Representation reviews

Otherwise, citizens won’t engage with local government or build civic values. When people make decisions about whether to vote, trust and the belief that electoral processes are fair are critical factors. At the national level, the Electoral Commission is responsible for parliamentary elections being fair and ensuring all votes are of equal value. At the local level, this responsibility is exercised through a council’s representation review, which is a process backed up by the Local Government Commission. At least once every six years, every council must review its representation arrangements, which are how communities hold local governments democratically accountable. This guide sets out everything elected members need to know about representation reviews, including their role, why a good review process is critical to a functioning local democracy, and what it involves. It draws heavily on the Local Government Commission’s Representation Review Guidelines.

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