LOCAL GOVERNMENT, ENGLAND AND WALES Citation, commencement and interpretation 1 1 This Order may be cited as the Borough of Stevenage (Electoral Changes) Order 1998. 2 This Order shall come into force 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 it shall come into force on the day after that on which it is made. 3 In this Order– “the borough” means the borough of Stevenage; “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 Stevenage (Electoral Changes) Order 1998”, and deposited in accordance with regulation 27 of the Local Government Changes for England Regulations 1994 . Wards of Stevenage 2 1 The existing wards of the borough shall be abolished. 2 The borough shall be divided into thirteen wards which shall bear the names set out in the Schedule. 3 The wards shall comprise the areas designated on the map by reference to the name of the ward and demarcated by red lines. 4 The number of councillors to be elected for each ward shall be three. 5 Where a boundary is shown on the map as running along a road, railway line, footway, waterway or other similar geographical feature, it shall be treated as running along the centre line of the feature. Elections of the council of Stevenage 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 Of the councillors elected in 1999 in each ward of the borough– a one-third shall retire in 2000 being, subject to paragraphs (5) and (6) below, the councillor elected in each ward by the smallest number of votes; b one third shall retire in 2002 being, subject as aforesaid, the councillor elected in each ward by the next smallest number of votes; and c the remaining councillor in each ward shall retire in 2003. 5 In the case of an equality of votes between any persons elected which makes it uncertain which of them is to retire in any such year, the person to retire in that year shall be determined by lot. 6 If an election of councillors for any ward is not contested, the person to retire in each such year shall be determined by lot. 7 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. 8 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 Stevenage (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 16th October 1998