THE independent Local Government Boundary Commission for England is asking people across Mid Devon to comment on its draft recommendations for new council ward boundaries.

The Commission’s plans would mean changes to all wards in Mid Devon.

The public consultation on the recommendations will end on April 13, 2020.

The consultation is open to anyone who wants to have their say on new council wards, ward boundaries and ward names across Mid Devon.

The Commission’s draft recommendations propose that Mid Devon should have 42 councillors in future: this is no change from now.

The recommendations also outline how those councillors should represent five three-councillor wards, 11 two-councillor wards and five single-councillor wards across the district.

The full recommendations and detailed interactive maps are available on the Commission’s website at: consultation.lgbce.org.uk and: www.lgbce.org.uk .

Hard copies of the Commission’s report and maps will also be available to view at council buildings.

Professor Colin Mellors, Chair of the Commission, said: “We are publishing recommendations for a new pattern of wards across Mid Devon and we are keen to hear what local people think of the recommendations.

“We are asking local people to tell us if they agree with the recommendations or if not, how they can be improved.

“Our review aims to deliver electoral equality for local voters. 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.

“We also want to ensure that our recommendations reflect the interests and identities of local communities across Mid Devon and that the pattern of wards can help the council deliver effective local government for local people.

“We will consider all the submissions we receive, whoever they are from and whether your evidence applies to the whole district or just a part of it.”

The Commission wants to hear as much evidence as possible to develop final recommendations for Mid Devon. If you would like to make a submission to the Commission, please write or email by April 13.

The Review Officer (Mid Devon), Local Government Boundary Commission for England, 1st Floor, Windsor House, 50 Victoria Street, London SW1H 0TL.

Follow on Twitter @LGBCE .

Have your say directly through the Commission’s consultation portal: https://consultation.lgbce.org.uk/

Link to the dedicated web page for the Mid Devon electoral review: http://www.lgbce.org.uk/all-reviews/south-west/devon/mid-devon .

The Local Government Boundary Commission for England is responsible for reviewing local authority electoral arrangements, defining boundaries for local elections and the number of councillors to be elected, as well as conducting reviews of local government external boundaries and structures.

The Commission is carrying out an electoral review of Mid Devon to deliver electoral equality for voters across the district in local elections. At present, some district councillors represent many more, or many fewer, electors than their colleagues elsewhere in the district. The review aims to correct those imbalances.

The types of questions the Commission is asking residents at this stage are:

• Do the proposed wards reflect local communities?

• How do you think the recommendations can be improved whilst maintaining electoral equality?

• Are the names of the recommended wards right?

The Commission will consider all submissions and aims to publish its final recommendations in June 2020. Once the Commission agrees its final recommendations it will lay a draft order in both Houses of Parliament.

Parliament will then have 40 days in which to consider the recommendations. If both Houses are satisfied with the recommendations, the draft order will be "made" and the new wards will come into effect at the council elections in May 2023.