LOCAL GOVERNMENT, ENGLAND AND WALES Citation, commencement and interpretation 1 1 This Order may be cited as the District of Welwyn Hatfield (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 this Order shall come into force on the day after that on which it is made. 3 In this Order– “the district” means the district of Welwyn Hatfield; “existing”, in relation to a ward, means the ward as it exists on the date this Order is made; 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 District of Welwyn Hatfield (Electoral Changes) Order 1998”, and deposited in accordance with regulation 27 of the Local Government Changes for England Regulations 1994 and any reference to a numbered sheet is a reference to the sheet of the map which bears that number. Wards of Welwyn Hatfield 2 1 The existing wards of the district shall be abolished. 2 The district shall be divided into seventeen 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 parish wards, or, where no area is 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, waterway or other similar geographical feature, it shall be treated as running along the centre line of the feature. Elections of the council of Welwyn Hatfield 3 1 Subject to the following provisions of this article, the election of councillors for wards of the district shall be by thirds. 2 Elections of all councillors for wards of the district shall be held simultaneously on the ordinary day of election of councillors in 1999 . 3 The councillors holding office for any ward in the district 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 district is two, the first to retire shall, subject to paragraphs (7) and (8) below, be the councillor elected by the smaller number of votes. 6 Where the number of councillors elected in 1999 for any ward of the district is three– a the first to retire shall, subject to paragraphs (7) and (8) below, be the councillor elected in that ward by the smallest number of votes; and b the second to retire shall, subject to those paragraphs, be the councillor elected in that ward by the next smallest number of votes. 7 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. 8 If an election of councillors for any ward is not contested, the person to retire in each such year shall be determined by lot. 9 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. 10 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. Wards of the parish of Hatfield 4 1 The existing wards of the parish of Hatfield shall be abolished. 2 The parish shall be divided into six 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 that 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 that parish ward in column (3) of that Schedule. Wards of the parish of North Mymms 5 1 The existing wards of the parish of North Mymms shall be abolished. 2 The parish shall be divided into three parish wards which shall bear the names Brookmans Park, Little Heath and Welham Green, and the wards shall comprise the areas designated on sheet 4 by reference to the name of the ward and demarcated by orange lines. 3 The number of councillors to be elected for the Little Heath ward shall be two and for each of the wards of Brookmans Park and Welham Green shall be four. Revocation 6 The District of Welwyn Hatfield (Electoral Arrangements) Order 1991 and The District of Welwyn Hatfield (Electoral Arrangements) Order 1976 are 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