Elmbridge Conservatives have been accused of steamrolling through plans that could reduce councillor numbers by 20 per cent.

The Tories voted through plans to seek a review into councillor numbers at a meeting on April 18.

Members of Elmbridge Residents’ Association abstained from the vote.

Group leader Councillor Stuart Selleck said: “Whenever one political party presses hard for changes in voter representation and boundaries, there is always a strong suspicion that gerrymandering is at the bottom of it.

“That suspicion is not allayed by the unseemly haste with which the Conservative Party councillors have rushed the matter through at election time in order to make it an election issue.”

He said he was convinced a reduction in councillor numbers would lead to ward boundaries changing and said communities with distinct identities would be at a disadvantage if that happened.

Coun Selleck said: “While it makes sense to examine whether representation is at the right level we are not prepared to support a plan that has been put forward without its consequences being properly thought through.”

Leader of Elmbridge Council Councillor John O’Reilly said: “For Stuart to say that I think is wholly irresponsible and wholly untrue and he knows that because any changes would be made by the Boundary Commission in a neutral, independent and consultative process.

“The idea we could influence the Boundary Commission to gerrymander is an insult to the Boundary Commission quite frankly.”

He said councillors should not be exempt from the change and reductions seen across the council and other sectors.

Reviewing councillor numbers is a complicated matter requiring an electoral review by the Local Government Boundary Commission for England (LGBCE).

Due to the LGBCE review timetable, it was unlikely any review would be finished in time for the 2014 borough elections, so any changes would be brought in for local elections in 2015.

The main benefits to reducing numbers would be financial, because the average allowance for elected members is £4,245.

Currently Elmbridge has 60 councillors, with an allowance budget of £254,700.