A major overhaul of the political map in Buckinghamshire could see the number of councillors slashed and nearly every ward in the county could have its boundaries changed. 

New boundaries are being proposed for council wards in the Buckinghamshire Council area by the Local Government Boundary Commission. 

The Commission says it wants to make sure councillors each represent roughly the same number of people. 

The council currently has 147 councillors representing 49 wards, but the Commission's proposals have this slimmed down to 98. 

Those councillors should represent 51 wards, represented by 10 three-councillor wards, 27 two-councillor wards and 14 single-councillor wards, they added.

The boundaries of most wards will change, with only five staying the same. 

Proposed changes include the creation of single councillor Sands and Downley wards in the High Wycombe area and dividing the more densely populated areas of Chesham from the rural areas by introucing a Chesham North and Chesham South ward. 

Other proposals include: 

  • Moving the Gold Hill area from Chalfont St Giles ward to Chalfont St Peter because it has "closer links" 
  • Knotty Green staying within the Penn parish instead of moving into the Beaconsfield ward as requested by some residents
  • Moving Beaconsfield Old Town into the Beaconsfield ward instead of remaning in Gerrards Cross ward 
  • New residential developments at Terriers Farm will be incorporated into Hazlemere ward 
  • Penn Street and Winchmore Hill will stay within the Penn parish 
  • Incorporation of Penn, Tylers Green and Loudwater into one ward
  • The Chiltern Villages ward should include Piddington, Wheeler End and West Wycombe
  • Little Marlow will not be linked with the Marlow ward, instead putting the rural parts in the Chiltern Villages ward 
  • Well End, which is in the Little Marlow parish, should be linked with Bourne End instead 
  • Marlow Bottom to be included in the Marlow ward because they have strong links 
  • Wycombe Marsh put in the propsed Marsh and Micklefield ward, with Abbey ward extended eastwards along the former railway line from Princes Gate to Bassetsbury Lane
  • Booker and Cressex to be separated from Castlefield into its own ward 
  • Carrington Road, Conifer Rise, Sabina Close and Oakridge Road to be included in the proposed Castlefield and Oakridge ward and Cressex Road in the Booker and Cressex ward
  • People living in The Pastures and Hithercroft Road to be included in the Downley ward, with Downley seen as a separate community from High Wycombe 
  • Disraeli ward to have one councillor and be formed of the unparished part of the existing Downley ward 
  • A new Sands ward created
  • A new Terriers and Amersham Hill ward and a Totteridge and Bowerdean ward 

Residents are being urged to have their say on the plans for new boundaries in a new consultation. 

Professor Colin Mellors, Chair of the Commission, said: “We want people in Buckinghamshire to help us. We have drawn up proposals for new wards in Buckinghamshire.

"We want to make sure these new electoral arrangements reflect communities. We also want them to be easy to understand and convenient for local people.

"Residents and local organisations can help us do that. We would like them to let us know whether they agree with our proposals before we take final decisions."

Go online to www.lgbce.org.uk/all-reviews/south-east/buckinghamshire/buckinghamshire-council to have your say, email reviews@lgbce.org.uk, or send your suggestions in the post to Review Officer (Buckinghamshire), LGBCE, PO Box 133, Blyth, NE24 9FE.