Boundaries of wards for next year's local elections in Dartford have been proposed to the council after a review of the borough was conducted.

The independent Local Government Boundary Commission for England published its recommendations for Dartford Borough Council on Tuesday (June 5).

The new ward boundaries were proposed after a review and public consultation. LGBC has confirmed the boundaries of all wards in Dartford will change as a result of this review.

LGBC has recommended that Dartford should be represented by 42 borough councillors in future - instead of the 44 currently in the council.

Within the new boundary recommendations are seven wards represented by three councillors, eight wards represented by two councillors and five wards represented by just one councillor.

After public consultation, the Commission announced it made some changes to proposals submitted earlier this year. One example of this was a change to plans to divide the parish of Sutton-at-Hone and Hawley between two different wards.

According to LGBC, feedback from the public suggested there was a strong opposition to this proposal. Therefore, the decision was made to keep the parish within one ward, which has been presented as the Wilmington, Sutton-at-Hone and Hawley ward (which will be represented by three councillors).

Within Dartford town centre, LGBC has proposed a one-councillor ward for Burnham, which will be separate from the Dartford Town ward. A statement from the Commission said this was due to Burnham residents arguing they had a "separate identity" from the rest of the town.

Professor Colin Mellors, chair of LGBC, said: “We are extremely grateful to people across Dartford who took part in the review. The Commission has looked at all the evidence that was put forward during the consultation.

“We believe these recommendations deliver electoral fairness for voters as well as reflecting community ties throughout Dartford.”