New political map for Southampton City Council

Southampton is set to have new boundaries for its council wards

New wards for Southampton
Credit: contains Ordnance Survey data (c) Crown copyright and database rights 2022
View a high resolution map

The Local Government Boundary Commission is the independent body that draws these boundaries. It has reviewed Southampton to make sure councillors will represent about the same number of electors, and that ward arrangements will help the council work effectively.

The Commission has published final recommendations for changes in Southampton. It says residents should be represented by 51 councillors. This is an increase of three from the current arrangements.

There will be 17 three-councillor wards, one more than there is now. The boundaries of most wards should change. Coxford and Shirley wards will stay the same.

Publishing the recommendations Professor Colin Mellors, Chair of the Commission,
said:

“We are very grateful to people in Southampton. We looked at all the views they gave us. They helped us improve our earlier proposals.

“We believe the new arrangements will deliver electoral fairness while maintaining local ties.”

249 people and organisations made comments to help decide the new wards. Changes in response to what local people said include:

• Renaming Bargate North ward to Banister & Polygon, Bargate South ward to Bargate, and Bitterne ward to Thornhill
• Making minor changes to the wards in the city centre area, to the boundary between Bevois and Portswood wards, Swaythling and Bassett wards, Harefield and Bitterne Park wards, and Peartree and Sholing wards

The Commission has made further changes to its earlier proposals. Details can be found on its website.

The changes become law once Parliament has approved them. Staff at the council will ensure that the arrangements are in place for the 2023 elections.

This does not affect the Bitterne By-Election on 1 December 2022.

The current ward map and list of ward councillors can be found here.