Tameside Council leader Brenda Warrington explains the proposed changes to the borough's electoral map and how you can take part in a consultation on them.

Over the next nine weeks, you will be able to have your say on the future of democracy in Tameside by commenting on the plans to redraw the electoral map of the borough.

The draft proposals have been written up by The Local Government Boundary Commission for England (LGBCE). 

This organisation, independent of any government or political party, has the power to conduct reviews of the electoral boundaries of local government areas. 

Put simply, they decide which ward you vote in, the name of that ward, and how many councillors you’re represented by. This process is separate from the recently announced Parliamentary Boundary Review, which will determine the numbers and constituencies of MPs for future national elections.

So what does all that actually mean for Tameside? In terms of the number of councillors, the LGBCE decided that the best way we can perform our duties and represent our voters is to retain three members per ward, giving a total of 57 councillors.

In terms of the make-up of the wards themselves, 18 out of the current 19 will be changed to a greater or lesser extent to better reflect current population densities and local communities. 

These are based on suggestions by Tameside Council from our knowledge of the local area and feedback from our residents, and the LGBCE have agreed with the majority of them aside from a few minor alterations. 

One of the most significant changes is finally uniting Hattersley within the Longdendale ward. This definitively ends the current situation of the town being split down the middle between the Longdendale and Hyde Godley wards.

The consultation on the proposed boundary changes will run until August 9, 2021. After this point the LGBCE will analyse the submissions and form their final recommendations, with a view to publishing them no later than November 2, 2021. 

Once approved by Parliament, the new arrangements are due to take effect no later than the May 2023 local elections.

There are a number of ways to have your say, including emailing your views to reviews@lgbce.org.uk, or posting your response to: Review Officer (Tameside), Local Government Boundary Commission for England, PO Box 133, Blyth, NE24 9FE.

All you need to do is tell them what you think and give them some details on why you think it. 

So don’t be afraid to get involved and help decide what democracy will look like in your community.

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