Agenda item

Report of the Director: Governance and Communities

Further to minute 2812, the Director: Governance and Communities submitted a report updating and informing Council of the final recommendations of the Local Government Boundary Commission for England (LGBCE) for new electoral arrangements for North Lincolnshire Council. The final recommendations come into effect from and form the basis of the council’s next scheduled elections in May 2023 following an Order made, laid before, and approved by parliament by this Autumn, when it would then become law.

The report explained that the LGBCE’s final recommendations for electoral arrangements in North Lincolnshire amended some of its initial draft recommendations following a consultation period and stated that as well as its residents being represented by 43 councillors, the same as current arrangements, North Lincolnshire should have 19 wards, two more than there are now, and boundaries of six existing wards should change. There would be seven three-councillor wards, ten two-councillor wards and two single-councillor wards across the borough. The LGBCE’s report on its final recommendations was attached as an appendix and its tables and maps on pages 9 to19 detailed the final recommendations for each area of North Lincolnshire. The council was required by the expected parliamentary approved Order and subsequent law to implement the LGBCE’s final recommendations

The final recommendations for new wards and amending boundaries of existing wards would require work to commence in due course on reviewing current arrangements for polling districts and places within those wards. Any proposed changes to polling districts and places within new wards and those where boundaries have been changed would be submitted to and required the approval of Council prior to implementation for the North Lincolnshire Council elections in May 2023. 

Moved by Councillor R Waltham MBE and seconded by Councillor N Poole –

(a) That the LGBCE’s final recommendations for electoral arrangements in North Lincolnshire as detailed in its document attached as an appendix to the report be received, and (b) that the commencement of a review of Polling Districts and Places as appropriate for new wards and where boundaries have been recommended to change by the LGBCE be approved.

Moved by Councillor S Swift and seconded by Councillor L Foster as an amendment –

(a) That Council receives the LGBCE’s final recommendations for electoral arrangements in North Lincolnshire as detailed in its document attached as an appendix; (b) that this Council recognises the independence of the Local Government Boundary Commission for England and welcomes its final recommendations in securing a warding system for North Lincolnshire that achieves community identity and electoral equality; (c) that North Lincolnshire Council recognises and thanks those residents and organisations that made contributions during the consultation processes and thus helped in securing a robust democratic outcome for the future, and (d) that the commencement of a review of Polling Districts and Places as appropriate for new wards and where boundaries have been recommended to change by the LGBCE be approved.

At the request of members and in accordance with Procedure Rule 1.22(d) the names of members voting for, against and abstaining from the amendment and the motion are as follows -

The names of members voting for, against and abstaining from the amendment are as follows: –

 FOR:  Councillors Ali, Armitage, A Davison, Ellerby, L Foster,Gosling, Grant, O’Sullivan, Rayner, Southern, Swift, Wilson and Yeadon.

AGAINST:  Councillors Armiger, Briggs, Clark, J Davison, England, T Foster, Hannigan, Lee, Longcake, Marper, Mitchell, Ogg, Poole, Reed, Rose, Ross, Rowson, Saunby, C Sherwood, N Sherwood, K Vickers, P Vickers, Waltham MBE and Wells.

ABSTAINING:     Nil

Amendment Lost.

The names of members voting for, against and abstaining from the motion are as follows :–

FOR:  Councillors Ali, Armiger, Bainbridge, Briggs, Clark, A Davison, J Davison, Ellerby, England, L Foster, T Foster, Gosling, Grant, Hannigan, Lee, Longcake, Marper, Mitchell, O’Sullivan, Ogg, Poole, Rayner, Reed, Rose, Ross, Rowson, Saunby, C Sherwood, N Sherwood, Southern, Swift, K Vickers, P Vickers, Waltham MBE, Wells, Wilson and Yeadon,

AGAINST:  Nil

ABSTAINING:  Nil

Motion Carried.