RESIDENTS in Bromsgrove are being urged to voice their views on a shake-up which aims to speed up the voting process.

The proposed new arrangements would keep the current total of 39 Bromsgrove district councillors but divide the number of voters more equally between them.

The shake-up also looks set to change internal ward boundaries -- the lines dividing one area of Bromsgrove from another.

Council leader Cllr Nick Psirides (Con, Norton), said: "It is important people take the chance to comment at this early stage so we get the new voting arrangements which are both fair and convenient for members of the public."

Council officials would like to see an increase to 24 wards with 15 of them represented by two councillors and nine by one councillor.

The present system, which has not been reviewed since 1970, has 19 wards -- seven have three councillors each, six have two councillors and six have one councillor each.

Names for the proposed new wards will not be allocated until the new boundaries are settled.

The proposal will then be re-examined, finalised and sent to the Local Government Commission.

A final decision will be made in July 2002.

Copies of the council's scheme are available for inspection at the Council House, in Burcot Lane, or at local libraries.