SIGNIFICANT changes to the places local councillors represent are planned as part of a shake up of electoral boundaries across the county.

In a bid to make sure all 98 Wiltshire councillors represent the same number of voters, boundary lines around villages and urban areas could change.

Population growth by 2024 has been taken into consideration, and means every councillor must represent between 3862 and 4720 electors.

A consultation held by the Local Government Boundary Commission will reveal the new areas they represent at the end of its consultation in Spring 2019.

Urban areas are set to see the most changes with the highest amount of planned development over the next six years.

Villages around Melksham and Devizes could see changes as a knock on result to boundary shifts from the rest of the county.

One key area of debate includes Poulshot, which could be placed within a Devizes or Melksham councillor area.

In South Chippenham two building developments are set to boost the population by 1700 by 2024, and would need to split boundaries to ensure there is not too many voters in one area. However, until the houses are built the population must be accounted for without the extra people.

Pewsey and Marlborough Area Board areas occupy large areas of land due to the high number of small villages and communities within them. The areas  are not set to see as much housing development as other areas and therefore few changes to the boundaries are planned.

Cabinet member for housing, Richard Clewer, has been given the task of re-dividing up the county, and at times has described it as an almost impossible task.

He said: “We don’t have all the answers but it is important that communities get in touch with the consultation to make their own voice heard and can even submit their own proposal to how it could be done.

“Quite clearly the Local Government Boundary Commission for England has understood the unique approach that the council takes to engage with its communities and partners and the benefits it brings to our decision-making by proposing the same number of councillors that we currently have.

“However people should be aware than even if our number stays the same there will still be some significant changes in their local electoral divisions and to recognise the planned growth in population both now and in to the future. Therefore I encourage people to get involved in the consultation on where boundaries need changing in order to achieve fair representation on the council.”

His team is working from County Hall in Trowbridge to find a solution they have described as like having four jigsaw puzzles all with the same front, but every set has different pieces, and trying to match them together.

His plan will form a draft proposal that has to then be agreed by full council and submitted to the Local Government Boundary Commission for England by November 5.

Any comments for the council can be submitted on: committee@wiltshire.gov.uk.

Contact the Local Government Boundary Commission for England using their consultation portal at https://consultation.lgbce.org.uk/node/14518.