Milton Keynes will elect its council on new ward boundaries in 2026 after the Local Government Boundary Commission for England made the Milton Keynes (Electoral Changes) Order 2025. Sealed on 18 November 2025 by the Commission’s Chief Executive, Ailsa Irvine, the Order implements recommendations set out in June 2025. The measure does not alter the city boundary.
The instrument is made under sections 58(4) and 59(1) of the Local Democracy, Economic Development and Construction Act 2009. A draft was laid before Parliament and the 40‑day period expired without either House resolving that the instrument be not made. Article 1 staggers commencement and confirms that the Order extends to England and Wales but applies in relation to England only.
Article 2 defines the authoritative map titled “Map referred to in the Milton Keynes (Electoral Changes) Order 2025”, held by the Commission. Where a boundary follows a road, railway, footway, watercourse or a similar feature, it is to be interpreted as running along the centre line of that feature for electoral purposes.
Article 3 abolishes all existing city wards and creates 21 new wards, as listed in Schedule 1. Each ward comprises the area identified on the Commission’s map and returns the number of councillors specified alongside its name in that Schedule.
Article 4 provides for a whole‑council election on the ordinary day of election of councillors in England in 2026, as prescribed by section 37(1) of the Representation of the People Act 1983. Councillors for the abolished wards retire on the fourth day after that ordinary day, and the newly elected councillors come into office on the same fourth day.
Following the all‑out election, the council reverts to election by thirds. Schedule 2 assigns term lengths so that councillors elected in 2026 retire in 2027, 2028 or 2030. Within each ward, the first retirement is the councillor with the smallest number of votes in 2026 and the second is the councillor with the next smallest number of votes.
Where an equality of votes makes the retirement year uncertain, the Order requires the council to determine the matter by lot at the next practicable meeting under the direction of the presiding member. If an election is uncontested, retirement years are also allocated by lot. Replacements are elected on the ordinary day in the relevant year and take office on the fourth day thereafter.
Consequential parish changes take effect from 2027. Article 5 abolishes existing parish wards in the parishes of Broughton & Milton Keynes, Kents Hill & Monkston, Stantonbury and Walton, and replaces them with new warding arrangements listed in Schedule 3. The number of parish councillors for each parish ward is set out in that Schedule.
Article 6 wards the previously unwarded parish of Whitehouse into two parish wards, East and West, with councillor numbers specified in Schedule 4. For Articles 5 and 6, commencement is 15 October 2026 for preparatory electoral proceedings and the ordinary day of election in 2027 for all other purposes.
Article 7 reorganises the parish of Bletchley & Fenny Stratford into nine parish wards, as listed in Schedule 5, with councillor numbers specified. These provisions commence for preparatory purposes on 15 October 2027 and apply for all other purposes on the ordinary day of election in 2028.
The Commission confirms that the mapped boundaries may be inspected at its principal office, 7th Floor, 3 Bunhill Row, London EC1Y 8YZ, and online via its Milton Keynes review page at https://www.lgbce.org.uk/all-reviews/milton-keynes/. Administrators should ensure polling districts and GIS records reflect the centre‑line interpretation set out in Article 2.
For electoral services and local parties, the timetable is immediate. Articles 2, 3 and 4 are in force for preparatory steps from 19 November 2025, enabling nominations, polling arrangements and voter communications for the 2026 all‑out election. Parish changes follow with preparatory milestones on 15 October 2026 and 15 October 2027 ahead of the 2027 and 2028 contests respectively.