Citation, commencement, extent and application

1.—(1) This Order may be cited as the Essex (Electoral Changes) Order 2024.

(2) This article and article 2 come into force on the day after the day on which this Order is made.

(3) Article 3 comes into force—

(a)for the purpose of proceedings preliminary or relating to the election of councillors, on the day after the day on which this Order is made;

(b)for all other purposes, on the ordinary day of election of councillors in England(4) in 2025.

(4) Article 4 comes into force—

(a)for the purpose of proceedings preliminary or relating to the election of councillors, on 15th October 2025;

(b)for all other purposes, on the ordinary day of election of councillors in England in 2026.

(5) Article 5 comes into force—

(a)for the purpose of proceedings preliminary or relating to the election of councillors, on 15th October 2026;

(b)for all other purposes, on the ordinary day of election of councillors in England in 2027.

(6) Articles 6 and 7 come into force—

(a)for the purpose of proceedings preliminary or relating to the election of councillors, on 15th October 2027;

(b)for all other purposes, on the ordinary day of election of councillors in England in 2028.

(7) This Order extends to England and Wales but applies in relation to England only.

Interpretation

2.—(1) In this Order, “the map” means the map marked “Map referred to in the Essex (Electoral Changes) Order 2024”, held by the Local Government Boundary Commission for England(5).

(2) Where a boundary is shown on the map as running along a road, railway line, footway, watercourse or similar geographical feature, it is to be treated as running along the centre line of the feature.

Electoral divisions of Essex and number of councillors

3.—(1) The existing electoral divisions of Essex are abolished.

(2) Essex is divided into the 78 electoral divisions listed in Schedule 1.

(3) Each electoral division comprises the area identified on the map by reference to the name of the electoral division.

(4) The number of councillors to be elected for each electoral division is 1.

Parish wards of the parish of Wickford

4.—(1) The existing parish wards of the parish of Wickford are abolished.

(2) The parish of Wickford is divided into the four parish wards listed in the first column of the table in Schedule 2.

(3) Each parish ward comprises the area identified on the map by reference to the name of the parish ward.

(4) The number of councillors to be elected for each parish ward is the number specified in relation to that parish ward in the second column of the table in Schedule 2.

Parish wards of the parishes of Chelmsford Garden, Ramsey & Parkeston, Rayleigh and Rochford

5.—(1) The existing parish wards of the parishes of Chelmsford Garden, Ramsey & Parkeston, Rayleigh and Rochford are abolished.

(2) The parish of Chelmsford Garden is divided into the five parish wards listed in the first column of Table 1 in Schedule 3.

(3) The parish of Ramsey & Parkeston is divided into the three parish wards listed in the first column of Table 2 in Schedule 3.

(4) The parish of Rayleigh is divided into the eight parish wards listed in the first column of Table 3 in Schedule 3.

(5) The parish of Rochford is divided into the four parish wards listed in the first column of Table 4 in Schedule 3.

(6) Each parish ward comprises the area identified on the map by reference to the name of the parish ward.

(7) The number of councillors to be elected for each parish ward is the number specified in relation to that parish ward in the second column of the relevant table in Schedule 3.

Parish wards of the parish of Billericay

6.—(1) The existing parish wards of the parish of Billericay are abolished.

(2) The parish of Billericay is divided into the four parish wards listed in the first column of the table in Schedule 4.

(3) Each parish ward comprises the area identified on the map by reference to the name of the parish ward.

(4) The number of councillors to be elected for each parish ward is the number specified in relation to that parish ward in the second column of the table in Schedule 4.

Parish wards of the parish of Epping Upland

7.—(1) The parish of Epping Upland is divided into two parish wards, namely—

(a)Epping Green, which has six councillors; and

(b)Pond Field, which has one councillor.

(2) Each parish ward comprises the area identified on the map by reference to the name of the parish ward.

Schedules

Article 3

Schedule 1Electoral Divisions of Essex

1.  Billericay North

2.  Bocking

3.  Braintree Eastern

4.  Braintree Town

5.  Brentwood Hutton

6.  Brentwood North

7.  Brentwood Rural

8.  Brentwood South

9.  Brightlingsea

10.  Broomfield & Writtle

11.  Burnham & Southminster

12.  Burstead

13.  Canvey Island East

14.  Canvey Island West

15.  Castledon & Crouch

16.  Chelmer

17.  Chelmsford Central

18.  Chelmsford North

19.  Chelmsford Springfield

20.  Chelmsford West

21.  Chigwell & Buckhurst Hill East

22.  Clacton North

23.  Clacton South

24.  Clacton West & St Osyth

25.  Colchester Abbey

26.  Colchester Lexden

27.  Colchester Maypole

28.  Colchester North

29.  Colchester St Johns

30.  Constable

31.  Danbury & The Hanningfields

32.  Dunmow

33.  Epping & Theydon Bois

34.  Frinton & Walton

35.  Gloucester Park

36.  Great Baddow & Galleywood

37.  Hadleigh

38.  Halstead

39.  Harlow Common & Church Langley

40.  Harlow Nettleswell

41.  Harlow Parndon & Toddbrook

42.  Harlow South West

43.  Harwich

44.  Hedingham

45.  Laindon Town

46.  Loughton North

47.  Loughton South & Buckhurst Hill West

48.  Maldon Rural North

49.  Maldon Rural South

50.  Maldon Town & Heybridge

51.  Mersea & Tiptree

52.  North Weald & Nazeing

53.  Old Harlow

54.  Ongar & Rural

55.  Pitsea

56.  Rayleigh South

57.  Rayleigh West

58.  Rochford East

59.  Rochford North

60.  Rochford South

61.  Saffron Walden

62.  South Benfleet

63.  Stansted

64.  Stanway & Marks Tey

65.  Takeley

66.  Tendring Rural East

67.  Tendring Rural West

68.  Thaxted

69.  Three Fields & Great Notley

70.  Thundersley

71.  Vange

72.  Waltham Abbey

73.  Westley Heights

74.  Wickford East & Bowers Gifford

75.  Witham Town

76.  Witham West & Rural

77.  Wivenhoe St Andrew

78.  Woodham Ferrers

Article 4

Schedule 2Names of parish wards and number of councillors for the parish of Wickford

Article 5

Schedule 3Names of parish wards and number of councillors for the parishes of Chelmsford Garden, Ramsey & Parkeston, Rayleigh and Rochford

Table 1

Parish wards of the parish of Chelmsford Garden and number of councillors

Table 2

Parish wards of the parish of Ramsey & Parkeston and number of councillors

Table 3

Parish wards of the parish of Rayleigh and number of councillors

Table 4

Parish wards of the parish of Rochford and number of councillors

Article 6

Schedule 4Names of parish wards and number of councillors for the parish of Billericay

Explanatory Note

(This note is not part of the Order)

This Order makes changes to electoral arrangements for Essex following recommendations made by the Local Government Boundary Commission for England. This Order does not change the boundary of the local authority itself.

Article 3 abolishes the existing electoral divisions of Essex and replaces them with the 78 new ones listed in Schedule 1 for the purpose of elections to be held on or after the ordinary day of election of councillors in England in 2025. It also establishes the names and areas of the new electoral divisions and the number of councillors for each.

Articles 4, 5, 6 and 7 make changes to parish wards which are consequential on the changes made by article 3. The changes to parish wards introduced by articles 4 and 5 come into force for the purpose of parish elections in 2026 and 2027 respectively, and in respect of subsequent parish elections. The changes introduced by articles 6 and 7 apply in relation to parish elections in 2028, and in respect of subsequent parish elections.

The area covered by each electoral division and parish ward created by this Order is identified on a map which is available for inspection at reasonable times at the offices of the Local Government Boundary Commission for England, 7th Floor, 3 Bunhill Row, London EC1Y 8YZ.

The map may also be accessed at: https://www.lgbce.org.uk/all-reviews/essex.

A full impact assessment has not been produced for this instrument as no, or no significant, impact on the private, voluntary or public sectors is foreseen.