Blackburn with Darwen residents: have your say on new ward boundaries

The independent Local Government Boundary Commission for England is asking people across Blackburn with Darwen to comment on its draft proposals for new council ward boundaries.

A ten-week public consultation on the recommendations begins today and will end on 19 June 2017. The consultation is open to anyone who wants to have their say on new council wards, ward boundaries and ward names across Blackburn with Darwen.

The Commission’s draft recommendations propose that Blackburn with Darwen Council should have 51 councillors in the future, thirteen fewer than the current arrangements. The recommendations also outline how those councillors should represent seventeen three-councillor wards across the borough.

The full recommendations and detailed interactive maps are available on the Commission’s website at consultation.lgbce.org.uk and www.lgbce.org.uk. Hard copies of the Commission’s report and maps will also be available to view at council buildings.

Professor Colin Mellors, Chair of the Commission, said:

We are publishing proposals for a new pattern of wards across Blackburn with Darwen and we are keen to hear what local people think of the recommendations.

Over the next ten weeks, we are asking local people to tell us if they agree with the proposals or if not, how they can be improved.

Our review aims to deliver electoral equality for local voters. This means that each councillor represents a similar number of people so that everyone’s vote in council elections is worth roughly the same regardless of where you live.

We also want to ensure that our proposals reflect the interests and identities of local communities across Blackburn with Darwen and that the pattern of wards can help the council deliver effective local government to local people.

We will consider all the submissions we receive whoever they are from and whether your evidence applies to the whole borough or just part of it.

The Commission wants to hear as much evidence as possible to develop final recommendations for Blackburn with Darwen. If you would like to make a submission to the Commission, please write or email us by 19 June 2017:

The Review Officer (Blackburn with Darwen)

Local Government Boundary Commission for England

14^th floor, Millbank Tower

London

SW1P 4QP

Email: reviews@lgbce.org.uk

Follow us on Twitter @LGBCE

Have your say directly through the Commission’s consultation portal:

https://consultation.lgbce.org.uk/node/8907

Link to the dedicated web page for the Blackburn with Darwen electoral review:

http://www.lgbce.org.uk/current-reviews/north-west/lancashire/blackburn-and-darwen

For further information contact:

Press Office: 0330 500 1250 / 1525

press@lgbce.org.uk