THE ORGANIC OR THE ARITHMETIC - INDEPENDENT COMMISSIONS AND THE REDRAWING OF THE UKS ADMINISTRATIVE MAPS

Several elements of the administrative map of the UK were changed in t he mid-1990s with the creation of new parliamentary constituencies and new unitary local authorities. The tasks of drawing-up the new maps i nvolved resolving the tensions between two conflicting principles - th ose of efficiency (an 'arithmetic principle') and community representa tion ('an organic principle'). In the case of parliamentary constituen cies, the task is entrusted to independent Commissions, as was the cas e also with local government reorganization in England. This paper dis cusses how those conflicts were resolved by the Commissions and the re lationships between the outcomes and the Government's expectations.