This is a list of boundary changes occurring in the South West England region of England, since the re-organisation of local government following the passing of the Local Government Act 1972.
Administrative boundaries
Initial creation When the Local Government Act 1972 was passed there were still some details left to be decided, the Local Government Boundary Commission for England's first work was to clarify these details.
Date Statutory Instrument LGBCE Report1 February 1973 The English Non-Metropolitan Districts (Definition) Order 1972legislation.gov.uk - The English Non-Metropolitan Districts (Definition) Order 1972. Retrieved on 9 May 2016. Report No. 001: Recommendations for new Districts in the non-Metropolitan Counties November 19725 March 1973 The Divided Areas (Boundaries) Order 1973 n/a1 May 1973 The English Non-Metropolitan Districts (Names) Order 1973legislation.gov.uk - The English Non-Metropolitan Districts (Names) Order 1973. Retrieved on 9 May 2016. Report No. 002: Names of Non-Metropolitan Districts March 1973
Principal Area Boundary Reviews The Local Government Boundary Commission for England (or LGBCE) was established by the Local Government Act 1972 to review the administrative boundaries of every local authority in England. Between 1974 and 1992 they completed a series of Principal Area Boundary Reviews; reviewing the administrative boundaries of local authorities at their request.
Date Statutory Instrument Effect LGBCE Report(s)1 April 1977 The Cornwall and Devon (Areas) Order 1977 Changes to the North Cornwall (Cornwall)/Torridge (Devon) boundary 1 April 1981 The North Wiltshire and Thamesdown (Areas) Order 1980legislation.gov.uk - The North Wiltshire and Thamesdown (Areas) Order 1980. Retrieved on 18 November 2015. Changes to the North Wiltshire/Thamesdown (both Wiltshire) boundary Report No. 380: Thamesdown/North Wiltshire April 19801 April 1981 The Oxfordshire and Wiltshire (Areas) Order 1980 Changes to the Thamesdown (Wiltshire)/Vale of White Horse (Oxfordshire) boundary 1 April 1983 The Avon and Somerset (Areas) Order 1983 Changes to the Sedgemoor (Somerset)/Woodspring (Avon) boundary Report No. 420: Woodspring/Sedgemoor November 19811 April 1984 The Bristol, Wansdyke and Woodspring (Areas) Order 1984 Changes to the boundaries of Bristol (Avon) Wansdyke (Avon) Woodspring (Avon) Report No. 437: Wansdyke/Woodspring/Mendip/Bristol December 19821 April 1985 The Sedgemoor and Taunton Deane (Areas) Order 1984 Changes to the Sedgemoor/Taunton Deane (both Somerset) boundary Report No. 434: Taunton Deane/Sedgemoor September 19821 April 1985 The Mid Devon, South Hams and Teignbridge (Areas) Order 1985 Changes to the Mid Devon/Teignbridge (both Devon) boundary South Hams/Teignbridge (both Devon) boundary Report No. 455: Teignbridge/South Hams/Mid Devon October 19831 April 1986 The Devon (District Boundaries) Order 1985 Changes to the Plymouth/South Hams (both Devon) boundary Report No. 467: South Hams/Plymouth March 19841 April 1988 The Devon (District Boundaries) Order 1987legislation.gov.uk - The Devon (District Boundaries) Order 1987. Retrieved on 6 November 2015. Changes to the Exeter/East Devon (both Devon) boundary Exeter/Teignbridge (both Devon) boundary Report No. 521: Exeter/East Devon/Teignbridge December 19861 April 1988 The Dorset (District Boundaries) Order 1987legislation.gov.uk - The Dorset (District Boundaries) Order 1987. Retrieved on 6 November 2015. Changes to the North Dorset/Purbeck (both Dorset) boundary Report No. 525: North Dorset/Purbeck December 19861 April 1991 The Gloucestershire (District Boundaries) Order 1991legislation.gov.uk - The Gloucestershire (District Boundaries) Order 1991. Retrieved on 6 November 2015. Changes to the Tewkesbury/Gloucester (both Gloucestershire) boundary Stroud/Gloucester (both Gloucestershire) boundary Tewkesbury/Cheltenham (both Gloucestershire) boundary Tewkesbury/Cotswold (both Gloucestershire) boundary Report No. 547: Gloucester/Cheltenham/Cotswold/Stroud/Tewkesbury March 19881 April 1992 The Mid Devon, Torridge and West Devon (District Boundaries) Order 1991legislation.gov.uk - The Mid Devon, Torridge and West Devon (District Boundaries) Order 1991. Retrieved on 6 November 2015. Changes to the Mid Devon/West Devon (both Devon) boundary Torridge/West Devon (both Devon) boundary Report No. 564: West Devon/Mid Devon/Torridge September 1988
Other principal area boundary reviews Report No. 12: Mendip Hills (Avon/Somerset) December 1974
Mandatory Reviews of non-Metropolitan Counties, Metropolitan Districts and London Boroughs In 1985 they began the first full administrative review of all non-metropolitan counties. Their reviews of metropolitan counties and Greater London began in 1987 and both reviews were completed in 1992.
Date Statutory Instrument Effect LGBCE Report(s)1 April 1990 The Berkshire, Dorset and Wiltshire (County Boundaries) Order 1989legislation.gov.uk - The Berkshire, Dorset and Wiltshire (County Boundaries) Order 1989. Retrieved on 5 November 2015. Changes to the Kennet (Wiltshire)/Newbury (Berkshire) boundary Salisbury (Wiltshire)/North Dorset (Dorset) boundaryReport No. 556: Wiltshire July 19881 April 1990 The Avon, Somerset and Wiltshire (County Boundaries) Order 1990legislation.gov.uk - The Avon, Somerset and Wiltshire (County Boundaries) Order 1990. Retrieved on 5 November 2015. Changes to the Wansdyke (Avon)/Mendip (Somerset) boundary Woodspring (Avon)/Sedgemoor (Somerset) boundary Northavon (Avon)/North Wiltshire (Wiltshire) boundaryNo. 568: Avon November 19881 April 1990 The Gloucestershire and Wiltshire (County Boundaries) Order 1990legislation.gov.uk - The Gloucestershire and Wiltshire (County Boundaries) Order 1990. Retrieved on 5 November 2015. Changes to the North Wiltshire (Wiltshire)/Cotswold (Gloucestershire) boundary 1 April 1991 The Avon and Gloucestershire (County Boundaries) Order 1991legislation.gov.uk - The Avon and Gloucestershire (County Boundaries) Order 1991. Retrieved on 5 November 2015. Changes to the Northavon (Avon)/Stroud (Gloucestershire) boundary 1 April 1991 The Dorset and Somerset (County Boundaries) Order 1991legislation.gov.uk - The Dorset and Somerset (County Boundaries) Order 1991. Retrieved on 5 November 2015. Changes to the West Dorset (Dorset)/South Somerset (Somerset) boundary Report No. 572: Dorset April 19891 April 1992 The Dorset, Hampshire, West Sussex and Wiltshire (County Boundaries) Order 1991legislation.gov.uk - The Dorset, Hampshire, West Sussex and Wiltshire (County Boundaries) Order 1991. Retrieved on 5 November 2015. Changes to the Christchurch (Dorset)/New Forest (Hampshire) boundary East Dorset (Dorset)/New Forest (Hampshire) boundary New Forest (Hampshire)/Salisbury (Wiltshire) boundary Test Valley (Hampshire)/Kennet (Wiltshire) boundary East Hampshire (Hampshire)/Chichester (West Sussex) boundary Havant (Hampshire)/Chichester (West Sussex) boundaryReport No. 580: Hampshire January 1990
Other mandatory reviews of non-metropolitan counties, metropolitan districts and London boroughs Report No. 535: Cornwall and Devon April 1987 Report No. 545: Somerset January 1988 Report No. 574: Gloucestershire February 1989
Electoral boundaries
Initial creation When the Local Government Act 1972 was passed there was not sufficient time to draw up proper electoral boundaries for the new county and district councils, so a temporary system was quickly put in place, intended to only be used for the first elections in 1973.
Date Statutory Instrument7 June 1973 The County of Avon (District Wards) Order 197312 April 1973 The County of Avon (Electoral Divisions) Order 19737 June 1973 The County of Cornwall (District Wards) Order 197312 April 1973 The County of Cornwall (Electoral Divisions) Order 19737 June 1973 The County of Devon (District Wards) Order 197312 April 1973 The County of Devon (Electoral Divisions) Order 19737 June 1973 The County of Dorset (District Wards) Order 197312 April 1973 The County of Dorset (Electoral Divisions) Order 19737 June 1973 The County of Gloucestershire (District Wards) Order 197312 April 1973 The County of Gloucestershire (Electoral Divisions) Order 19737 June 1973 The County of Somerset (District Wards) Order 197312 April 1973 The County of Somerset (Electoral Divisions) Order 19737 June 1973 The County of Wiltshire (District Wards) Order 197312 April 1973 The County of Wiltshire (Electoral Divisions) Order 1973
First periodic review The Local Government Boundary Commission for England (or LGBCE) was established by the Local Government Act 1972 to review the electoral boundaries of every local authority in England. In 1974 they began the first full electoral review of all metropolitan and non-metropolitan districts, completing it in July 1980. Their reviews of the county councils were completed in 1984.