The Governance Committee of Sevenoaks District Council met on 10 December 2024 to consider two topics. The Local Government Boundary Commission for England (LGBCE) has announced its decision on the number of councillors that Sevenoaks District Council should have and what the new wards should be and sought the view of the committee. The Committee also considered a report on proposed changes to polling districts and polling places throughout the District.

Review of polling districts and polling places

Sevenoaks District Council is legally required to review polling districts and polling places every five years under the Representation of the People Act 1983. This involves a public consultation to which the council received 10 responses.

The council has been informed by Kent County Council that the Swanley Youth Centre will no longer be available for use as a polling station, so a new polling place will need to be found for the Swanley St Mary’s ward. A recommendation for a new polling place will be made at the meeting, once the suitability of alternative venues has been assessed.

The report pack recommends that the polling place for Sevenoaks Common be changed from Solefields School to the Stag Community Arts Centre. The report pack explains that the school is no longer available and that the Stag Theatre is the next nearest polling station.

The report pack recommends that the polling place for the Swanley Village ward be changed from the Lamb Inn to the Red Lion. The report pack explains that The Red Lion is more accessible than the Lamb Inn.

Electoral Review – Consultation on Warding Patterns

The LGBCE has decided that Sevenoaks District Council should have 48 Councillors from the next District Council elections, in May 2027. This means that a new pattern of wards must be developed for the District.

The LGBCE is seeking the views of the public on new warding arrangements for the District and has published guidance on what to consider when proposing new wards. The report pack notes that there are three criteria that are equally important: electoral equality, community identity and interests and convenient and effective local government.

The report pack explains what each of these criteria mean. For example, it explains that convenient and effective local government: aims to ensure that proposed wards use clearly identifiable boundaries, have appropriate names, and make it as easy as possible for the councillors to do their jobs.

The report pack notes that the LGBCE will also be consulting with Town & Parish Councils. The report pack explains that the LGBCE may seek to build warding patterns in so far as possible on existing parish boundaries and that, if this cannot be achieved, community governance reviews would be required to be undertaken by the District Council after the electoral review is completed.

Councillor Michael Horwood is chairing a working group of councillors to advise the committee on new warding arrangements for the district. Councillor Horwood, along with the other members of the working group, Councillors Kim Bayley, Graham Clack, Laura Manston, Elizabeth Purves, Lynda Harrison and Margot McArthur, will update the committee on the work it has done to develop new warding patterns at the meeting.