RESIDENTS wish to have their views heard on potential changes to the make up of Basingstoke and Deane have just a little more than a week to speak up.

A consultation being carried out by the independent Local Government Boundary Commission for England has been asking residents for their opinion on the change of ward boundaries.

Currently Basingstoke and Deane Borough Council is made up of 60 councillors – 33 Conservative, 20 Labour, six Liberal Democrat and one Independent.

However, if the proposal put forward by the commission is adopted it would mean a reduction of six councillors.

The commission is carrying out an electoral review of Basingstoke and Deane which means re-drawing ward boundaries across the borough.

Residents have until May 7 to get their views across when the consultation will end.

Professor Colin Mellors, chair of the commission, said: “We will consider every submission we receive from local people before we draw up draft recommendations.

“We will then open another phase of consultation on those proposals.”

He added: “Don’t miss this chance to have your say on how your council is run.”

As previously reported in The Gazette the consultation had to be suspended after not all not all the evidence was considered.

The commission had previously made and ‘administrative error’ which meant the consultation closed for a number of weeks before re-opening.

In drawing up new boundaries, the commission aims to deliver electoral equality for voters in council elections so that each councillor represents roughly the same number of voters.

The review also aims to ensure that the new council wards reflect, as far as possible, the interests and identities of communities across Basingstoke and Deane.

One the consultation is closed a draft recommendation will be drawn up and released at the end of May.

For more information on the review and interactive maps of the existing wards visit consultation.lgbce.org.uk.