By Elgan Hearn, Local Democracy Reporter and MyNewtown
County council wards in Newtown could be affected by plans to cut the number of Powys county councillors from 73 to 68.
The Local Democracy and Boundary Commission is due to publish its final recommendations on the make-up of council ward boundaries for the 2022 elections early in the new year.
In the draft report, they recommend the authority shrinks from 73 to 68 members, which would be a saving of £68,000 a year.
A spokesman told the Local Democracy Service that the final proposals could be expected as early as February.
Commission chairman, Owen Watkin, said: “In working up our proposals, we have considered local ties and those who wish to retain current boundaries.
“We have looked carefully at every representation made to us.
“However we need to balance these issues and representations against all other factors we have to consider and the constraints. In particular, the requirement for electoral parity.
“Democratic fairness for all electors is the dominant factor in law and this is what we have tried to apply.”
The proposals include:
68 members down from 73
Average of 1,569 voters per councillor
60 electoral wards (down from 73)
Seven multi-member wards.
Six of these would be two-member wards: Aber-Craf and Ystradgynlais, Knighton and Beguildy, Crickhowell with Cwmdu and Tretower, Llandrindod South, Llanidloes with Llangurig, Newtown Central and South.
A three-member electoral ward is proposed for Brecon.
The commission forecast that by 2022 the number of voters is set to fall from 106,664 to 103,021.
But, the Office of National Statistics estimates that 1,048 people who could vote are not registered..
According to the commission, the average number of electors at the moment is 1,461. But the numbers can range down to 790 voters in Llanbrynmair. And up to 2,658 voters in Brecon St John.
By bringing the number of councillors down to 68 the ratio of voters per councillor comes to 1,569 and the ward boundaries would be re-jigged to get as close to that figure as possible.
The commission asked for comments before the end of May 2018 and only received eight responses.
