Agenda item

A report by the Executive Director for Environment and Economy had been circulated.

It was moved and seconded, and

RESOLVED

(1)  That there be one debate;

(2)  That Councillor M J Hill OBE, in moving the motion and in responding to issues raised during the debate be allowed to speak for six minutes;

(3)  That Councillor R B Parker and other movers of amendments be allowed to speak for six minutes;

(4)  That other speakers each be allowed to speak for three minutes;

(5)  That no further substantial amendments be moved.

It was moved and seconded,

1.    That Council consider the working group's findings and agree option C in the report - to decrease the number of councillors by six, losing two each in East Lindsey (15 to 13), and Lincoln (ten to eight), plus one each in South Kesteven (from 15 to 14) and West Lindsey (from ten to nine), compared with the current situation.  This would generate an estimated annual saving of at least £70,542 for recommendation to the LGBCE in January 2015 as set out in the report.

2.    That Council approve the working group's recommendation to the LGBCE that its divisions remain single member.

3.    That Council delegates to the Chief Executive, in consultation with Group Leaders, authority to determine the final form of the submission to the LGBCE, based on council size number determined by the Council.

An amendment (i) was moved and seconded by the Labour Group as follows:-

'The methodology used in this report is set out in Appendix A. It differs from that used by four district councils in Lincolnshire in recent Local Government Boundary Commission studies of electoral arrangements

In September 2011 the Local Government Boundary Commission (LGBC) published a report into new electoral arrangements for West Lindsey District Council. In that report the LGBC said that 'we are satisfied with the methodology provided by the council are therefore content to accept the forecasts as the basis of our final recommendations.'  The electorate was expected to grow from 71,859 in 2010 to 77,033 in 2016 with there being none of the 20  wards where there  was expected to be a drop in the number of voters.

In November 2013 the LGBC published a report into new electoral arrangements for East Lindsey District Council. In that report the LGBC said that 'The [electorate] forecasts provided by the Council took into account planned developments across the district. We considered that these figures were reliable… .   The electorate was expected to grow from 104,127 in 2012 to 109,777 in 2018 with there being none of the 37 wards where there  was expected to be a drop in the number of voters.

In March 2014 the LGBC published a report into new electoral arrangements for South Kesteven District Council. In that report the LGBC said that 'Having considered the information provided by the council, we are satisfied that the projected figures are the best available at the present time and these figures form the basis of our final recommendations.'    The electorate was expected to grow from 107,137 in 2012  to 115,167 in 2018 with there being none of the 30 wards where there  was expected to be a drop in the number of voters.

In September 2014 the LGBC published draft recommendations for new electoral arrangements for the City of Lincoln Council. In that report the LGBC said that 'We are content that the forecasts are the most accurate available at this time and have used these figures as the basis for our draft recommendations.'  The electorate was expected to grow from 63,942 in 2013 to 67,433 in 2020 with there being none of the 11 wards where there  was expected to be a drop in the number of voters.

Appendix B of the report before the council shows a table of electorate figures for 2014, 2015 and 2021 for each of the 77 County Council divisions together figures for the size of any increase or decrease between 2014 and 2021. Those figures when totalled show that 46 divisions will have an increase in electorate and 31 divisions will have a decrease in electorate between 2014 and 2021. The figures for each district council area are that on the basis of the LRO figures there are 4 divisions in West Lindsey, 6 divisions in East Lindsey,  9 divisions in South Kesteven and 5 divisions in the City of Lincoln where there is a forecast reduction in the electorate between 2014 and 2021. That contrasts with no wards where there was an anticipated reduction in the electorate when the LGBC made their recommendations for new boundary arrangements for those same councils.

Bearing in mind these serious disparities in electorate forecasts this council supports Option A to maintain our current cohort of 77 members and to redraw the boundaries to increase electoral equality and agrees to bring to the attention of the LGBC the significant differences in methodologies and hence electorate figures between on the one hand those produced by the District Councils and accepted by the LGBC and on the other hand the methodology set out in Appendix A.'

An amendment (ii) was moved and seconded by the Independence from Europe Group as follows:-

'An Independence from Europe would like to put forward the following amendment to the Boundary Review motion.  Reduce the council by 9 councillors to 68 councillors.  This redistribution will reduce 2 councillors at both East Lindsey and Lincoln, 1 councillor in Boston, North Kesteven, South Kesteven and West Lindsey.  This will save the county council 3105,813 in remuneration plus even more in travelling allowances etc and will show that the county council is in tune with the cuts that are being asked of its staff and workforce.

The whole boundary commission review we believe is a total farce as it does not take into consideration the rurality of Lincolnshire and its wards.  As per my previous motion to scrap district councils across Lincolnshire and make it into one unitary authority, is the only way forward I can see for the County.  This would get rid of 300 district/borough councillors, Chief Executives, Senior Managers and fat cats of Local Councils.  Make vast savings for Lincolnshire tax payers between 25 million to 38 million per year when covered on a like for like basis with Worcestershire which has already gone ahead with this formula.  It would also ensure a higher quality of councillors representing the public because parties would not fill seats with nodding donkeys but higher calibre councillors in the fewer seats that would be available.

I propose that Lincolnshire County Council reduce its councillors by 9 which would make 68 councillors in total.'

A vote was taken on the amendment (ii) above which was lost.

A vote was taken on the amendment (i) above which was lost.

A vote was taken on the original motion, and it was

RESOLVED

1.    That Option C in the report - to decrease the number of councillors by six, losing two each in East Lindsey (15 to 13), and Lincoln (ten to eight), plus one each in South Kesteven (from 15 to 14) and West Lindsey (from ten to nine), compared with the current situation, be agreed, generating an estimated annual saving of at least £70,542 for recommendation to the LGBCE in January 2015 as set out in the report.

2.    That the working group's recommendation to the LGBCE that its divisions remain single member be approved.

3.    That authority to determine the final form of submission to the LGBCE, based on the council size number determined above, be delegated to the Chief Executive, in consultation with Group Leaders.