Derbyshire Dales looks set for electoral review

An electoral review of Derbyshire Dales District Council is set to start this year - and the result could impact on how local communities are represented by councillors from 2023.

The Local Government Boundary Commission for England, which has already assessed "electoral imbalances" in all English principal local authorities, is turning its attention to the Derbyshire Dales.

Currently the Derbyshire Dales council is represented by 39 councillors across 25 wards. On average each councillor represents 1,473 voters, but there are some anomalies, not least in Ashbourne South ward, where the two councillors each represent 2,007 electors - 36% above the average.

Meanwhile, Bakewell, Lathkill & Bradford and Masson wards could be viewed as over-represented, with the elector ratio significantly below the average.

The District Council's Governance & Resources Committee will debate a report on 11 July, when councillors will be recommended to welcome the electoral review.

The meeting will be broadcast live on the Council's YouTube channel.

The review process will include consultations and will factor in forecasts for future electoral numbers, including significant growth over the next five years anticipated in wards such as Clifton & Bradley, Wirksworth and Doveridge & Sudbury. The process is likely to be concluded in August next year.

Recent examples of electoral reviews elsewhere include Hartlepool reducing its number of councillors from 47 to 33 as a result of changes to the decision making structure; Slough, which increased by one to take account of economic growth increasing the electorate; Vale of White Horse, which reduced by 13 as a result of introducing a Cabinet system; and Bolsover, which has remained the same.