The independent Local Government Boundary Commission England is asking for residents’ help to create a new pattern of electoral wards in Lambeth. The current consultation launched on 14 July with an online briefing and will run until 21 September 2020.

Our local wards are Gipsy Hill, Knights Hill and Thurlow Park. Each one is represented on the council by three councillors who are elected every four years to represent the best interests of the residents in their ward. Some council services and also neighbourhood policing are organised by ward.

Ideas are now sought on where new boundaries should be drawn. This is necessary because of changes in population across the whole borough since 1999 (the date of the last review) and the number of voters forecasted for each ward in 2026. The aim is to ensure:

• Councillors will represent about the same number of electors
• The interests and identities of local communities will be represented
• The council can work effectively.

There is a need to ensure each ward has a similar sized electorate. It is important to remember that the calculations are undertaken on the number of voters in each ward and not population.

The Commission has announced it is minded to keep the number of councillors the same: 63. This would equate to the same number of wards as at present: 21. The Commission though will consider slight variations from these figures.

Local Government Boundary Commission England website includes electorate numbers as at March 2020 and predicted numbers for 2026 by Polling District (four or five per ward). See the map below and scroll on for further information.

Further information and how to develop and submit your views are on the Boundary Commission website (as above). You can make an online submission there, or:

• Send an email to: reviews@lgbce.org.uk or
• Write by post to: LGBCE c/o Cleardata Innovation House, Coniston Court Riverside Business Park, Blyth NE24 4RP

See also the Lambeth website here, which includes advice in other languages.

Have your say! The Commission gives equal weight to all submissions, regardless of whom they are from.