The Maidstone (Electoral Changes) Order 2025

Made: 11th February 2025

Coming into force in accordance with article 1(2), (3) and (4)

Under section 92(2) of the Local Government and Public Involvement in Health Act 2007[^f00001], Maidstone Borough Council (“the Council”) made recommendations in a review to the Local Government Boundary Commission for England[^f00002] for the related alteration of the boundaries between a number of county electoral divisions and borough wards within the Council’s area.

The Local Government Boundary Commission for England has decided to give effect to the recommendations and makes the following Order in exercise of the power conferred by section 92(3) of that Act.

Citation, commencement, extent and application

1

• (1) This Order may be cited as the Maidstone (Electoral Changes) Order 2025.

• (2) This article and article 2 (interpretation) come into force on the day after the day on which this Order is made.

• (3) Article 3 (alteration of county electoral division boundaries) comes into force—

• (a) for the purpose of proceedings preliminary or relating to the election of councillors, on the day after the day on which this Order is made;

• (b) for all other purposes, on the ordinary day of election of councillors in England[^f00003] in 2025.

• (4) Article 4 (alteration of borough ward boundaries) comes into force—

• (a) for the purpose of proceedings preliminary or relating to the election of councillors, on 15th October 2027;

• (b) for all other purposes, on the ordinary day of election of councillors in England in 2028.

• (5) This Order extends to England and Wales but applies in relation to England only.

Interpretation

2

In this Order—

• “the Appended Map” means the map in the Schedule to this Order and any reference to an area marked on the Appended Map is a reference to an area identified on that map by way of the letter assigned to it;

• “the Council’s Order” means the Maidstone Borough (Reorganisation of Community Governance) Order 2023[^f00004];

• “the Map” means the map in Schedule 2 to the Council’s Order and any reference to an “area” is a reference to an area identified on a sheet of that map by way of the letter assigned to it.

Alteration of county electoral division boundaries

3

• (1) Each area marked A on the Appended Map that ceases to be part of an unparished area and becomes part of the parish of Barming by virtue of the Council’s Order, ceases to be part of the Maidstone Central county electoral division and becomes part of the Maidstone Rural West county electoral division.

• (2) The area marked B on the Map that ceases to be part of the parish of Boughton Monchelsea and becomes part of the parish of Langley by virtue of the Council’s Order, ceases to be part of the Maidstone South East county electoral division and becomes part of the Maidstone Rural South county electoral division.

• (3) The area marked H on the Map that ceases to be part of the parish of Boxley and becomes part of the parish of Thurnham by virtue of the Council’s Order, ceases to be part of the Maidstone Rural North county electoral division and becomes part of the Maidstone Rural East county electoral division.

• (4) The area marked J on the Map that ceases to be part of the parish of Downswood and becomes part of an unparished area by virtue of the Council’s Order, ceases to be part of the Maidstone South East county electoral division and becomes part of the Maidstone South county electoral division.

• (5) The area marked M on the Map that ceases to be part of the parish of Tovil and becomes part of an unparished area by virtue of the Council’s Order, ceases to be part of the Maidstone South county electoral division and becomes part of the Maidstone Central county electoral division.

Alteration of borough ward boundaries

4

• (1) The area marked A on the Map that ceases to be part of an unparished area and becomes part of the parish of Barming by virtue of the Council’s Order, ceases to be part of the Barming Heath & Teston borough ward and becomes part of the Fant & Oakwood borough ward.

• (2) The area marked C on the Map that ceases to be part of the parish of Loose and becomes part of the parish of Boughton Monchelsea by virtue of the Council’s Order, ceases to be part of the Loose & Linton borough ward and becomes part of the Boughton Monchelsea & Chart Sutton borough ward.

• (3) The area marked L on the Map that ceases to be part of the parish of Tovil and becomes part of the parish of Loose by virtue of the Council’s Order, ceases to be part of the Tovil borough ward and becomes part of the Loose & Linton borough ward.

Signed

Sealed with the seal of the Local Government Boundary Commission for England

Ailsa Irvine — Chief Executive — Local Government Boundary Commission for England — 11th February 2025

Explanatory note

(This note is not part of the Order)

Explanatory Note

This Order gives effect to recommendations made by Maidstone Borough Council (“the Council”) to the Local Government Boundary Commission for England for related alterations to the boundaries between a number of county electoral divisions and borough wards within the Council’s area.

The alterations are as consequence of changes to parish boundaries and warding arrangements under the Maidstone Borough (Reorganisation of Community Governance) Order 2023, which was made by the Council under sections 86 and 240(10) of the Local Government and Public Involvement in Health Act 2007 (c. 28). A hard copy of that Order is available for inspection at reasonable times at the offices of Maidstone Borough Council, Maidstone House, King Street, Maidstone, Kent, ME15 6JQ. It is also available online at https://www.lgbce.org.uk/sites/default/files/2025-02/MBC_Reorganisation_of_Community_Governance_Order_2023.pdf.

The changes described in article 3 (in relation to county electoral divisions) apply in respect of elections to be held on and after the ordinary day of election of councillors in England in 2025.

The changes described in article 4 (in relation to borough wards) apply in respect of elections to be held on and after the ordinary day of election of councillors in England in 2028.

A full impact assessment has not been produced for this instrument as no impact on the private, voluntary or public sectors is foreseen.

Footnotes

[^f00001]: 2007 c. 28. Section 92 was amended by paragraph 32 of Schedule 4 to the Local Democracy, Economic Development and Construction Act 2009 (c. 20).

[^f00002]: The Local Government Boundary Commission for England was established on 1st April 2010 by section 55(1) of the Local Democracy Economic Development and Construction Act 2009 (“the 2009 Act”). The functions of the Electoral Commission under Chapter 3 of Part 4 of the Local Government and Public Involvement in Health Act 2007 were transferred under section 60 of the 2009 Act to the Local Government Boundary Commission for England on 1st April 2010.

[^f00003]: The ordinary day of election of councillors in England is prescribed by section 37(1) of the Representation of the People Act 1983 (c. 2), as amended by section 18(2) of the Representation of the People Act 1985 (c. 50), renumbered by paragraph 5 of Schedule 3 to the Greater London Authority Act 1999 (c. 29), and further amended by section 6(16) of the Wales Act 2017 (c. 4).

[^f00004]: That Order was made by Maidstone Borough Council on 29th November 2023, and is available for inspection at reasonable times at the offices of Maidstone Borough Council, Maidstone House, King Street, Maidstone, Kent, ME15 6JQ. Such Orders are not required to be made by statutory instrument. It is also available online at https://www.lgbce.org.uk/sites/default/files/2025-02/MBC_Reorganisation_of_Community_Governance_Order_2023.pdf.

Editorial notes

[^key-b36789301613aaf8add7d133e3feef41]: Art. 1 in force at 12.2.2025, see art. 1(2)

[^key-57ed273a84065aab069c5ec0906007ab]: Art. 2 in force at 12.2.2025, see art. 1(2)

[^key-6d13e68294c442713bac2d98b629d4fe]: Art. 3 in force at 12.2.2025 for specified purposes, see art. 1(3)(a)

[^key-bc506eb5e3558bffb123fa5d605efe66]: Art. 4 in force at 15.10.2027 for specified purposes, see art. 1(4)(a)

[^key-ffbff9646e81413c5757b538bcd6c504]: Art. 4 in force at 4.5.2028 in so far as not already in force, see art. 1(4)(b)

[^key-c4fac3c7b89d92474517992e06ab812d]: Words in art. 2 inserted (2.4.2025) by The Maidstone (Electoral Changes) (Amendment) Order 2025 (S.I. 2025/445), arts. 1(2), 2(2)

[^key-c8e789b78714ae7cc24105ef57d1ecac]: Art. 3(1) substituted (2.4.2025 for specified purposes, 1.5.2025 in so far as not already in force) by The Maidstone (Electoral Changes) (Amendment) Order 2025 (S.I. 2025/445), arts. 1(3), 2(3)

[^key-bf3f8ead5ffce635419da062a403ec3e]: Art. 3 in force at 1.5.2025 in so far as not already in force, see art. 1(3)(b)

SCHEDULE — The Appended Map

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