2003 No. 2507

LOCAL GOVERNMENT, ENGLAND

The City of Coventry (Electoral Changes) Order 2003

Made29th September 2003

Coming into force in accordance with article 1(2)

Whereas the Boundary Committee for England1, acting pursuant to section 15(4) of the Local Government Act 19922, has submitted to the Electoral Commission3 recommendations dated May 2003 on its review of the city4 of Coventry:

And whereas the Electoral Commission have decided to give effect, with four modifications, to those recommendations:

And whereas a period of not less than six weeks has expired since the receipt of those recommendations:

Now, therefore, the Electoral Commission, in exercise of the powers conferred on them by sections 175 and 266 of the Local Government Act 1992, and of all other powers enabling them in that behalf, hereby make the following Order:

Citation and commencement1

1

This Order may be cited as the City of Coventry (Electoral Changes) Order 2003.

2

This Order shall come into force —

a

For the purpose of proceedings preliminary or relating to any election to be held on the ordinary day of elections in 2004, on 15th October 2003;

b

for all other purposes, on the ordinary day of elections in 2004.

Interpretation2

In this Order —

“city” means the city of Coventry;
“existing”, in relation to a ward, means the ward as it exists on the date this Order is made; and
any reference to the map is a reference to the map marked “Map referred to in the City of Coventry (Electoral Changes) Order 2003”, of which prints are available for inspection at —
1. a
  the principal office of the Electoral Commission; and
2. b
  the offices of Coventry City Council.

Wards of the city of Coventry3

1

The existing wards of the city7 shall be abolished.

2

The city shall be divided into eighteen wards which shall bear the names set out in the Schedule.

3

Each ward shall comprise the area designated on the map by reference to the name of the ward and demarcated by red lines; and the number of councillors to be elected for each ward shall be three.

4

Where a boundary is shown on the map as running along a road, railway line, footway, watercourse or similar geographical feature, it shall be treated as running along the centre line of the feature.

Elections of the council of the city of Coventry4

1

Elections of all councillors for all wards of the city shall be held simultaneously on the ordinary day of election of councillors in 20048 9.

2

The councillors holding office for any ward of the city immediately before four days after the ordinary day of elections in 2004 shall retire on that date and the newly elected councillors for those wards shall come into office on that date.

3

Of the councillors elected in 2004, one shall retire in 2006, one in 2007 and one in 2008.

4

Of the councillors elected in 2004 —

a

the first to retire shall, subject to paragraphs (6) and (7), be the councillor elected by the smallest number of votes; and

b

the second to retire shall, subject to those paragraphs, be the councillor elected by the next smallest number of votes.

5

In the case of an equality of votes between any persons elected which makes it uncertain which of them is to retire in any year, the person to retire in that year shall be determined by lot.

6

If an election of councillors for any ward is not contested, the person to retire in each year shall be determined by lot.

7

Where under this article any question is to be determined by lot, the lot shall be drawn at the next practicable meeting of the council after the question has arisen and the drawing shall be conducted under the direction of the person presiding at the meeting.

Maps5

Coventry City Council shall make a print of the map marked “Map referred to in the City of Coventry (Electoral Changes) Order 2003” available for inspection at its offices by any member of the public at any reasonable time.

Electoral registers6

The Electoral Registration Officer10 for the city shall make such rearrangement of, or adaptation of, the register of local government electors as may be necessary for the purposes of, and in consequence of, this Order.

Revocation7

The City of Coventry (Electoral Arrangements) Order 197911 is revoked, save for articles 8 and 9(7).

Sealed with the seal of the Electoral Commission the 29th day of September 2003

Sam YoungerChairman of the Commission29th September 2003

Jacqui DixonSecretary to the Commission29th September 2003

SCHEDULENAMES OF WARDS

article 3

Bablake	Holbrook	Upper Stoke
Binley and Willenhall	Longford	Wainbody
Cheylesmore	Lower Stoke	Westwood
Earlsdon	Radford	Whoberley
Foleshill	St Michael's	Woodlands
Henley	Sherbourne	Wyken

(This note is not part of the Order)

This Order gives effect, with four modifications, to recommendations by the Boundary Committee for England, a committee of the Electoral Commission, for electoral changes in the city of Coventry.

The modifications relate to the boundary between Longford and Holbrook wards, the boundary between Lower Stoke and Wyken wards, the boundary between Sherbourne and Whoberley wards, and the boundary between Westwood and Woodlands wards.

The changes have effect in relation to local government elections to be held on and after the ordinary day of election of councillors in 2004.

Article 3 abolishes the existing wards of the city and provides for the creation of 18 new wards. That article and the Schedule also make provision for the names and areas of, and numbers of councillors for, the new wards.

Article 4 makes provision for a whole council election in 2004 and for reversion to the established system of election by thirds in subsequent years.

Article 6 obliges the Electoral Registration Officer to make any necessary amendments to the electoral register to reflect the new electoral arrangements.

Article 7 revokes the City of Coventry (Electoral Arrangements) Order 1979, with the exception of articles 8 and 9(7).

The areas of the new city wards are demarcated on the map described in article 2. Prints of the map may be inspected at all reasonable times at the offices of Coventry City Council and at the principal office of the Electoral Commission at Trevelyan House, Great Peter Street, London SW1P 2HW.