Leader responds to Boundary Commission statement
The Leader of Birmingham City Council, Sir Albert Bore, has urged people in the city to have their say on the review of ward boundaries that begins today.
***BOUNDARY COMMISSION PRESS STATEMENT***
Sir Albert said: “Moving to all out elections and smaller wards with one or two councillors will be a big change from the system of local democracy we have become used to. It is important that the new boundaries reflect the local areas that people know.
“All the political groups on the council will be making their proposals but I want to see local people and communities have their say – it is your local democracy and your neighbourhood boundaries that are being reviewed.”
Commenting on the Boundary Commission’s conclusion on the size of the City Council, Sir Albert said: “These proposals will come into effect in three years, by which time we will have seen big changes in how the council operates through the Future Council programme. I am pleased that the Commission has recognised that the process of change in Birmingham is underway and that we have a clear vision for the future governance of the city that will address past failings and future plans.
“This vision stretches from the city region down to local neighbourhoods – the Triple Devolution model, which we have been proposing for some three years. Over time this will enable us to operate with a more streamlined, strategic City Council, whilst strengthening representation at the more local level and creating effective leadership for the city region with our partner authorities.
“As I said in the submission on behalf of the Executive to the Commission, these changes would mean that we could operate in the future with no fewer than 100 members and this has been recognised.
“I also said in that submission that the city’s scale and significance make it a potential pioneer in new local governance arrangements. We hope that government will now work with us as we take forward further changes to local democracy that could be of interest across the country.”
Local people have until 28 September 2015 to submit their views. Further information on the review and interactive maps of the existing wards can be found at www.consultation.lgbce.org.uk and and http://www.lgbce.org.uk/current-reviews/west-midlands/west-midlands/birmingham
