The Borough of Harrogate (Electoral Changes) Order 2000

This Order may be cited as the Borough of Harrogate (Electoral Changes) Order 2000.

This article and articles 2, 3, 9 and 10 shall come into force—

Articles 4, 5 and 8 of this Order shall come into force—

Articles 6 and 7 of this Order shall come into force—

In this Order—

• “borough” means the borough of Harrogate;

• “existing”, in relation to a ward, means the ward as it exists on the date this Order is made; and

The existing wards of the borough^f1 shall be abolished.

The borough shall be divided into thirty-five wards which shall bear the names set out in column (1) of Schedule 1.

The wards shall comprise the areas described in column (2) of that Schedule by reference to parishes or, where no area is so described, the area designated on the map by reference to the name of the ward and demarcated by red lines; and the number of councillors to be elected for each ward shall be the number specified in respect of the ward in column (3) of that Schedule.

Where a boundary is shown on the map as running along a road, railway line, footway, watercourse or similar geographical feature, it shall be treated as running along the centre line of the feature.

Subject to the following provisions of this article, elections of councillors for wards of the borough shall be by thirds.

Elections of all councillors for all wards of the borough shall be held simultaneously on the ordinary day of election of councillors in 2002^f1.

The councillors holding office for any ward of the borough immediately before 6th May 2002 shall retire on that date and the newly-elected councillors for those wards shall come into office on that date.

The order of retirement of councillors shall be as set out in Schedule 2.

Where the number of councillors elected in 2002 for any ward of the borough exceeds one, the first to retire shall, subject to paragraphs (6) and (7), be the councillor elected by the smaller number of votes.

In the case of an equality of votes between any persons elected which makes it uncertain which of them is to retire in any year, the person to retire in that year shall be determined by lot.

If an election of councillors for any ward is not contested, the person to retire in each year shall be determined by lot.

Where under this article any question is to be determined by lot, the lot shall be drawn at the next practicable meeting of the council after the question has arisen and the drawing shall be conducted under the direction of the person presiding at the meeting.

Except as otherwise provided in the preceding paragraphs of this article, the term of office of councillors shall be four years; and all councillors shall retire on the fourth day after the ordinary day of election of councillors in the year of retirement and the newly-elected councillors shall come into office on the day on which their predecessors retire.

The existing wards of the parish of Knaresborough shall be abolished.

The parish shall be divided into three parish wards which shall bear the names Knaresborough East, Knaresborough King James and Knaresborough Scriven Park; and each parish ward shall comprise the area of the borough ward bearing the same name.

The number of councillors to be elected for each parish ward shall be five.

The existing wards of the city of Ripon shall be abolished.

The city shall be divided into three city wards which shall bear the names Ripon Minster, Ripon Moorside and Ripon Spa; and each city ward shall comprise the area of the borough ward bearing the same name.

The number of councillors to be elected for each city ward shall be five.

The ordinary elections of parish councillors in 2003 for the parishes listed in Schedule 5 shall not take place; and any such parish councillor holding office immediately before 5th May 2003 who would, but for this paragraph, have retired on that date shall, unless he resigns his office or it otherwise becomes vacant, continue to hold office until the fourth day after the ordinary day of election of councillors in 2004.

Elections of all parish councillors for the parishes referred to in paragraph (1) shall be held simultaneously on the ordinary day of election of councillors in 2004 and every fourth year after 2004.

Elections of all parish councillors for the parishes listed in Schedule 6 shall be held simultaneously on the ordinary day of election of councillors in 2002, 2004 and every fourth year after 2004.

The term of office of every councillor elected, in accordance with the provisions of paragraph (3), in 2002, shall be two years; and each such councillor shall, unless he resigns his office or it otherwise becomes vacant, continue to hold office until the fourth day after the ordinary day of election of councillors in 2004.

The councillors elected in accordance with the provisions of paragraph (3) in 2002, shall come into office on the day on which their predecessors retire.

Where any provision of an Order made before the making of this Order requires an election of parish councillors for a parish referred to in paragraph (1) or paragraph (3) to be held on a date other than that for which that paragraph provides, it shall cease to have effect to that extent.

Rule 8 of the Local Elections (Parishes and Communities) Rules 1986^f1 (filling of casual vacancies) shall have effect, in case of a casual vacancy occurring before 10th May 2004 in the office of a parish councillor for the parishes referred to in paragraph (1), as if the reference in paragraphs (1) and (4) of that rule to the day on which that councillor would regularly have retired were a reference to 10th May.