The Wirral (Electoral Changes) Order 2026
Abolished the existing electoral wards of the borough of the Wirral and established 22 new wards with revised councillor allocations for elections from 2027.
Establishes new electoral arrangements for the borough of the Wirral by abolishing existing wards and creating 22 new wards.
It directs that each new ward is to be represented by three councillors, except for the Hoylake & Meols ward, which will elect two councillors.
The order applies to local government structures and electoral proceedings within the borough of the Wirral in England.
Arguments For
The order states that the changes give effect to electoral review recommendations published by the Local Government Boundary Commission for England in September 2025.
Proponents indicate that the order establishes a consistent structure of three councillors per ward for 21 of the 22 new wards, providing uniform representation across the borough except where specific geographical or demographic factors require two councillors.
Arguments Against
Legal and electoral observers may note that the precise boundaries are not defined within the text of the order itself but rely entirely on an external map held by the Local Government Boundary Commission for England, requiring separate inspection to resolve localized ambiguity.
Local political parties and residents face implementation adjustments, including the reorganization of local party structures and potential voter confusion regarding new ward names and boundaries ahead of the 2027 elections.
Citation, commencement, extent and application
- —(1) This Order may be cited as the Wirral (Electoral Changes) Order 2026.
(2) This article and article 2 come into force on 15th October 2026.
(3) Article 3 comes into force—
(a) for the purposes of proceedings preliminary or relating to the election of councillors, on 15th October 2026;
(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 article establishes the official title of the order and sets out its phased commencement timeline. It brings the citation, interpretation, and preliminary electoral preparatory rules into force on October 15, 2026, while deferring full implementation until the ordinary day of local elections in 2027.
The provision specifies that the legal changes apply exclusively to the borough of the Wirral in England.
Interpretation
- —(1) In this Order, ‘the map’ means the map marked ‘Map referred to in the Wirral (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 article defines 'the map' as the official boundary map maintained by the Local Government Boundary Commission for England.
It mandates that any boundary drawn alongside roads, railways, paths, or bodies of water must be legally interpreted as following the exact centerline of that feature.
Wards of the borough of the Wirral and number of councillors
- —(1) The existing wards of the borough of the Wirral are abolished.
(2) The borough of the Wirral is divided into the 22 wards listed in the Schedule.
(3) Each ward comprises the area identified on the map by reference to the name of the ward.
(4) The number of councillors to be elected for each ward is 3, save for the ward of Hoylake & Meols, in relation to which the number of councillors to be elected is 2.
This article dissolves all pre-existing electoral wards within the borough of the Wirral and replaces them with 22 new designated wards.
It establishes the geographical scope of each ward based on the official map and specifies that each ward will return three councillors, with the exception of the Hoylake & Meols ward, which is assigned two councillors.
Schedule
Wards of the borough of the Wirral
- Bebington
- Bidston & St James
- Birkenhead & Tranmere
- Bromborough & Port Sunlight
- Clatterbridge
- Claughton & Noctorum
- Eastham
- Greasby, Frankby & Irby
- Heswall
- Hoylake & Meols
- Leasowe & Moreton East
- Liscard & Egremont
- Moreton West & Saughall Massie
- New Brighton
- Oxton
- Pensby & Thingwall
- Prenton
- Rock Ferry & New Ferry
- Seacombe
- Upton & Woodchurch
- Wallasey
- West Kirby & Thurstaston
The schedule provides the official names of the 22 newly created electoral wards that constitute the reorganized voting districts of the borough.
These names correspond directly to the targeted geographical divisions delineated on the official boundary commission map.
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