DETAILS of the biggest restructure of league cricket in more than a decade have now been finalised.

Changes affecting all of the region’s clubs will come into play in 2016 following discussions between West of England Premier League (WEPL) and its four feeder leagues – the Gloucestershire County League, Bristol and District Cricket League, Somerset League and Wiltshire League.

The shake-up will see the WEPL become a 70-team competition with seven divisions across three tiers.

These include a Premier One that will remain unchanged, two leagues (Glos/Wilts and Bristol/Somerset) in the second tier and four divisions (Glos, Wilts, Bristol and Somerset) at the third level.

The restructure has been made in response to the ECB’s 2014 National Cricket Playing Survey which highlighted major dissatisfaction with travel time, the length of day and the competitiveness of the cricket on offer – particularly at second XI level.

Gloucestershire Cricket Board chief executive Steve Silk has been a major part of the discussions about the restructure.

He said: “It has been fantastic to see clubs and leagues respond so quickly and decisively to make changes which we believe will help protect the future of club cricket.

“Every effort has been made to ensure that all cricket in 2015 remains competitive with promotions and relegations taking place so that there are no ‘dead rubbers.’ “Instead the changes mean that more clubs will have something to play for than ever before, so I expect this year to be one of the most exciting league seasons in memory.”

One of the main changes will see the league become linear, with no independent second XI pyramid and a number of second XIs competing against first teams.

From 2016 the top four second XI teams will move into the third tier of club cricket and the other WEPL second XIs will join their relevant feeder league – based on geography.

As a result of the latest discussions between WEPL officers, feeder leagues and current players promotion and relegation for 2015 has now been finalised.

It has been agreed that the top eight WEPL Premier One teams at the end of 2015 will remain in the division in 2016.

The bottom two will move into the relevant second tier division – the Glos/Wilts or Bristol and Somerset strands – and be replaced by the top two teams from Premier Two.

The third to ninth placed teams will be placed into the appropriate second tier division for 2016 but the bottom club will be relegated to tier three.

Teams in the WEPL Bristol/Somerset and Glos/Wilts divisions in 2015 will be placed into the new tier two divisions in order of their finishing position.

This process will continue until the division has 10 teams, with the others being placed into the appropriate tier three.

Silk added: “The permutations for promotion and relegation from WEPL and the three feeder leagues are wide-ranging, and these principles have also been agreed.”