SCHEDULE 1
Article 8
Amendments to the Local Government Act 1992
1. For section 13 (Duty to conduct reviews and make recommendations)9substitute—
“Reviews and Recommendations
13.—(1) The Secretary of State may request the Electoral Commission to recommend in respect of a specified area in England—
(a)
(a) whether a structural change should be made;
(b)
(b) whether a boundary change should be made.
(2) Where the Electoral Commission receive a request in respect of an area under subsection (1), they may direct the Boundary Committee for England—
(a)
(a) to conduct a review of the area, and
(b)
(b) to recommend whether a change of the kind specified in the request should be made.
(3) The Electoral Commission may direct the Boundary Committee for England—
(a)
(a) to conduct a review of a specified area in England, and
(b)
(b) to recommend whether an electoral change should be made in respect of that area.
(4) The Electoral Commission shall from time to time direct the Boundary Committee for England—
(a)
(a) to conduct a review of each principal area in England, and
(b)
(b) to recommend whether an electoral change should be made in respect of that area.
(5) In carrying out a function under this section the Electoral Commission or the Boundary Committee for England shall have regard to—
(a)
(a) the need to reflect the identities and interests of local communities,
(b)
(b) the need to secure effective and convenient local government,
(c)
(c) the need to secure the matters mentioned in paragraphs 1(2)(a) and 3(2)(a) of Schedule 11 to the Local Government Act 197210(equality of representation), and
(d)
(d) any scheme for elections specified by order under section 86 of the Local Government Act 200011(power to specify a scheme for elections).
(6) The Electoral Commission may give a direction to the Boundary Committee for England about the exercise of a function under this section.
(7) A direction may, in particular, require the Boundary Committee for England to have regard to—
(a)
(a) guidance given by the Secretary of State as to matters to be taken into account in considering structural or boundary changes;
(b)
(b) guidance given by the Electoral Commission as to matters to be taken into account in considering electoral changes.”
2.—(1) Section 14 (changes that may be recommended)12is amended as follows.
(2) In subsection (1), for “Local Government Commission” substitute “Electoral Commission”.
(3) In paragraph (a)(iii) of subsection (4), omit the words from “and” to “elected”.
(4) In subsection (8),
(a)
(a) for “Local Government Commission” substitute “the Boundary Committee for England”; and
(b)
(b) for “section 13(1A)” substitute “section 13(3) or (4)”.
3.—(1) Section 15 (procedure on a review)13is amended as follows:
(2) In subsection (1)—
(a)
(a) for “Local Government Commission” substitute “Boundary Committee for England”; and
(b)
(b) for “it considers” substitute “they consider”.
(3) In subsection (2)—
(a)
(a) for the words from “deciding” to “Local Government Commission” substitute “being directed to conduct a review of any area under section 13(4) above, the Boundary Committee for England”;
(b)
(b) for “it considers” substitute “they consider”; and
(c)
(c) in paragraph (a), for “Commission is” substitute “Committee are”.
(4) In subsection (3)—
(a)
(a) for “Local Government Commission” substitute “Boundary Committee for England”;
(b)
(b) in paragraph (a), for “it” substitute “them”;
(c)
(c) in paragraph (b), for “it considers” substitute “they consider”; and
(d)
(d) for “Commission” each time it appears substitute “Committee”.
(5) For subsection (4) substitute—
“4 As soon as the Boundary Committee for England are in a position to submit to the Electoral Commission a report on a review, they shall—
(a) submit a report to the Commission together with their recommendations;
(b) take such steps as they consider sufficient to secure that persons who may be interested in the recommendations are informed of them and of the period within which they may be inspected; and
(c) deposit copies of the...
