Citation, commencement and interpretation

1.-(1) This Order may be cited as the Borough of Rotherham (Scheme of Elections) Order 2015 and comes into force on 24th April 2015.

(2) In this Order-

"borough" means the borough of Rotherham(2);

"the ordinary day of election of councillors" has the same meaning as in section 37 of the Representation of the People Act 1983(3).

Elections of the council of the borough of Rotherham

2.-(1) Subject to paragraph (4), the scheme for the ordinary elections of councillors for all wards of the borough is a scheme under which-

(a)the term of office of councillors is four years;

(b)the elections are held in a given year and every fourth year after it;

(c)all the councillors are elected in each year in which the elections are held; and

(d)the councillors retire together.

(2) The first ordinary elections of councillors under the scheme specified in paragraph (1) shall be held on the ordinary day of election of councillors in 2016.

(3) The councillors holding office for any ward of the borough immediately before the fourth day after the ordinary day of election of councillors in 2016 shall retire on that date and the newly elected councillors for those wards shall come into office on that date.

(4) The scheme specified in paragraph (1) only has effect in relation to the ordinary elections of councillors on or after the ordinary day of election of councillors in 2016.

Changes to years of parish elections for parishes within the borough

3.-(1) The ordinary elections of parish councillors for all parishes within the borough that would, but for this Order, have taken place in 2019 and every fourth year after 2019 shall instead take place on the ordinary day of election of councillors in 2020 and every fourth year after 2020.

(2) The parish councillors holding office for all parishes within the borough who would, but for this Order, have retired on the fourth day after the ordinary day of election of councillors in 2019 shall retire on the fourth day after the ordinary day of election of councillors in 2020 and the newly elected parish councillors shall come into office on that date.

EXPLANATORY NOTE

(This note is not part of the Order)

This Order provides a new scheme for the holding of the ordinary elections of councillors of all wards within the borough of Rotherham. It replaces the previous scheme for the ordinary election of councillors by thirds. It also changes the year of election for parish councillors for all parishes within the borough.

Article 2 provides for whole council elections every four years starting in 2016. It deals with the retirement of existing councillors and the coming into office of newly elected councillors following the elections in 2016.

Article 3 provides for all parishes within the borough to have parish council elections in 2020 and every fourth year thereafter, so that they take place in the same year as borough council elections.

An impact assessment has not been produced for this instrument as no impact on business or the private or voluntary sector is foreseen.