Revised electoral map could be in place for 2022 council elections

Revised ward boundaries in Putney and Roehampton

New proposed ward boundaries for Putney and Roehampton have been published.

The changes to the electoral areas for Wandsworth borough follow an 18 month review by the Local Government Boundary Commission.

The commission has looked at electoral wards with the aim of ensuring local councillors represent the same number of electors.

Its final set of recommendations, would see the number of councillors in the borough reduced from 60 to 58 and the number of wards increased from 20 to 22.

The boundaries had not been reviewed since 1999 during which there has been substantial demographic change in the area.

Previous ward boundaries in Putney and Roehampton

Originally the proposal had been to reduce the number of councillors in the Putney area by one but the final scheme retains the same number and only Southfields sees a decline in the number of representatives.

Roehampton and Putney Heath ward becomes plain Roehampton and retains three councillors, gaining some areas in the north of the ward but with West Putney ward being extended south towards Putney Heath.

West Putney itself also retains three councillors. It loses territory in the west to the new Roehampton ward but gains some streets from East Putney as well as expanding to the south.

East Putney loses some streets in the west but gains territory from the former Fairfield and Southfields wards while retaining three councillors.

Thamesfield ward remains largely unchanged and retains three councillors.

Southfields ward is reduced in size with streets being transferred to East Putney and a new Wandsworth Town ward and the area will now only be served by two councillors.

More radical changes have been made to boundaries in the east of the borough where population growth has been higher.

The proposed changes, which will need to be approved by Parliament, could come into effect for the scheduled local council elections in 2022.

Wandsworth would be split into 22 wards with eight wards electing two councillors and 14 returning three councillors. All the borough’s existing ward boundaries would change. The current arrangements see 60 councillors elected for 20 wards – with three members representing each one.

Publishing the commission’s final set of recommendations, its chairman Professor Colin Mellors said, “We are very grateful to people in Wandsworth. We looked at all the views they gave us. They helped us improve our earlier proposals.

 “We believe the new arrangements will guarantee electoral fairness while maintaining local ties.”

Local people and organisations contributed nearly 1,000 comments to help determine the new wards.

For more information visit the commission’s website which also contains an interactive map showing the new ward boundaries.

November 4, 2020