Final report for town's boundary changes revealed
John Dickens • Published 15 May 2012 14:00
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THE final recommendations for a new boundary layout in the town have been published.
The new Slough electoral arrangements, published by the independent Local Government Boundary Commission for England (LGBCE), were announced on Tuesday May 8.
It follows a nine-week public consultation on draft proposals that were published in December, where new boundaries for each council ward were been drawn up.
Max Caller, chair of the commission, said: "Across the whole borough, we have sought to balance the views expressed to us by local people with the criteria we must apply when we are deciding on new electoral arrangements.
"This is namely to deliver electoral equality for voters as well as reflecting the interests of communities across the county and promoting effective local government.
"In response to the views submitted to us during the consultation, we are proposing some changes to the recommendations we put forward in December."
The final recommendations propose that Slough should have 42 councillors, one more than current, split into 13 three-member wards, one two-member ward and one single-member ward.
Mr Caller added: "We have decided that no ward in Slough should straddle the motorway.
"So instead of the three-member ward we previously proposed for Colnbrook and Langley East, we are now proposing that there should be a two-member Colnbrook with Poyle ward to the south of the motorway with a single-member Foxborough ward immediately to the north of the M4.
"We've made this change to our recommendations as a result of the persuasive evidence that was presented to us by Colnbrook with Poyle Parish Council and others.
"On the balance, and on the basis of the evidence we've received, we believe that the M4 represents a major barrier to access across the proposed ward and that we should move away from our pattern of three-member wards in this part of Slough only."
The Central ward was also altered so the north west boundary with the new Elliman ward is Stoke Road.
The proposed new arrangements must now be implemented by Parliament - with a draft order to be laid in the next few months.
The new arrangements would come into force at the 2014 council elections.
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