PROPOSALS to change Cotswold District Council electoral areas have been agreed by councillors.

The council's draft proposals, part of an electoral review of council wards, have now been sent to parishes, MPs and county councillors for comments before a final recommendation is made to the Local Government Commission for England.

The new proposals slash the number of wards in the district from 33 to 26 and the number of councillors from 45 to 44.

They would replace the existing set-up with 11 single-member wards, 12 two-member wards and three three-member wards.

Each councillor would represent an average of 1,500 people and the aim of the scheme is to reflect changes in population since the last electoral review of the district in 1977.

In the north Cotswolds, only the Moreton and Blockley wards would stay unchanged. Changes including merging the existing Chipping Campden, Mickleton and Vale wards into one ward with three members.

Chipping Campden district councillor Sally Lindner said she felt it would make it more difficult for district councillors to attend all the parish council meetings in their new wards, particularly as her ward now included some Vale villages.

She said the Government directive had come from people who did not understand the difficulties of living in widespread rural areas.

Todenham, Batsford, Bourton-on-the-Hill, Cutsdean, Sezincote, Longborough, Condicote, Donnington and Broadwell would form a single-member ward. Stow would join with Oddington, Bledington, Evenlode, Adlestrop and Maugersbury in a two-member ward. Swell, the Slaughters, Guiting Power, Temple Guiting and Naunton would return one councillor; the Rissingtons, Westcote and Icomb one councillor; and Clapton, Bourton and Cold Aston two councillors.

Comments must be made to the district by September 8. It will make its final submission to the local government commission after a special meeting on October 3 and a final decision will be made next summer. Changes will come into operation in 2003.