The political map in Tunbridge Wells is about to change - literally.

New boundaries are being proposed for council wards in the borough which will see the number of councillors reduced from 48 to 39 and the number of wards reduced from 20 to 13.

The Local Government Boundary Commission is launching a public consultation to find out what residents think of their plans.

The Commission is also proposing that all wards become three-member wards, instead of the current mix of three, two and single member wards. This is so that when there is an election - the borough elects one third of its seats each year for three years - everyone will get an equal chance to vote.

Previously, voters in single-member wards would miss out on two elections in every three.

The downside is that the re-gig has inevitably led to larger wards, although the Commission says it has done its best to link together areas that share a natural cohesion.

It means that voters in the current one-member seat of Frittenden and Sissinghurst will now be linked in with Cranbrook.

While Benenden, which was linked with Cranbrook, will now join Hawkhurst and "South Goudhurst."

Single member Capel will be linked in with Pembury.

The boundary of every single ward will alter.

Whether the changes will have any political implications for the town has yet to be determined.

Usually, larger wards favour traditional party candidates and make it harder for smaller parties or independents to be elected.

Hugh Patterson is the Lib Dem councillor for Capel. He is very well known in his village where he is a parish councillor and has campaigned strongly against plans for additional housing nearby, but he has no affinity to Pembury.

He said: "Larger wards, especially in rural areas will make it more difficult for Independent or community-based candidates to get elected, because there will be a number of communities to reflect."

He was also very opposed to Capel's link with Pembury, saying: "Capel will be one just one third of the new ward, and Pembury is far more urban-based and connected to Tunbridge Wells.

"There is not even bus service between Capel and Pembury, so you could have the ridiculous situation of a councillor who doesn't drive elected in one part of the ward being unable to visit the other. How can they possibly serve all the electors?"

He suggested a link between Capel and Padoock wood would be far more sensible.

Politics in Tunbridge Wells has been in such a state of flux in recent years, the outcome of the ward changes is anybody's guess.

In the last election in May this year, the Conservatives lost control of the council for the first time in 22 years.

It is now run by an alliance of parties, with Lib Dem Ben Chapelard as Council Leader.

The political make-up currently is Liberal Democrats 15, Conservatives 13, Tunbridge Wells Alliance nine, Labour seven, and independents four.

A 10-week public consultation on the proposals runs until October 10.

The Local Government Boundary Commission has a dedicated section on its website where people can see the details and comment on the names of wards and their boundaries. Visit here.

People can also give their views by e-mail to: reviews@lgbce.org.uk

The last ward boundary review was in 2001. Any changes will come into effect in May 2024.