Commentary Introduction
126.The Electoral Commission was established under the provisions of the Political Parties, Elections and Referendums Act 2000 to oversee the workings of political parties in the UK. That Act also included provision to establish Boundary Committees for each country in the UK within the Electoral Commission and contained provisions to transfer to them the functions of the four Parliamentary Boundary Commissions for Scotland, England, Wales and Northern Ireland, together with those of the Local Government Commission for England and the Local Government Boundary Commissions for Scotland and Wales. These provisions were only ever commenced in relation to England and no Boundary Committees were established elsewhere.
127.Responsibility for local authority administrative and electoral boundaries in England was transferred to the Electoral Commission on 1st April 2002 to be carried out thereafter largely by the Boundary Committee for England.
128.Part 3 establishes a new body, the Local Government Boundary Commission for England, and transfers to it the functions of the Boundary Committee for England (subject to some modifications). In particular, sections 56 to 59 largely re-enact the provisions in Part 2 of the Local Government Act 1992, which make provision for changes to local authority electoral arrangements in England. A number of modifications have been made to reflect the removal of the role of the Electoral Commission from this process. The Local Government Boundary Commission for England will be able to initiate reviews of its own accord and Orders made by the Committee will now be subject to a Parliamentary procedure providing a line of accountability to Parliament. Section 60 transfers other functions from the Electoral Commission (see the note on section 60).
129.The sections that relate to the establishment of the Local Government Boundary Commission for England apply only to England. Section 61 applies to other parts of the United Kingdom (see the note on section 61).