A BID to slash the number of Malvern Hills district councillors and wards has been revealed by the Local Government Boundary Commission.
As many as seven councillors could be axed after the independent body which draws the boundaries proposed residents should be represented by 31 councillors – down from the current 38.
In a bid to make sure councillors represent about the same number of electors and that ward arrangements will help the council work effectively there will be 18 wards, four fewer than now.
The new merged wards in Malvern would include ‘Barnards Green and Link’, ‘Great Malvern and Pickersleigh’ and ‘Upper Howsell and West’ and the ‘Chase’, ‘Dyson Perrins’ and ‘Priory’ wards would be removed.
Other merged and renamed wards would include ‘Powick and the Hanleys’, ‘Upton and Ripple’, ‘Alfrick, Leigh and Rushwick’ ‘Hallow and Holt’ and ‘Castlemorton, ‘Welland and Wells’.
All of the current boundaries will be changed under the proposals apart from Kempsey.
The 31 councillors should represent two three-councillor wards, nine two-councillor wards and seven single-councillor wards across the council area.
Publishing the recommendations, Prof Colin Mellors, commission chair, said: “We are very grateful to people in Malvern Hills. We looked at all the views they gave us. They helped us improve our earlier proposals.
“We believe the new arrangements will deliver electoral fairness while maintaining local ties.”
A total of 277 people and organisations made comments to help decide the new wards. Changes in response to what local people said include:
A new warding pattern for north-east Malvern Hills combining parts of the draft recommendations, further draft recommendations and some new wards
Returning to the draft recommendations in Malvern, for a mixed pattern of single, two and three-councillor wards
The Commission has made further changes to its earlier proposals. Details can be found on its website at www.lgbce.org.uk/all-reviews/west-midlands/worcestershire/malvern-hills
The changes become law once Parliament has approved them.
Staff at the council will ensure the arrangements are in place for the 2023 elections.
