The Borough of St Helens (Electoral Changes) Order 2003

• Citation: S.I. 2003/1979
• Sections: 11

Section 1 Citation and commencement

(1) This Order may be cited as the Borough of St Helens (Electoral Changes) Order 2003.

(2) This Order, with the exception of articles 5, 6, 7 and 8 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.

(3) Articles 5, 6, 7 and 8 shall come into force —

(a) for the purpose of proceedings preliminary or relating the election of a parish councillor for the parishes of Bold, Seneley Green, Windle and Eccleston to be held on the ordinary day of elections in 2007, on 15th October 2006;

(b) for all other purposes, on the ordinary day of elections in 2007.

Section 2 Interpretation

In this Order —

“borough” means the borough of St Helens;

“existing”, in relation to a ward, means the ward as it exists on the date this Order is made;

any reference to the map is a reference to the map marked “Map referred to in the Borough of St Helens (Electoral Changes) Order 2003”, of which prints are available for inspection at —

the principal office of the Electoral Commission; and

the offices of St Helens Metropolitan Borough Council; and

any reference to a numbered sheet is a reference to the sheet of the map which bears that number.

Section 3 Wards of the borough of St Helens

(1) The existing wards of the borough shall be abolished.

(2) The borough shall be divided into sixteen wards which shall bear the names set out in Schedule 1.

(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.

Section 4 Elections of the council of the borough of St Helens

(1) Elections of all councillors for all wards of the borough shall be held simultaneously on the ordinary day of election of councillors in 2004 .

(2) The councillors holding office for any ward of the borough immediately before the fourth day after the ordinary day of elections in 2004 shall retire on that day and the newly elected councillors for those wards shall come into office on that day.

(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.

Section 5 Wards of the parish of Bold

(1) The existing wards of the parish of Bold shall be abolished.

(2) The parish shall be divided into four parish wards which shall bear the names Bold East, Bold North, Bold South and Bold West; and the wards shall comprise the areas designated on sheet 4 by reference to the name of the ward and demarcated by orange lines.

(3) The number of councillors to be elected for each of the parish wards of Bold North and Bold West shall be four, for the parish ward of Bold East shall be three, and for the parish ward of Bold South shall be one.

Section 6 Wards of the parish of Seneley Green

The parish of Seneley Green shall be divided into three parish wards which shall bear the names set out in column (1) of Schedule 2; each parish ward shall comprise the area of the borough ward specified in respect of the parish ward in column (2) of that Schedule, and the number of councillors to be elected for each parish ward shall be the number specified in respect of the parish ward in column (3) of that Schedule.

Section 7 Wards of the parish of Windle

The parish of Windle shall be divided into two parish wards which shall bear the names set out in column (1) of Schedule 3; each parish ward shall comprise the area of the borough ward specified in respect of the parish ward in column (2) of that Schedule, and the number of councillors to be elected for each parish ward shall be the number specified in respect of the parish ward in column (3) of that Schedule.

Section 8 Numbers of parish councillors for the parish of Eccleston

The number of parish councillors to be elected for the parish ward of Eccleston West shall be five, for the parish ward of Eccleston South shall be four, and for the parish ward of Eccleston East shall be three.

Section 9 Maps

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

Section 10 Electoral registers

The Electoral Registration Officer for the borough 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.

Section 11 Revocation

The Borough of St Helens (Electoral Arrangements) Order 1979 is revoked, save for articles 8 and 9(7).