The independent Local Government Boundary Commission for England has published its final recommendations for new electoral arrangements for Cornwall Council.

Illustrate your story with a map of the new division boundaries. Find a high res image at: http://s3-eu-west-2.amazonaws.com/lgbce/Reviews/South%20West/Cornwall/Cornwall/Final%20Recs/Cornwall_FR_nolabels.jpg

Credit: contains Ordnance Survey data (c) Crown copyright and database rights 2018

Today’s publication follows three phases of public consultation and draws new boundaries for each council division across Cornwall.

The Commission’s final recommendations propose that Cornwall should be represented by 87 councillors in the future: 36 fewer than the current arrangement. The recommendations also propose that those councillors should represent 87 one-councillor divisions across Cornwall.

Professor Colin Mellors, Chair of the Commission, said, “We are extremely grateful to people across Cornwall 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 Cornwall.”

In response to local feedback during consultation, the Commission has changed some of the recommendations it published for consultation in June. For example, In the west of the county, the Commission has listened to local representations that argued for the parish of Zennor to be part of a Ludgvan, Madron, Gulval & Heamoor division rather than part of a St Ives division as previously proposed.

To the south of the county, the Commission has also changed its draft proposals so that the parish of Gweek will be part of the Helston South & Meneage division rather than Constantine, Mabe & Mawnan division. Local evidence persuaded the Commission that the parish shares close links with communities on the Lizard peninsula and should be part of a division associated with them.

In the China Clay area, the Commission had proposed to divide the parish of St Dennis between two electoral divisions. However, following local feedback about community ties, the Commission has changed its proposal and the whole parish will be part of the St Dennis & St Enoder division. In a similar way, the Commission has also changed its recommendations in the Wadebridge area so that the parish of St Kew will not be divided between divisions and is wholly included in Wadebridge West & St Mabyn division.

In the Liskeard area, the Commission was persuaded by local representations that argued against its proposal to include the parish of St Pinnock in the Lostwithiel division. Respondents to the consultation argued that the parish shared closer community links with Liskeard. As a result, the Commission is including the parish in the Liskeard South & Dobwalls division. The Commission also proposes to include Lanreath parish in a Lostwithiel & Lanreath division.

In Bude, the Commission has redrawn its recommendations covering Bude and its surrounding area. The Commission believes its final recommendations for a Bude division, Poundstock division and Stratton, Kilkhampton & Morwenstow division are a better reflection of community interests and identities in this part of Cornwall.

Elsewhere, the Commission has agreed minor changes to parts of its draft recommendations as well as several changes to the names of the divisions it originally proposed in June. The changes are listed below:

Full details of the changes and final recommendations are available on the Commission’s website at www.lgbce.org.uk.

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 2021.

Ends

For further information contact the Commission’s press office on: 0330 500 1525 / 1250 or email: press@lgbce.org.uk

Notes to editors:

1. The Local Government Boundary Commission for England is responsible for reviewing local authority electoral arrangements, e.g. defining boundaries for local elections and the number of councillors to be elected and – separately - for conducting reviews of local government external boundaries and structure.

1. The electoral review of Cornwall Council is a separate undertaking from the review of parliamentary constituency boundaries which is being carried out by a separate body (Boundary Commission for England) under different rules and legislation.

1. Full details of the Commission’s final recommendations (including maps) can be viewed at: www.lgbce.org.uk/all-reviews/south-west/cornwall/cornwall.

Or https://consultation.lgbce.org.uk/node/9428.