Explanatory note

This Order gives effect, subject to modifications, to recommendations by the Local Government Commission for England for electoral changes in the district of Vale of White Horse. The changes have effect in relation to local government elections to be held on and after 1st May 2003.

The modification relates to the names of parish wards. The Secretary of State has decided that the wards shown in the first column of the Table below with the names proposed by the Commission should bear the names shown in the second column.

Article 2 abolishes the existing wards of the district and provides for the creation of 29 new wards. That article and Schedule 1 also make provision for the names and areas of, and numbers of councillors for, the new wards.

Article 3 provides for the election of all councillors of the district of Vale of White Horse to take place in 2003 and every 4 years after that year.

Articles 4 to 10 make electoral changes in the parishes of Abingdon, East Challow, Grove, Longworth, Milton, St. Helen Without and Wantage.

Article 11 revokes the District of Vale of White Horse (Electoral Arrangements) Order 1978.

The areas of the new district wards are demarcated on the map described in article 1(3). Prints of the map may be inspected at all reasonable times at the offices of Vale of White Horse District Council and at the offices of the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions, 2nd Floor, Ashdown House, 123 Victoria Street, London SW1E 6DE.