News / Politics
Plan to redraw Bristol election boundaries
Bristol’s council electoral boundaries are set to change, with some wards gaining extra councillors and others losing them, if proposals put forward are accepted.
Concerns for local democracy were raised when it emerged wards such as Lawrence Hill were found to contain thousands more voters per councillor than in leafy suburbs in the north of the city.
It meant, in effect, the views of voters in the poorest areas of the city were under-represented at City Hall compared to those in more affluent neighbourhoods.
The Local Government Boundary Commission for England (LGBCE) has now put forward proposals to redraw the council electoral maps.
A 10-week public consultation on the recommendations begins today and will end on February 16, next year.
The key recommendations are:
- Bristol retains 70 councillors representing the city at City Hall
- Boundaries are redrawn and new wards created
- 27 wards retain the existing structure of having two councillors representing that ward
- Four new wards will have three councillors representing them: Avonmouth & Lawrence Weston; Hartcliffe; Hengrove & Whitchurch Park; and Ashley & Stokes Croft
- Four new wards will have just one councillor representing them: St George Troopers Hill; St George West; Westbury-on-Trym; and Hotwells & Harbourside
Max Caller, chair of the LGBCE, said the aim was to achieve electoral equality now and in the future.
“This means that each councillor represents a similar number of people so that everyone’s vote in council elections is worth roughly the same regardless of where you live,” he said.
“We also want to ensure that our proposals reflect the interests and identities of local communities across the city and that the pattern of wards can help the council deliver effective local government to local people.”
See the proposals in detail here…
Have your say on the proposals here…
Picture: Denis Kornilov / Shutterstock.com
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