Proposals for the biggest shake-up of local council election boundaries in Kirklees for 20 years have been published by the Boundary Committee for England.

The Committee has produced its report and proposals for changes to boundaries which - if approved - will come into force next year. It proposes to reduce the number of electoral wards from 24 to 23, cutting the number of councillors from 72 to 69. If the new boundaries come into force next year, there will be an 'all out' election for the whole council.

Under the proposals, existing wards in the Spen Valley would alter slightly and new wards would be formed.

One new ward, Oakwell, would replace the existing Birstall and Birkenshaw ward, lose the Brownhill and Boothroyd Park areas to Batley West and gain areas to the south of Dewsbury Road, including Monk Ings, from Spen.

Heckmondwike would gain the area to the east of Hollinbank Lane from Batley West and the area between the old railway line and the River Spen around Union Road from Spen.

Liversedge would be similar to the current Spen ward but would gain Roberttown and the area westwards to the Kirklees boundary from Heckmondwike. It would lose the area north-west of the disused railway line and the area to the east of Hightown Road to Cleckheaton and the area between the old railway line and the River Spen around Union Road to Heckmondwike.

Cleckheaton would gain the area north-west of the old railway line and the area to the east of Hightown Road from Spen.

Councillor Robert Light (Con, Birstall & Birkenshaw) said: "We are dead against this. Although the idea was to lose one ward, it creates a large number of stupid anomalies - one of which is that Birstall & Birkenshaw becomes Oakwell. There are only about six properties associated with Oakwell in the ward.

"One of our biggest problems is trying to get people at Kirklees Council to understand that we are part of Kirklees and not Bradford. At least the names Birkenshaw and East Bierley are now getting recognised but Oakwell means nothing to anyone. This will just make it easier for those who ignore us to continue."

A copy of the proposals is available for inspection at Cleckheaton Library. Comments should be sent to the Review Team Leader of the Kirklees Review at the Boundary Committee for England, Trevelyan House, Great Peter Street, London, SW1P 2HW, and should arrive by April 7.