The Electoral Review Committee of Wiltshire Council was scheduled to discuss provisional draft recommendations for Royal Wootton Bassett as part of the ongoing Community Governance Review 2025/26. The meeting's agenda also included standard procedural items.

Community Governance Review 2025/26

The primary item scheduled for discussion was the Community Governance Review 2025/26, with a specific focus on agreeing provisional draft recommendations for Royal Wootton Bassett. This followed an initial consideration of the matter 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 despite anticipated future development, with the committee considering it premature to act until the situation on the ground was clearer.

The report pack also detailed consequential changes that might be necessary for electoral divisions in Royal Wootton Bassett and Purton. These changes were linked to a recommendation to transfer an area from Lydiard Milicent into Purton, and the need to ensure electoral equality across the affected divisions. The report outlined the current warding arrangements for Royal Wootton Bassett, noting the number of councillors and electors in each ward: North (7 councillors, 4154 electors), East (3 councillors, 2059 electors), and South & West (6 councillors, 4048 electors).

An illustrative example was provided for rebalancing the town council wards, which would involve transferring approximately 925 electors from the current East ward. This could result in Royal Wootton Bassett divisions having variances between +15-18% from the average, an improvement on the current situation in Purton. The report acknowledged further development projected in Royal Wootton Bassett, noting that the uncertainty surrounding the Local Plan could impact future projections.

The report emphasised that any proposals should align with statutory criteria for reviews, considering community identity, interests, and effective local governance. It was noted that the current Royal Wootton Bassett East Division was largely created for electoral equality. The committee was to consider whether to propose amending the town warding arrangements and, if so, the number of councillors for each ward. The report also highlighted potential risks, including challenges to decisions if consultation was not appropriate or if reasoning was insufficient, and the risk of governance arrangements becoming ineffective if not periodically reviewed.

The committee was presented with options to either recommend the proposal for Royal Wootton Bassett for consultation, amend it, or make no recommendation. The proposal was 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 for consultation.

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, and receiving any declarations of interest or chairman's announcements. Provisions for public participation, including statements and questions, were also listed on the agenda. The date of the next meeting was confirmed as 9 June 2026, with an additional meeting potentially scheduled to consider further proposals. An update on Electoral Variance around Old Sarum and Lower Bourne Valley Divisions was also listed as an urgent item.