Sheffield City Council is the subject of an electoral review which is being carried out the by the Local Government Boundary Commission for England between August 2013 and March 2015, and the Commission is currently consulting on ward boundaries, including proposed changes to boundaries in the South West.
Why is the review taking place? The Commission is carrying out an electoral review of Sheffield City Council to deliver electoral equality for voters in local elections. The aim of the review is to recommend ward boundaries that mean each councillor represents approximately the same number of electors. At present, some councillors represent many more, or fewer, electors than other elected members elsewhere in the city which means the value of your vote varies depending on where you live in Sheffield. The review aims to ensure that each Sheffield City councillor represents roughly the same number of voters and that ward boundaries reflect the interests and identities of local communities. The review covers the whole authority, with potential changes to all City Council wards. The review concerns the internal ward boundaries only and cannot make any amendments to the local authority boundaries with neighbouring authorities.
The review is in two stages:
- The size of the Council (i.e. the number of councillors)
- The boundaries and names of electoral wards
Council size
The Commission consulted on council size during March and April 2014. They have now confirmed that the Council will continue to be made up of 84 councillors.
Draft warding arrangements
The second stage of the review took place between May and July 2014. Members of the public and the Council were invited to put forward their views and proposals about future wards for the city. The Council has responded to this stage of consultation with a proposed scheme of wards. The Council submission and all other responses to the consultation can be found on the Commission’s website.
The Commission have now published their draft recommendations on warding in the city.
Changes proposed in the South West include:
- Including Carterknowle in Ecclesall (currently in Nether Edge);
- Including Parkhead in Dore and Totley (currently in Ecclesall)
- Including the housing at the bottom of Abbey Lane in Beauchief and Greenhill (currently in Ecclesall)
- Including all of Ecclesall woods in Ecclesall (currently split between Dore and Totley)
- Including part of the rural area beyond Parkhead towards Ringinglow in Fulwood (currently in Ecclesall)
- Including Sandygate in Fulwood (currently in Crookes)
- Making small changes around the boundaries of Fulwood, Broomhill and Ecclesall.
Copies of the draft proposals will be made available on the Commission’s website, with paper copies available for viewing at libraries across the city. There is also a copy of the proposals available for inspection at the Norfolk Arms in Ringinglow.
Have your say
The Commission are consulting on their draft ward boundaries for the city between Tuesday 21st October 2014 and 12th January 2015.
We encourage all individuals and groups to put their views on the proposed boundaries to the Commission. If you support the proposals, it is important that you tell the Commission this, as well as telling them if you disagree with them.
Further information
You can find out more about the review by going to the Local Government Boundary Commission for England website. For further information from Sheffield City Council, please contact Victoria Penman on 0114 2734755 or by email to victoria.penman@sheffield.gov.uk.
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