Paragraph 1

For the purpose of any election of councillors held before the relevant year of election, every region and islands area shall be divided into such electoral divisions, and every district shall be divided into such wards, as may be specified in a direction made by the Secretary of State after carrying out, either before or after the passing of this Act, such consultations as he thinks appropriate.

In this paragraph, “relevant year of election” means, in relation to a local government area, the first year of ordinary election of councillors for that area (being 1978 or any fourth year thereafter in the case of regional or islands councillors, and 1977 or any of the subsequent years stated or referred to in section 4(4) of this Act in the case of district councillors) occurring after the making of any order constituting the new electoral areas of that local government area in consequence of a review under Schedule 5 to this Act.

A direction under this paragraph may contain such incidental, consequential, transitional or supplementary provisions as may appear to the Secretary of State to be necessary or proper.