areas due to electorate numbers.

Parish councils had been provided data relating to the electoral review and of the LGBCE consultation, but it was emphasised that the review was not concerned with changing parish boundaries, only the creation of electoral divisions to Wiltshire Council in accordance with the relevant criteria of electoral equality, community identity and convenient and effective local government. It was confirmed the LGBCE had strongly advised that any community governance reviews should not take place until the electoral review was concluded.

Officers confirmed that a large-scale county map and more detailed divisional maps showing polling districts with electorate forecasts were available to view in the Richardson Suite on the ground floor on a drop-in basis other than when the scheduled sessions with area board councillors were being held. Maggie Mulhall, the consultant electoral services expert would generally be available in the suite to support councillor enquiries. Reminders and specific information would be sent to councillors ahead of their respective area board session.  Officers also confirmed the information already sent to councillors and parish councils both from the LGBCE and Council with links to all the necessary webpages containing guidance and data. This would be re-sent on request.   

The Committee discussed the next stage of the review at length, and how it would seek to prepare a submission, including a workshop on 27 September and whether it would be necessary to move the scheduled council meeting date of 16 October to approve a submission, or have an extraordinary meeting, and and if an extension of the consultation period could be requested of the LGBCE without an overall delay in the process.

Resolved:

To note the comments raised during the meeting and continue to update the Committee as the Electoral Review progresses.

Any other items of business, which the Chairman agrees to consider as a matter of urgency

There were no urgent items.