Local Government: Electoral Quotas

Earl of Devon Excerpts

Tuesday 11th February 2025 Lords Chamber

[Baroness Taylor of Stevenage (Lab)]

The boundary commission is focused on making sure that the structure of the electoral wards and divisions meets the needs of the council concerned; that is, in respect of the types of decisions being taken, the need for strategic leadership in those areas to enable the appropriate scrutiny of decisions and making sure that councillors can meet their community responsibilities. It has been doing this for decades, and I am sure it will continue to do so.

[The Earl of Devon (CB)]

My Lords, to add another voice of rural concern, is there not a danger that coupling local government re-organisation with such wholesale reform of planning, while promising 1.5 million new homes, threatens complete local government meltdown and undue stress on local authority planning departments?

[Baroness Taylor of Stevenage (Lab)]

I have met a huge number of local government representatives and MPs in the last couple of months. They are all determined to ensure that this process goes through smoothly without impacting on “business as usual” for local government. They are all very committed to doing that and have been very positive in their response to it. They see the benefits of the new arrangements in making local government more efficient and effective for the people whom they serve—which is what everyone in local government is looking for.