(a) Contents.--

(1) The commissioners appointed by council under section 10403(a) (relating to appointment of commission) shall examine the premises and prepare a report which shall include a draft of each ward affected by the proposed creation, division or detachment showing the following:

(i) The division or change or the lines of each ward as affected by the separation and attachment.

(ii) The population contained within each affected ward using figures officially and finally reported in the most recent Federal decennial or special census.

(2) The report under paragraph (1) shall be submitted to council and shall include a recommendation reflecting the decision of a majority of the commissioners concerning the proposed creation, division or detachment of a ward.

(b) Territory.--Consistent with the standards applied in municipal reapportionment under 53 Pa.C.S. § 903(b) (relating to reapportionment by governing body), a report under subsection (a) may not recommend the creation, division or detachment of a ward unless the result of implementing the report and recommendation would be that each ward in the city is composed of compact and contiguous territory as nearly equal in population as practicable as officially and finally reported in the most recent Federal decennial or special census.

(c) Submittal.--Upon receipt of a report under subsection (a), council shall, by motion, determine whether to submit the question of the proposed creation, division or detachment of a ward as provided in the report to the registered voters of the city in accordance with section 10404 (relating to election).

Cross References. Section 10403.2 is referred to in section 10404 of this title.