The council is undertaking a review of the electoral arrangements of Sherborne St John Parish Council.
The move has been prompted by the development of Marnel Park and Merton Rise, both of which are covered at the moment by the parish of Sherborne St John in the Popley Fields parish ward. This has led to parish councillors representing an uneven number of electors – with 1166 in the Popley Fields ward and 993 the Sherborne St John ward of the parish council.
In the first stage of the Sherborne St John parish review, electors are being asked to give their comments on the current situation and the timetable and process for making decisions on whether any changes are needed. Following this consultation, draft proposals are due to be published later in the year for a more formal consultation period. Only if there is a significant desire for change would a ballot of all residents be carried out to give them the option to support or reject any recommendations made. Any changes would come into effect at the scheduled elections for Sherborne St John Parish Council in May 2012.
Carried out under the Local Government and Public Involvement in Health Act 2007, a review looks at:
- creating, merging, altering or abolishing parishes
- the naming of the parishes or other types of council, such as community or neighbourhood, if they are created
- the number of councillor, wards and other electoral arrangements for any new councils
- any knock-on effects on borough council wards
- when any first elections would be held.
