Hillingdon Council told to cut the number of councillors and redraw ward boundaries

A major review in to electoral ward boundaries in Hillingdon has recommended the number of councillors drop by 12.

There are currently 65 councillors representing various wards in Hillingdon, but the findings of the Local Government Boundary Commission for England recommended a reduction to 53.

In order to achieve this, the ward boundaries in the borough will have to be redrawn.

The independent commission reviewed the number of councillors in Hillingdon and compared them with the names and numbers of electors in each borough. The aim is to emerge with fewer wards, but with a similar number of electors, which accurately reflects the way local communities are laid out.

Hillingdon Council is one of 25 London boroughs to take part in the commission's three-year review.

The recommendations made will be put forward to the people of Hillingdon in a consultation which will run until November, before draft recommendations are published in January.

A second phase of consultations will be held after the publication and the new ward boundaries will be scheduled to come in to effect by the 2022 council elections.

Councillor Ray Puddifoot , Leader of the Council, said: “Hillingdon is a lively, thriving and popular place to live and work, but the council’s decision-making structures are out of touch with the way in which local government operates today.

"Despite having only the 11th largest electorate, Hillingdon has the third largest amount of elected councillors amongst all the London boroughs. This is unnecessary.

"The council’s electoral structure has not altered since 1999, but vast improvements in digital communications now allow councillors to handle complex cases more quickly and efficiently.”

Unlike the national boundary reviews, the local boundary changes will not affect who is elected to parliament from the constituency, but the makeup of Hillingdon Council. The boundary changes may prove to impact who wins overall control of the council.

Speaking on behalf of the Hillingdon Labour Group, Councillor Peter Curling said: "Now that the local government boundary commission have decided that Hillingdon should have 53 councillors rather than 65, we will work to ensure that local residents and community groups are encouraged to contribute to the consultation process in order that the proposed new wards have the most suitable boundaries.

"It is an opportunity for everyone to look at what makes sense, what doesn't, and how residents can be best represented.

"This is not an activity that Councillors and political parties can undertake alone - this is more about the local identity of an area, rather than any political party and the entire community should be involved as they know their roads and towns better than anyone."

Residents can view the proposal and have their say by visiting the consultation's website or emailing reviews@lgbce.org.uk , or writing to ‘The Review Officer (Hillingdon) LGBCE’, 1st Floor, Windsor House, 50 Victoria Street, London, SW1H 0TL.

The consultation closes on November 5 2018.