THE independent Local Government Boundary Commission for England have opened a consultation to determine whether Woking Borough Council needs to be downsized.

The organisation is welcoming public opinion on how the future of the civic offices should shape up.

A six-week consultation is the first part of an electoral review that will also consider changes to the names and boundaries of the borough’s 17 wards.

Local authorities are obliged to review the size of their council once every 15 years.

Their findings and recommendations are then passed on to the LGBC, and Woking’s leaders did just that in August.

The current political balance in the chambers is 22 Conservatives to the 14 Liberal Democrat seats – there are no members of the Labour Party on the council.

The Tory majority had been pushing to cut the 36-strong group down to 30, but the opposition were looking for a more sparing option and suggested reducing the size of the council by just three members.

The commission has considered evidence submitted to them by the council and are now consulting residents on a proposal that would see the authority represented by 30 councillors in future − six fewer than the current arrangement.

Chairman of the commission, Max Caller (below), said: “This is your chance to shape your council for the future.

“We are asking people across the borough whether they agree that 30 councillors is the right number to represent Woking.

“We want to know if you think that’s the right number to be able to make decisions effectively, and whether it’s the right number to represent the interests of all of the borough’s communities.

“If you don’t agree that Woking should be represented by 30 councillors, we want you to tell us your alternative, and why you think there should be more − or fewer − members in the future.

“Once we have a view on the number of councillors, we will re-draw ward boundaries to accommodate those elected members and we will ask local people to have their say during that process as well.”

Results of the consultation will be announced in October.

For further details on the Local Government Boundary Commission for England, or to have your say, visit www.consultation.lgbce.org.uk