local government, england Citation and commencement 1 1 This Order may be cited as the Borough of Welwyn Hatfield (Electoral Changes) Order 2008. 2 This Order comes into force— a for the purpose of proceedings preliminary or relating to any election to be held on the ordinary day of election of councillors in 2008, on the day after that on which it is made; b for all other purposes, on the ordinary day of election of councillors in 2008. Interpretation 2 In this Order— “borough” means the borough of Welwyn Hatfield; “existing”, in relation to a ward, means the ward as it exists on the date this Order is made; “map” means the map marked “Map referred to in the Borough of Welwyn Hatfield (Electoral Changes) Order 2008”, of which prints are available for inspection at the principal office of the Electoral Commission: and any reference to a numbered sheet is a reference to the sheet of the map which bears that number; “ordinary day of election of councillors” has the meaning given by section 37 of the Representation of the People Act 1983 ; and “registration officer” means an officer appointed for the purpose of, and in accordance with, section 8 of the Representation of the People Act 1983. Wards of the borough of Welwyn Hatfield 3 1 The existing wards of the borough shall be abolished. 2 The borough shall be divided into seventeen wards which shall be named as set out in column (1) of Schedule 1. 3 Each ward shall comprise the area 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 the number specified in respect of the ward in column (2) of Schedule 1. 5 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 the borough of Welwyn Hatfield 4 1 Elections of all councillors for all wards of the borough shall be held simultaneously on the ordinary day of election of councillors in 2008 . 2 The councillors holding office for any ward of the borough immediately before the fourth day after the ordinary day of election of councillors in 2008 shall retire on that date and the newly elected councillors shall come into office on that date. 3 The order of retirement of councillors shall be as set out in Schedule 2. 4 Of the councillors elected in 2008 for any ward of the borough— a the first to retire shall, subject to paragraphs (5) and (6), 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. 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 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 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. Wards of the parish of Hatfield 5 1 The existing wards of the parish of Hatfield shall be abolished. 2 The parish shall be divided into six wards which shall be named Central, East, Newgate Street and Wildhill, South, Villages and West. 3 Each ward shall comprise the area designated on sheets 3 and 4 by reference to the name of the ward and demarcated by orange lines. 4 The number of councillors to be elected for each of Central, East, Villages and West wards shall be three, for South ward shall be two and for Newgate Street and Wildhill ward shall be one. Wards of the parish of Welwyn 6 1 The existing wards of the parish of Welwyn shall be abolished. 2 The parish of Welwyn shall be divided into three wards which shall be named Digswell, Oaklands and Mardley Heath, and Welwyn Village. 3 Each ward shall comprise the area designated on sheet 2 by reference to the name of the ward and demarcated by orange lines. 4 The number of councillors to be elected for Welwyn Village ward shall be five, for Oaklands and Mardley Heath ward shall be four and for Digswell ward shall be two. Parish elections 7 1 Elections of all parish councillors for the parishes of Hatfield and Welwyn shall be held simultaneously on the ordinary day of election of councillors in 2008 and 2011 . 2 The term of office of every parish councillor for these parishes elected on the ordinary day of election of councillors in 2007 shall be one year. 3 Where any provision of an Order made before the making of this Order requires an election of parish councillors for a parish mentioned in paragraph (1) to be held on a date other than that for which that paragraph provides, it shall cease to have effect to that extent. Map 8 Welwyn Hatfield Borough Council shall make a print of the map available for inspection at its offices by any member of the public at any reasonable time. Electoral register 9 The registration officer for the borough shall make such rearrangement of, or adaptation of, the register of local government electors as may be necessary for the purposes of, and in consequence of, this Order. Revocation 10 Articles 2, 3(4), 4 and Schedule 1 and 2 of the District of Welwyn Hatfield (Electoral Changes) Order 1998 are revoked. Sealed with the seal of the Electoral Commission on the 20th day of February 2008 Peter Wardle Chief Executive 20th February 2008 Vera Markos Secretary to the Commission 20th February 2008