Review of Local Government Boundaries

The Local Government Commission for England has announced its review of electoral boundaries in Brent with a dedicated Brent web site.  It sets up a whole number of problematic issues, not least of which is a consequence of Brexit.

Assuming Brexit goes ahead, I would imagine that EU citizens would lose their right to vote. This would mean that the average size of the Brent registered electorate would diminish by something like 16%, or by something like 25% like Alperton.  That would be an enormous change.  It also makes it very hard to work out any proposal for new boundaries since the size of the electorate could be so different to what has come before.  It will also make life more complicated for councillors since many of the people they represent would no longer be voters. 

It is also interesting that Brent Council believes that between December 2017 and July, the registered electorate increased by 23%.

The only seeming certainty at the moment is likely to be that Brent reduces to 57 councillors from the present 63.  Brent Council has already made a submission to that effect.