At a full meeting of the council this week, members confirmed they will support in full the Local Government Boundary Commission for England’s (LGBCE) draft recommendations for new electoral arrangements in Knowsley. The decision advances the borough’s ongoing Electoral Review into its next consultation phase.
What the draft recommends
The Commission’s proposals retain the council’s current size: 45 councillors serving across 15 three-member wards. The LGBCE says that maintaining this configuration will allow the council to continue to perform its responsibilities effectively while improving the balance of electors represented by each councillor.
- Wards proposed for boundary change (8): Cherryfield; Northwood; Prescot North; Prescot South; Page Moss; Roby; St Gabriels; St Michaels.
- Wards proposed to remain unchanged: seven wards (names not specified in the draft summary noted by the council).
- Consultation period: the second phase runs until 7 September 2026.
Council response and next steps
Councillors noted that the draft recommendations broadly reflect the proposals the council itself submitted during the review’s first consultation earlier this year. The council has agreed that its formal response will be lodged as part of the LGBCE’s second phase of public consultation, giving residents and organisations the opportunity to comment before the Commission issues final recommendations.
"The Electoral Review is designed to ensure that each councillor represents broadly the same number of electors both now and in the future," the council statement noted.
Why the review matters to residents
The statutory review process, repeated periodically for councils across England, aims to secure greater electoral equality by adjusting ward boundaries so that each councillor is responsible for a similar number of electors. It also takes into account community identities and interests and seeks to create ward boundaries that are clear and readily identifiable.
For Knowsley electors the practical consequences include which ward they will vote in, which councillors will represent them and, potentially, the local priorities that feature in ward-level campaigning and service delivery. Any changes recommended by the Commission and confirmed after consultation will be in place for future local elections.
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| Councillors | 45 |
| Wards | 15 three-member wards |
| Wards with proposed changes | 8 |
| Wards unchanged | 7 |
| Consultation closes | 7 September 2026 |
The council has published its full response to the LGBCE’s draft, and residents are invited to take part in the public consultation hosted by the Commission. The LGBCE will consider submissions received during this phase before issuing its final recommendations.
The outcome of the review will determine the borough’s electoral map for the coming years; councillors and communities now have the opportunity to scrutinise the proposals and make their views known.
