Decision details

The Local Government Boundary Commission for England (LGBCE) is an independent body whose main activity is to carry out electoral reviews of principal local authorities in England. The Commission is carrying out a review of East Sussex County Council in a coordinated process alongside simultaneous reviews of all five districts and boroughs within East Sussex.

The Commission will ultimately make recommendations to Parliament on the electoral arrangements of the six local authorities in East Sussex, namely: the total number of councillors elected to each authority; the boundaries of all wards (for district and borough councils) and divisions (for the county council); the number of councillors elected to each ward and division; and the name of each ward and division.

The new electoral arrangements will come into effect from the next County Council elections in May 2017; Hastings Borough Council elections in 2018 and other district and borough council elections in 2019.

37.1     The Committee considered a report by the Assistant Chief Executive regarding the Council’s submission to the Local Government Boundary Commission for England in respect of the review of East Sussex County Council electoral boundaries

37.2     The Committee noted that the LGBCE hadagreed to an extension of the deadline to 12 July but with consequential effects. These are:

·         The extension does not apply to the Borough and District Councils

·         It will delay the Commission’s consideration of the Council’s submission from August to September; this in turn will constrain the Commission’s ability to allow for any further draft recommendations for the County Council should that facility be needed. Should this need occur, the Council  would miss the opportunity to use the new boundaries at the 2017 election

·         The LGBCE have requested a copy of the Council’s draft submission ahead of 12 July submission date, preferably around the close of consultation for the districts and boroughs on 16 June. This draft submission would therefore need to be approved by mid-June.

37.3     In light of this and in order not to delay the process and to ensure that this is dealt with in an efficient manner, it was proposed that the LGBCE be informed that the Council will meet the 16 June deadline. In order to achieve this it is proposed that:

·         any County Councillor who wishes to make specific comments for inclusion in the County Council’s submission is requested to liaise with Member Services officers as soon as practicable, and at the latest by 26 May 2016 to enable responses to be considered;

·         the cross party Boundary Review Reference Group be requested to meet and consider areas where the LGBCE proposals differ from the County Council’s submission

·         the County Council delegates authority to the Governance Committee to consider all proposed amendments from County Councillors and the Boundary Review Reference Group and agree the Council’s final submission to the LGBCE

37.4     The Committee RESOLVED - to recommend the County Council to delegate authority to the Governance Committee to agree the Council’s response to the Local Government Boundary Commission for England’s review of East Sussex County Council boundaries