§ Mr. Brocklebank-Fowlerasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what steps he is taking to ensure that warding arrangements for non-metropolitan districts are known in time for candidates to be chosen for the elections on 7th June, 1973; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. CarlisleFollowing preliminary consultations with existing local authorities, the Home Office will during the next three weeks be sending out draft warding schemes for the new districts recommended by the Local Government Boundary Commission. Five weeks will be allowed for comments, which will be considered by the independent advisory committee established earlier this year. My right hon. Friend has appointed additional members to enable several subcommittees to be formed and to allow all the committee's reports to reach him quickly. He hopes to be able to announce his decisions on all districts' warding arrangements during February and March.
The present members of the committee are:
- Mr. Michael Lewer (Barrister-at-Law) (Chairman).
- Mr. J. E. Fishwick (formerly Town Clerk of Lambeth).
- Mr. J. A. Turner (formerly Clerk of Northamptonshire County Council).
The additional members are:
- Mr. F. Entwistle (formerly Clerk of Staines UDC).
- Mr. G. G. Letchford (formerly Clerk of Maidstone RDC).
- Mr. T. J. Lewis (formerly Clerk of Runcorn UDC).
- Mr. D. W. Newport (formerly Clerk of Stratford-on-Avon RDC).
- Mr. T. F. Sidnell (formerly Town Clerk of Margate).
- Mr. G. F. Simmonds (formerly Town Clerk of Bedford).
- Mr. W. Wilson (formerly Clerk of Hitchin UDC).
- Mr. H. O. Wood (formerly Clerk of Andover RDC).