LOCAL GOVERNMENT, ENGLAND AND WALES Citation, commencement and interpretation 1 1 This Order may be cited as the Borough of Ellesmere Port & Neston (Electoral Changes) Order 1998. 2 This Order shall come into force for all purposes on 6th May 1999, except that for the purpose of all proceedings preliminary or relating to an election to be held on or after that date this Order shall come into force on the day after that on which it is made. 3 In this Order– “the borough” means the borough of Ellesmere Port & Neston; “existing”, in relation to a ward, means the ward as it exists on the date this Order is made; and any reference to the map is a reference to the map prepared by the Department of the Environment, Transport and the Regions marked “Map of the Borough of Ellesmere Port & Neston (Electoral Changes) Order 1998”, and deposited in accordance with regulation 27 of the Local Government Changes for England Regulations 1994 . Wards of Ellesmere Port & Neston 2 1 The existing wards of the borough shall be abolished. 2 The borough shall be divided into nineteen wards which shall bear the names set out in column (1) of Schedule 1. 3 The wards shall comprise the areas designated on the map by reference to the name of the ward and demarcated by red lines; and the number of councillors to be elected for each ward shall be the number specified in respect of the ward in column (2) of that Schedule. 4 Where a boundary is shown on the map as running along a road, railway line, footway, waterway or similar geographical feature, it shall be treated as running along the centre of the feature. Elections of the council of Ellesmere Port & Neston 3 1 Subject to the following provisions of this article, the election of councillors for wards of the borough shall be by thirds. 2 Elections of all councillors for wards of the borough shall be held simultaneously on the ordinary day of election of councillors in 1999 . 3 The councillors holding office for any ward in the borough immediately before 10th May 1999 shall retire on that date and the newly elected councillors for any such ward shall come into office on that date. 4 The order of retirement of councillors shall be as set out in Schedule 2. 5 Where the number of councillors elected in 1999 for any ward of the borough is two or more– a the first to retire shall, subject to paragraphs (6) and (7) below, be the councillor elected by the smallest number of votes; and b the second to retire shall, subject to those paragraphs, be the councillor elected by the next smallest number of votes. 6 In the case of an equality of votes between any persons elected which makes it uncertain which of them is to retire in any year, the person to retire in that year shall be determined by lot. 7 If an election of councillors for any ward is not contested, the person to retire in each year shall be determined by lot. 8 Where under this article any question is to be determined by lot, the lot shall be drawn at the next practicable meeting of the council after the question has arisen and the drawing shall be conducted under the direction of the person presiding at the meeting. 9 Except as otherwise provided in the foregoing paragraphs of this article, the term of office of councillors shall be four years and all councillors shall retire on the fourth day after the ordinary day of election of councillors in the year of retirement and the newly elected councillors shall come into office on the day on which their predecessors retire. Revocation 4 The Borough of Ellesmere Port (Electoral Arrangements) Order 1976 is hereby revoked. Signed by authority of the Secretary of State Hilary Armstrong Minister of State, Department of the Environment, Transport and the Regions 13th November 1998