Boundary Commission publishes recommendations for Newark and Sherwood District Council

Today’s publication follows a twelve-week public consultation on its draft proposals and draws new boundaries for each council ward across the district.

The Commission’s final recommendations propose that Newark & Sherwood should be represented by 39 councillors in the future: seven fewer than the current arrangements. The recommendations also propose that those councillors should represent nine single-member, six two-member and six three-member wards across the district.

Max Caller, chairman of the Commission, said: “We are extremely grateful to the people of Newark & Sherwood who took the time and effort to send us their views. The Commission considered every piece of evidence it received before finalising these recommendations.

“We have sought to balance the views expressed to us by local people with the criteria we must apply when we are deciding on new electoral arrangements. As such, we believe these recommendations deliver electoral equality for voters as well as reflecting the identities of communities across Newark & Sherwood.”

In response to views expressed by local people and organisations, the Commission has made changes to the recommendations it put forward last year. In particular, the Commission has moved away from its original proposal for a three-member Rainworth North & Bilsthorpe ward. Instead, the final recommendations propose a single-member Bilsthorpe ward alongside a two-member Rainworth & Rufford ward which would include part of Rainworth town and the parishes of Rufford, Eakring and Wellow.

In addition, the Commission’s final recommendations propose to re-name Trentside ward as Trent ward in response to views put to it during consultation on the draft recommendations.

The proposed new arrangements must now be implemented by Parliament. A draft order – the legal document which brings into force the recommendations – will be laid in Parliament in the coming months. The draft Order provides for the new electoral arrangements to come into force at the council elections in 2015.