Decision details

RESOLVED: That Council approves the document on Council Size attached as Appendix A for submission to the LGBCE, noting the deadline for submission was 21 January 2022 with a Council Size of 50.

REASONS FOR DECISION: A Council Size of 50 Members has been proposed following discussion amongst Group Leaders at the Project Board, given the projected growth in the Local Plan; and the nature of the district with its mix of more densely populated towns and sparsely populated large rural areas that need to be a manageable size geographically for the rural ward councillors.  It is also believed that reducing the number of Members (thereby increasing workload for others) could deter or discourage individuals from standing as a Councillor, thereby further impacting on diversity of representation.