Final chance to have your say on a new political map for Wychavon District Council

The Local Government Boundary Commission is undertaking further consultation on new boundaries for sixteen council wards in the west and south of the district.

The Commission is satisfied that it has received sufficient evidence in earlier rounds of consultation to finalise new ward boundaries in the north of Wychavon. The Commission is not seeking submissions about the north of the district. A full set of final recommendations for the council will be published in September 2022.  

The Local Government Boundary Commission wants to hear what residents and local organisations think about the new proposals. A final 6-week consultation on the proposals will run until 8 August 2022. This follows two previous periods of consultation.

Proposed wards for southern Wychavon
Click map for high resolution version
Credit: contains Ordnance Survey data (c) Crown copyright and database rights 2022

The Commission is the independent body that draws these boundaries. It is reviewing Wychavon to make sure councillors will represent about the same number of electors, reflect community identity, and that ward arrangements will help the council work effectively.

The commission is proposing sixteen wards in the south of the borough, consisting of two three-councillor wards, five two-councillor wards, and nine single-councillor wards. The commission is particularly interested in receiving submissions relating to the areas in and around the towns of Drakes Broughton, Evesham, and Pershore.

Proposed changes from our original draft proposals include:

• Creating wards in the west of the district with clear urban or rural identities around Drakes Broughton and Upton Snodsbury
• Splitting several two-member wards into two single-member wards in order to ensure effective and convenient local representation
• Ensuring that Great and Little Comberton are in the same ward based on evidence of community identity
• Linking the parishes of Wick and Pershore
• Reconfiguring the wards in Evesham following local feedback

Launching the consultation Professor Colin Mellors, Chair of the Commission, said:

“We are publishing further recommendations for a new pattern of wards across the south of the district, and we are keen to hear what local people think of the recommendations.  

“We want people in Wychavon to help us.

“We have drawn up final proposals for new wards in the south of Wychavon. We want to make sure these new electoral arrangements reflect communities. We also want them to be easy to understand and convenient for local people.

“Residents and local organisations have already helped us in refining our earlier proposals. Now we would like them to let us know whether they agree with our proposals before we take final decisions.

“It’s easy to get involved. Go to our website. Or you can e-mail or write to us.

“Just tell us what you think and give us some details why you think that. It’s really simple, so do get involved”

The Commission has a dedicated section on its website where people can see the detail of the proposals and comment on the names of wards, their boundaries and the number of councillors per ward. 

People can also give their views by e-mail at reviews@lgbce.org.uk, and by post:

Review Officer (Wychavon)
LGBCE
PO Box 133
Blyth
NE24 9FE

Ends/

Notes to editors: 

This consultation relates to the arrangements for local government elections. It is separate from consultations that are currently taking place across England on arrangements for parliamentary elections.

For further information contact the Commission’s press office on 0330 500 1525 / 1250 or email press@lgbce.org.uk

An interactive map is available here.

The Local Government Boundary Commission for England is an independent body accountable to Parliament. It recommends fair electoral and boundary arrangements for local authorities in England. In doing so, it aims to:

• Make sure that, within an authority, each councillor represents a similar number of electors
• Create boundaries that are appropriate, and reflect community ties and identities
• Deliver reviews informed by local needs, views and circumstances