Chichester to lose a quarter of its district councillors

The independent Local Government Boundary Commission for England proposes that Chichester should be represented by 36 district councillors, 12 fewer than currently sit on the council, by the 2019 elections.

The final recommendations, published today, Tuesday, December 6, also propose significant ward boundary changes - that there should be two three-member wards, 11 two-member wards and eight single-member wards across the district.

The announcement follows a public consultation on the draft proposals earlier this year.

Professor Colin Mellors, chairman of the commission, said: “We are extremely grateful to people across Chichester who took part in the review. “The commission has looked at all the evidence that was put forward during the consultation.

“We believe these recommendations deliver electoral fairness for voters as well as reflecting community ties throughout Chichester.”

In response to local feedback, the commission has made amendments to the draft proposals it published in August.

The parish of Elsted & Treyford is included in the Harting ward rather than Midhurst as originally proposed after its residents and organisations argued that the parish shared closer community ties with other parishes in the Harting area.

The Pound Farm area will be part of the Chichester East ward, rather than Chichester South as previously proposed.

Similarly, part of the Velyn Avenue area remains part of the Chichester South ward rather than being included in Chichester Central.

The commission has also amended ward names so that Bosham & Donnington ward will now be called Harbour Villages, after it said it had listened to local representatives.

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 2019.

Full details of the final recommendations and new ward boundaries are available on the commission’s website at www.lgbce.org.uk.

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