MAJOR changes to one of the biggest electoral areas in Worcester have been tabled by council chiefs as part of a review into the city’s election boundaries.
Guildhall bosses have proposed the current Cathedral ward – which has the largest population of all the city’s wards – be axed and split into two.
The proposed new wards would be called the City Centre and Fort Royal wards with each having two councillors, up from the three currently elected in the Cathedral ward.
Fifth five properties in Lark Hill and Perry Wood Walk currently in the Nunnery ward would be included in the Fort Royal ward under the proposals.
Minor changes to the boundaries of Warndon Parish North and Warndon Parish South are also being proposed to create a better balance in population sizes. This would mean 54 properties being moved from the south ward into the north.
The City Council is also proposing a small number of properties in the south of the St Stephen ward to be moved to the Rainbow Hill ward, as they are separated from the rest of the former ward by the 68-hectare Astwood Cemetery.
The proposals have been unanimously approved by the City Council, and follows the recent decision to move to all-out elections from 2024.
Any changes agreed will come into force for the Worcester City Council elections in 2024.
The Local Government Boundary Commission for England (LGBCE) is asking local residents and groups to help it draw up proposals for new wards, to make sure that councillors represent roughly the same number of electors and that the wards reflect local communities.
This phase of the LGBCE consultation is open to everyone at www.lgbce.org.uk/all-reviews/west-midlands/worcestershire/worcester until Monday (July 25).
Visit the website at www.lgbce.org.uk/all-reviews/west-midlands/worcestershire/worcester for more on the proposals.
