BASINGSTOKE and Deane’s council leader is calling for a reduction in the number of councillors and a radical change in the electoral cycle – moves that could save hundreds of thousands of pounds.

Councillor Clive Sanders is responding to a letter from the Boundary Commission for England, which said Basingstoke and Deane Borough Council could face a further electoral review of its wards due to possible “electoral imbalance”.

Expressing a personal view, the Tory council and borough group leader believes that the letter is “a good prompt” to look at cutting the number of councillors by a quarter and also moving to elections every four years. Currently, a third of seats are up for election on a three-year cycle, followed by a one-year break.

In an email to fellow Conservatives, Cllr Sanders said reducing the number of councillors from 60 to 45 would not only save cash, but would allow for better long-term planning.

He also believes a four-yearly election would encourage more people to come out and vote. A rough estimate suggests there could be a saving of around £200,000 in election costs over four years by running one election for all seats.

A shift away from the current cycle would also do away with the stifling six week “purdah” period, where council activity is suspended six weeks prior to the elections, added Cllr Sanders.

Cllr Sanders told his members: “It would only seem reasonable at a time when we are looking to find efficiencies in the way council staff operate, that the council itself should be scrutinised.

“A reduction from 60 to 45 members would lead to an average increase of only 700 residents per councillor but would save £100,000 a year.”

May’s local elections attracted the lowest turn-out, an average of 30 per cent, in the last decade.

Cllr Sanders believes that more people would vote if all members were up for election once every four years, as there would be more chance of forcing a change of leadership.

He also thinks it would mean that councillors would no longer be tempted to duck major decisions because of what might happen at the next election in a few months’ time.

In order to get a change in the constitution, 40 members, or two thirds of the current councillors, would need to agree. The public could also force the full council to debate the issue, if more than 8,250 residents sign a petition.

The Boundary Commission for England has said there is a possible imbalance in nine of the 22 wards in the borough, where the number of people turning out to vote for each councillor is 10 per cent less or more than the average.

It has asked the borough council to respond on the issue by June 8. Cllr Sanders has contacted the other group leaders to gauge their views before a response is submitted next week.

l Do you have an opinion on Cllr Sanders’ views that borough councillors should be reduced to 45, and elections held every four years? Go online at basingstokegazette.co.uk, email editor@basingstokegazette.co.uk, or write, to The Letters Editor, The Gazette, Pelton Road, Basingstoke, RG21 6YD.