An eight-week public consultation into changes which would shake up Kent County Council has opened this week.

The independent Local Government Boundary Commission for England is proposing a series of electoral division changes which would see the number of county councillors fall to 81, three fewer than the current number.

Under the new system the members would be elected from 65 single-member and eight two-member divisions.

The recommendations were published on Tuesday and people living in the county will be able to respond to the plans until Monday, July 6.

Chair of the commission, Max Caller CBE, said the group is hoping to gauge public opinion on the changes, which are intended to ensure elected officials all represent similar amounts of people and therefore guarantee residents' votes are worth the same.

The proposals would see a number of areas, including Marden and Chainhurst, which currently fall within Maidstone Rural West becoming Maidstone Rural South.

Goudhurst and Kilndown will move from the Tunbridge Wells Rural division into Cranbrook, while Stansted will move from Malling North to Malling West.

To view the plans and make comments visit www.consultation.lgbce.org.uk, www.lgbce.org.uk or council buildings and libraries.