The independent Local Government Boundary Commission for England has published its final recommendations for new electoral arrangements for Hounslow Council.
Today’s publication follows two rounds of public consultation and draws new boundaries for each council ward across Hounslow.All current council wards in Hounslow will change as a result of the review.
The Commission’s final recommendations propose that Hounslow should be represented by 62 councillors in the future: two more than the current arrangement. The recommendations also propose that those councillors should represent eighteen three-councillor wards and four two-councillor wards.
Professor Colin Mellors, Chair of the Commission, said, “We are extremely grateful to people across Hounslow who took part in the review. The Commission has looked at all the evidence that was put forward during the consultation.
“We believe these recommendations deliver electoral fairness for voters as well as reflecting community ties.”
In response to local feedback during public consultation, the Commission has made changes to some of the proposals it published in June.
In Chiswick, the Commission has changed its draft recommendations so that the whole Capital Interchange Way development will be part of the Chiswick Riverside ward rather than a Brentford ward as previously proposed. In response to local feedback on the draft recommendations, the Commission has also made changes elsewhere in the Chiswick area such as the inclusion of Kensington Cemetery and surrounding roads in Chiswick Gunnersbury ward and amendments to the boundary between Chiswick Riverside and Chiswick Homefields wards.
In the Heston and Cranford area, local people and organisations argued during the consultation that the Brabazon Estate should be included in a Heston ward. The Commission has listened to those views and now includes the estate in Heston West ward.
In Feltham and Hanworth, the Commission has also changed its proposals so that the Tudor Estate will be part of the Hanworth Park ward rather than Hanworth ward which it has renamed Hanworth Village ward. Strong evidence was submitted during the consultation around the strength of the A316 as a boundary between the two wards as well as local community ties. In a similar way, the Commission has also decided to include the Wigley Road Estate and surrounding area in Hanworth Village ward.
The Commission has made further minor amendments, including changes to the proposed names of several wards. The changes, and the full recommendations, are available on the Commission’s website at www.lgbce.org.uk.
The proposed new arrangements must now be implemented by Parliament. A draft Order – the legal document which brings into force the recommendations – will be laid in Parliament in the coming months. The draft Order provides for the new electoral arrangements to come into force at the council elections in 2022.
