The Electoral Review Committee of Wiltshire Council met on Wednesday 15 April 2026 to discuss provisional draft recommendations for Royal Wootton Bassett as part of the ongoing Community Governance Review 2025/26. The meeting also included standard procedural items.

Community Governance Review 2025/26

The committee was scheduled to consider provisional draft recommendations for Royal Wootton Bassett, following initial discussions at a previous meeting on 26 March 2026. The report pack indicated that at the earlier meeting, the committee had decided not to recommend the transfer of new build areas north of the boundary between Royal Wootton Bassett and Lydiard Tregoze. This decision was made because, while further development was anticipated, current projections suggested the situation might need reassessment in the future when it was clearer on the ground.

The report also detailed consequential changes that might arise from decisions made regarding the parish of Purton. Specifically, if a recommendation to transfer an area from Lydiard Milicent into Purton was confirmed, it could necessitate alignment of electoral divisions. This could lead to revisions in the wards of Royal Wootton Bassett to ensure electoral equality.

The committee was presented with an illustrative example of how the town council wards of Royal Wootton Bassett might be rebalanced. This involved transferring properties accessed from Stoneover Lane to Royal Wootton Bassett North, and properties south of Bincknoll Lane at Brynard's Hill and those accessed from the roundabout at Windmill Road to Royal Wootton Bassett South & West. This illustrative example would result in approximately 925 electors being transferred from the current East ward. The report noted that such a scenario would lead to all Royal Wootton Bassett Divisions having a variance of between +15-18%, which, while an improvement on the current situation at Purton, is larger than the Local Government Boundary Commission for England (LGBCE) would typically create.

The report highlighted that further development is projected across Royal Wootton Bassett, including a significant site on the northeast side of the current Royal Wootton Bassett East Ward. The potential withdrawal of the emerging Local Plan introduced uncertainty regarding these future projections. However, it was anticipated that within five years, some Divisions would likely see their variance from the average increase further.

The committee was to consider whether any proposal should align with the statutory criteria for reviews, focusing on community governance grounds. The report suggested that given the limited reasoning for the initial creation of the Royal Wootton Bassett East Division and Ward beyond electoral equality, and considering the overall governance and community benefits to the wider area, a rebalancing of the town wards could be achieved. This would aim to continue reflecting community identity and interests, while also providing effective and convenient local governance, subject to public consultation and the views of residents and the town council. The committee was also to consider the number of councillors for each ward if it decided to propose amending the town warding arrangements.

The report also outlined potential financial implications, noting that consulting on draft recommendations would incur resources, particularly for physically mailing those affected in certain areas. Legal implications were also detailed, referencing the Local Government and Public Involvement in Health Act 2007, which grants the council powers to undertake reviews and sets out the criteria and statutory guidance for such reviews. Risks associated with the process were also identified, including the potential for challenges if consultation was not appropriate or if decisions lacked sufficient reasoning. There was also a risk that the LGBCE might not agree to a related alterations request to amend the Divisions of Royal Wootton Bassett East and Purton, which could lead to administrative complications if town wards did not align with Unitary Divisions. Conversely, there was a risk that if changes were not recommended or made, the governance and electoral arrangements for Purton, Lydiard Milicent, Royal Wootton Bassett, and associated Unitary Divisions could become less effective or convenient.

The committee had the option to recommend the proposal for Royal Wootton Bassett for consultation, amend the proposal, or make no recommendation. The proposal was for the committee to agree a draft recommendation relating to Royal Wootton Bassett and delegate to the Democracy Manager (Democratic Services), in consultation with the Chairman and Vice-Chairman, the preparation of a detailed draft recommendations document, including reasons for any proposed changes to be consulted upon and any necessary ancillary details.

Other Agenda Items

The meeting was also scheduled to include standard procedural items such as receiving apologies, approving the minutes of the previous meeting held on 26 March 2026, receiving declarations of interest, and chairman's announcements. There was also a provision for public participation, allowing for statements and questions from members of the public. The date of the next meeting was to be confirmed as 9 June 2026, with the possibility of an additional meeting being scheduled to consider proposals arising from this meeting. An update on urgent items regarding Electoral Variance around Old Sarum and Lower Bourne Valley Divisions was also listed.