The proposed shake up of Cornwall Council divisions would see Helston’s councillors each having to take on up to 5,500 electorates – with one looking at sharing part of the town with Gunwalloe and, bizarrely, St Martin.

The eight mile drive from the two ends of the division is nothing compared to what the member for the Lizard Peninsula would be faced with however - a 34-mile, 90-minute round trip to drive the circumference of his or her division area, which would take in nine parishes.

These changes would be necessary if a proposal to cut the number of Cornwall councillors from 123 to 87 goes ahead, as each member would have to take on larger divisions and more residents.

Under the current system the Helston and Lizard community network area has seven councillors, which would reduce to five. Gweek would move into the Falmouth network.

Now all voters in Helston and the surrounding areas are being urged to make their feelings known at an event being held in the town next week.

Between 6pm and 8pm on Friday, December 8 people will be able to learn more about the changes at a meeting in the council chamber, upstairs in the Guildhall. There will also be the chance for informal chats with Cornwall Council officers and members from 4pm.

The public's response to the plans will be given to the Local Government Boundary Commission for England, which is proposing the changes and will make the final decision on whether to bring them into force from 2021 onwards.

Speaking at the last meeting of Helston Town Council, Mike Thomas, who is a councillor at both town and county level, said: "We want to try to stress how important it is that members of the public are aware of the changes."

He said he was particularly concerned about the proposal to share part of Helston with Gunwalloe and St Martin, mixing urban and rural issues, although he stressed this was not based on his personal situation as a councillor as he had made no decision regarding the next council elections in 2021.

Fellow town and Cornwall councillor John Martin said the split of divisions - which would give each councillor between 5,100 and 5,600 electorates - did not factor in all the extra people moving in to the agreed HX1 and HX2 housing developments, which would produce another 2,500 or so extra residents that would have to be covered by the Helston members.

However, town councillor Ronnie Williams believed it could be a "fantastic move," as he believed the existing Cornwall councillors had an "impossible job" and town and parish councils would have to step up more.

Fellow member Miles Kenchington, who is also an officer at Cornwall Council as learning and development manager, said he understood community network groups would be given greater powers.

It was agreed that Mr Kenchington, Mr Thomas, Mr Martin, Ron Edgcumbe and Dave Potter would form a working group to look at the effects of the proposals more closely and form a response. Helston's third Cornwall councillor Andrew Wallis would also be approached.