The North Yorkshire (Electoral Changes) Order 2026
Reorganized North Yorkshire into 87 electoral divisions and updated warding arrangements for 14 parishes effective from the 2027 local elections.
This Order establishes new electoral arrangements for North Yorkshire by abolishing existing divisions and creating 87 new electoral divisions.
It defines the names, boundaries, and number of councillors for these divisions, as well as making consequential changes to the warding structures of 14 specific parishes.
The Order applies to the Local Government Boundary Commission for England and relevant registration and returning officers for elections held on or after the ordinary day of election in 2027.
Arguments For
The Order implements recommendations from the Local Government Boundary Commission for England's January 2026 report regarding electoral arrangements.
The legislation states that the changes aim to improve electoral equality by ensuring each councillor represents approximately the same number of voters.
The Order provides a legal framework for the 2027 local elections by defining specific geographical boundaries and councillor allocations.
Arguments Against
Local residents or specific political interest groups may object to the splitting or merging of established communities into new electoral divisions.
Town and parish councils in areas like Harrogate or Scarborough may face administrative burdens adjusting to new warding structures and councillor numbers.
Legal scholars might note that the legal effect depends entirely on an external map held by the Commission, which is not fully replicated within the text of the Order itself.
Citation, commencement, extent and application
- —(1) This Order may be cited as the North Yorkshire (Electoral Changes) Order 2026.
(2) This article and article 2 come into force on the day after the day on which this Order is made.
(3) Articles 3 to 6 come into force—
- (a) for the purposes of proceedings preliminary or relating to the election of councillors, on the day after the day on which this Order is made;
- (b) for all other purposes, on the ordinary day of election of councillors in England in 2027.
(4) This Order extends to England and Wales but applies in relation to England only.
This section establishes the formal title of the legislation and its geographic reach, which is limited to England.
It sets a staggered commencement schedule, where basic definitions take effect immediately, while the new boundary rules apply to the 2027 election cycle.
Interpretation
- —(1) In this Order, ‘the map’ means the map marked ‘Map referred to in the North Yorkshire (Electoral Changes) Order 2026’ held by the Local Government Boundary Commission for England.
(2) Where a boundary is shown on the map as running along a road, railway line, footway, watercourse, or similar geographical feature, it is to be treated as running along the centre line of that feature.
This section defines 'the map' as the official document maintained by the Boundary Commission that precisely delineates the new borders.
It clarifies that any boundary following a physical feature like a road or river is legally understood to follow the exact middle of that feature.
Electoral divisions of North Yorkshire and number of councillors
- —(1) The existing electoral divisions of North Yorkshire are abolished.
(2) North Yorkshire is divided into the 87 electoral divisions listed in the first column of the Table in Schedule 1.
(3) Each electoral division comprises the area identified on the map by reference to the name of the electoral division.
(4) The number of councillors to be elected for each electoral division is the number specified in relation to that electoral division in the second column of the Table in Schedule 1.
This section removes all previous council boundary divisions in North Yorkshire and replaces them with 87 new divisions.
It mandates that each new division will elect the specific number of councillors listed in the accompanying schedule, typically one or two per area.
Certain parishes in North Yorkshire and number of councillors
- —(1) The existing parish wards of the parishes listed in paragraph (2) are abolished.
(2) The parishes referred to in paragraph (1) are—
- (a) Eastfield;
- (b) Harrogate;
- (c) Killinghall;
- (d) Knaresborough;
- (e) Newby & Scalby;
- (f) Northallerton;
- (g) Richmond;
- (h) Ripon;
- (i) Scarborough;
- (j) Selby;
- (k) Skipton;
- (l) Whitby.
(3) to (14) [Detailed warding for each listed parish as per Schedule 2].
(15) Each parish ward comprises the area identified on the map by reference to the name of the parish ward.
(16) The number of councillors to be elected for each parish ward is the number specified in relation to that parish ward in the second column of the relevant Table in Schedule 2.
This section updates the internal sub-divisions, known as wards, for 12 major parishes including Harrogate and Scarborough.
It abolishes the old ward structures and creates new ones based on the Boundary Commission's map to ensure local parish representation aligns with the new overarching council divisions.
Parish wards of the parish of Haverah Park with Beckwithshaw and number of councillors
- —(1) The parish of Haverah Park with Beckwithshaw is divided into the 3 parish wards listed in the first column of Table 1 in Schedule 3.
(2) Each parish ward comprises the area identified on the map by reference to the name of the parish ward.
(3) The number of councillors to be elected for each parish ward is the number specified in relation to that parish ward in the second column of Table 1 in Schedule 3.
This section specifically creates three new wards for the parish of Haverah Park with Beckwithshaw.
It defines their boundaries according to the official map and sets the number of councillors for each new ward.
Parish wards of the parish of Littlethorpe and number of councillors
- —(1) The parish of Littlethorpe is divided into the 2 parish wards listed in the first column of Table 2 in Schedule 3.
(2) Each parish ward comprises the area identified on the map by reference to the name of the parish ward.
(3) The number of councillors to be elected for each parish ward is the number specified in relation to that parish ward in the second column of Table 2 in Schedule 3.
This section divides the parish of Littlethorpe into two distinct wards.
It establishes the geographical limits for the 'Fountains Walk' and 'Littlethorpe' wards and assigns the number of councillors to be elected to each.
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