By Jamie Shapiro, Local Democracy Reporter
Southampton is likely to gain a new ward in May after a parliamentary body found that the city has “high levels of electoral inequality”.
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The new ward, if and when it’s signed off by parliament, will be named Banister and Polygon and has come as the result of a boundary review carried out by the Local Government Boundary Commission (LGBC).
The LGBC undertakes electoral reviews of local authorities across the country to make sure electorates are fairly represented.
Banister and Polygon will consist of parts of the existing Bargate, Bevois and Freemantle wards.
It will require three new councillors, bringing the total number of city councillors up to 51.
Currently, all nine councillors from the three affected wards are Labour – and this has been the case since 2016.
Because of the geographical reshuffle, this May the local elections won’t see just one third of councillors re-stand, but all of them [see previously from 2021].
The current political makeup of the council is Labour: 27; Conservative: 20; and Liberal Democrats: one.
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