Boundary Review

The Local Government Boundary Commission has just started a boundary review of Surrey County Council. The review has been triggered because the levels of electoral representation have changed since the last review was completed in 2000 with 29 division (36%) having electoral variations greater than 10%.

The scope of the review covers the entire county and includes:

• council size (number of councillors);
• number of divisions;
• names of divisions.
• statutory criteria.

Comments are being invited now on the size of the Council with a deadline of 22 November. After a decision has been made by the Commission about the size of the Council, the review will consult from 11 January 2011 to 1 April 2011 on division patterns.

The Commission will publish draft recommendations for consultation in Summer 2011 and final recommendations will be published in Autumn 2011. New County divisions will be implemented at the next County Council elections in 2013.

Cllr Hazel Watson, Leader of the Liberal Democrats on Surrey County Council, said:" The boundary review is completely unnecessary and a waste of money. The County Council boundaries were only recently changed, with elections under these new boundaries in 2005 and last year. To change them yet again is excessive. I do not believe that this review will involve making much change to the County's electoral divisions and that the number of divisions will remain at 80."

"The County Council should be concentrating on improving its services to Surrey residents such as repairing potholes better, instead of being distracted by a costly and time-consuming boundary review", she concluded.