How often should elections be held to appoint councillors to South Cambridgeshire District Council?

Local residents, businesses and other organisations are being asked whether there should be a move to ‘all-out’ elections of the whole Council once every four years, or preservation of the current ‘by thirds’ system of electing one-third of Council seats each year for three successive years out of four.

The change is being considered ahead of a scheduled boundary review later this year by the Local Government Boundary Commission for England (LGBCE). The review will see wards – the geographical area councillors cover – adjusted to ensure all district councillors represent approximately the same number of electors.

As part of the review, LGBCE will consider how many councillors are needed to represent South Cambridgeshire residents effectively.  If the Council continues to elect ‘by thirds’, the Commission will look to introduce three-councillor wards across the district.  An ‘all-out’ election cycle – which would begin in 2018 at the earliest – would see a mixed ward pattern, favouring single-councillor wards where possible.

Currently, 57 councillors serve four-year terms representing 34 wards across South Cambridgeshire.  Depending on their size, some wards have one councillor while others have two or three, meaning that some residents are eligible to vote in district council elections more frequently than others.

There is a very good case for keeping the present system of annual one-third elections in selected wards:

• It is relatively cheap to run administer, the Council, councillors and activists are kept up to speed with fighting elections and can budget time and money accordingly.
• Annual elections in every ward of one third of councillors will require a substantial increase in local party funds, a tripling of activists to cope with the work load and a substantial increase to the public purse in the costs of holding elections.
• All out every four years may be cheaper overall, but at the cost of a loss of expertise at the Council and local parties of running successful elections – and that without the issue of finding new candidates.

Cllr Sue Ellington, Chair of South Cambridgeshire District Council’s Civic Affairs Committee, said: “There are pros and cons to both options for running our elections in the future.  We’d like as many residents, partners and other organisations as possible to give us their views – all feedback will be considered ahead of a vote on the matter by all Councillors later this year.”

The consultation closes on 18 September.  More background information and an online survey form can be found at www.scambs.gov.uk/local-elections-consultation Paper surveys are also available from richard.may@scambs.gov.uk or by calling 01954 713 366.

Contact South Cambridgeshire District Council

          T  03450 450 500
          F  01954 713 149
          E  scdc@scambs.gov.uk
          T  @SouthCambs
          W www.scambs.gov.uk

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