LOCAL GOVERNMENT, ENGLAND Citation, commencement and interpretation 1 1 This Order may be cited as the District of Mid Bedfordshire (Electoral Changes) Order 2001. 2 This Order shall come into force— a for the purpose of proceedings preliminary or relating to any election to be held on 1st May 2003, on 15th October 2002; b for all other purposes, on 1st May 2003. 3 In this Order— “district” means the district of Mid Bedfordshire; “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 for Transport, Local Government and the Regions marked “Map of the District of Mid Bedfordshire (Electoral Changes) Order 2001”, and deposited in accordance with regulation 27 of the Local Government Changes for England Regulations 1994 . Wards of the district of Mid Bedfordshire 2 1 The existing wards of the district shall be abolished. 2 The district shall be divided into twenty-six wards which shall bear the names set out in column (1) of Schedule 1. 3 The wards shall comprise the areas described in column (2) of that Schedule by reference to parishes or, where an area is not so described, the area 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 (3) of that Schedule. 4 Where a boundary is shown on the map as running along a road, railway line, footway, watercourse or similar geographical feature, it shall be treated as running along the centre line of the feature. Elections of the council of Mid Bedfordshire 3 1 The ordinary elections of all councillors of the district of Mid Bedfordshire shall be held simultaneously on the ordinary day of election of non-metropolitan district councillors in 2003 and every fourth year after 2003. 2 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. Wards of the parish of Biggleswade 4 1 The existing wards of the parish of Biggleswade shall be abolished. 2 The parish shall be divided into three parish wards which shall bear the names set out in column (1) of Schedule 2; each parish ward shall comprise the area of the district ward specified in respect of the parish ward in column (2) of that Schedule; and the number of councillors to be elected for each parish ward shall be the number specified in respect of the parish ward in column (3) of that Schedule. Wards of the parish of Flitwick 5 1 The existing wards of the parish of Flitwick shall be abolished. 2 The parish shall be divided into two parish wards which shall bear the names set out in column (1) of Schedule 3; each parish ward shall comprise the area of the district ward specified in respect of the parish ward in column (2) of that Schedule; and the number of councillors to be elected for each parish ward shall be the number specified in respect of the parish ward in column (3) of that Schedule. Wards of the parish of Henlow 6 The parish of Henlow shall be divided into two parish wards which shall bear the names set out in column (1) of Schedule 4; each parish ward shall comprise the area of the district ward specified in respect of the parish ward in column (2) of that Schedule; and the number of councillors to be elected for each parish ward shall be the number specified in respect of the parish ward in column (3) of that Schedule. Wards of the parish of Sandy 7 1 The existing wards of the parish of Sandy shall be abolished. 2 The parish shall be divided into two parish wards which shall bear the names set out in column (1) of Schedule 5; each parish ward shall comprise the area of the district ward specified in respect of the parish ward in column (2) of that Schedule; and the number of councillors to be elected for each parish ward shall be the number specified in respect of the parish ward in column (3) of that Schedule. Numbers of parish councillors for Aspley Heath 8 The number of parish councillors to be elected for the parish of Aspley Heath shall be nine. Revocation 9 The District of Mid Bedfordshire (Electoral Arrangements) Order 1976 is hereby revoked. Signed by authority of the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions Alan Whitehead Parliamentary Under Secretary of State, Department of Transport, Local Government and the Regions 20th December 2001