Fewer councillors for Stafford Borough Council

The number of Stafford Borough councillors representing Stone and surrounding villages will be reduced from 15 to 12 after next May’s local elections.

The independent Local Government Boundary Commission for England has published its final recommendations for new electoral arrangements for Stafford Borough Council. The publication follows a 10-week public consultation on its draft proposals and draws new boundaries for each council ward across the borough.

The Commission’s final recommendations propose that the borough should be represented by 40 councillors in the future, 19 fewer than the current arrangement. The number of borough councillors that will serve Stone and surrounding villages will reduce from 15 to 12.

The Stafford Borough Council wards that currently cover Stone and surrounding villages are:

Barlaston and Oulton (2 councillors)
St Michael’s (2 councillors)
Fulford (3 councillors)
Milwich (1 councillor)
Stonefield and Christchurch (2 councillors)
Swynnerton (2 councillors)
Walton (3 councillors)

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The NEW wards will be:

St Michael’s and Stonefield (3 councillors)
Walton (2 councillors – one less that at present)
Swynnerton and Oulton (2 councillors)
Barlaston (1 councillor)
Fulford (2 councillors)
Milwich (2 councillors)

Full details of the Commission’s final recommendations (including maps) can be viewed HERE

Max Caller, Chair of the Commission, said: “We are extremely grateful to people across Stafford Borough who took the time and effort to send us their views. The Commission considered every piece of evidence it received before finalising these recommendations.

“Across the 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. As such, we believe these recommendations deliver electoral equality for voters as well as reflecting the identities of communities across Stafford.”

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 2015.