New wards for May’s local elections

THE political map of Wokingham and its surrounding villages has been redrawn ahead of full council elections in May.

Wokingham Borough is elected in a system called thirds: of the 54 seats, 18 are up for grabs three years out of four.

The fourth year is a fallow one, with no polls taking place.

The Boundary Commission for England ordered a review the political map of the borough as the wards were unequal. Some had one councillor, some two, and the rest three.

Under the shake-up, each ward will have three councillors, balancing them out.

Due to the changes, an all-out election will be contested in May, with every seat up for grabs.

At the moment, the council is hung, with the Liberal Democrats the largest party. With an all-out election, this could change.

Wokingham Town is one area that has seen the least changes, as the names for the borough wards are unchanged. The number of councillors representing the town will increase from 11 to 12, as Wescott ward will gain a councillor.

Perhaps the biggest change is the creation of a new ‘Thames ward’ covering Sonning, Wargrave, Charvil and Ruscombe.

The map has also been significantly redrawn in Earley and Woodley, with the creation of the Maiden Erlegh & Whitegates and the Bulmershe & Coronation wards.

Areas which previously had individual councillors have been amalgamated, which is the case with the new wards of Barkham & Arborfield and Spencers Wood & Swallowfield.

The existing boundaries will remain until the council is recessed for the election on Thursday, May 2.

After this year’s election, the thirds system will resume. So, in 2025, 18 councillors will be voted for in each subsequent election.

The council has the power to decide whether the election cycle is conducted on an annual or four-year election basis.

The Electoral Commission gave the council the choice over the system it used.

Wokingham Borough Council’s previous Conservative administration advocated for fouryear elections in 2022, but the change was scrapped when the Liberal Democrats took power in May of that year.