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WOKINGHAM could see its elections switch from three years out of four to once every four years.
Members of the ruling executive committee will meet tonight (Thursday, January 27) to approve a consultation into the way in which residents vote.
The Boundary Commission has ruled that Wokingham borough needs to review its system to ensure that residents get the best representation.
This could mean a shake-up of the current wards, to make them match the evolving population of the borough. New wards would have the same number of councillors and elected on the current system of a third of the council elected every year, with the fourth year being fallow.
Another possibility would be to have each councillor as an effective island, rather than being to a bigger ward.
And the consultation will also explore the frequency of polls.
There is a potential cost saving to be had, not just in the cost of the annual election, but in ensuring the council doesn’t go into purdah for a six-week period before the vote.
Council leader John Halsall welcomed the review.
“The Boundary Commission said we should have carried out a review some time ago as they should take place every 10 years, but this will be 20 years,” he said.
“Elections are very costly. We estimate it costs us about £1 million a year to do them, and it’s very disruptive.”
He added that councils were unusual for the system of elections in thirds – other polls were once every four or five years.
“We have to make a choice as to whether we’re going to change our system or not, and I have come to the conclusion that we have to have a consultation.”
This would be a simple majority decision, and if that is to switch to one election every four years, two-thirds of councillors would need to agree to the change.
Whatever is decided, the 2024 elections will be an all-out situation, where every seat is up for grabs. If a system of thirds of opted for, then some councillors would seek re-election in 2025, a further third on 2026, and the final third in 2027, with 2028 being a fallow year.
