Southwark’s political map redrawn for 2018 borough elections

The Local Government Boundary Commission for England has published its final recommendations for new electoral arrangements for the London Borough of Southwark.

A review of the borough's internal boundaries was triggered by the fast-rising population which created large disparities between the number of electors in each ward.

Nine of the 21 existing wards in Southwark are either 10 per cent too large or 10 per cent too small compared to the average.

The commission's final recommendations propose that Southwark should be represented by 63 councillors in the future: the same as the current arrangement.

The recommendations also propose that those councillors should represent 17 three-member wards and six two-member wards across the borough.

In the north-west of the borough, Cathedrals ward disappears and is replaced by a three-member ward called Borough & Bankside and a two-member ward called St George's.

East of Borough High Street, a new ward of London Bridge & West Bermondsey will be created from parts of the current Grange and Riverside wards, with Shad Thames being incorporated in a new North Bermondsey ward.

Chaucer ward remains mostly intact with only slight changes to its boundaries around Bermondsey Square and Newcomen Street.

South Bermondsey ward is redrawn to take in part of the existing Grange ward.

"We are extremely grateful to people across Southwark who took the time and effort to send us their views," said Professor Colin Mellors, chair of the commission.

"The commission considered every piece of evidence it received before finalising these recommendations.

"Across the borough, we have sought to balance the views expressed to us by local people with the criteria we must apply when we are deciding on new electoral arrangements.

"As such, we believe these recommendations deliver electoral equality for voters as well as reflecting the identities of communities in Southwark."

Full details of the final recommendations are available on the Commission's website at at: www.lgbce.org.uk/current-reviews/greater-london/southwark

The proposed new arrangements must now be implemented by Parliament. A draft order – the legal document which brings into force the recommendations – will be laid in Parliament in the coming months.

The draft order provides for the new electoral arrangements to come into force at the council elections in 2018.