It will be at least another month before the Boundaries Commission comes up with its report on a new electoral system for Bermuda.

But there are indications that the now year-long process is coming to a close.

The six member Commission recessed after meeting on Saturday. Commission chairman Sir Frank Blackman told The Royal Gazette that sittings will resume in a few weeks.

"There are some things to be finalised," Sir Frank said.

He added that he expected the Commission's work to be finished around August 25.

The Boundaries Commission was given new powers last summer to come up with recommendations on a single seat electoral system.

The body, composed of representatives of the two major political parties and two independent members, has to recommend how many constituencies Bermuda should have and their boundaries with each constituency returning to the House of Assembly one member.

The two parties have differed over the number of constituencies - with the United Bermuda Party (UBP) saying the number should remain at 40, but with an appointed Speaker of the House of Assembly, and the ruling Progressive Labour Party (PLP) arguing for 32 constituencies.

Yesterday Sir Frank would not say whether he had managed to broker a compromise between the two.

Unofficial sources, however, reported that the Commission had settled on recommending 36 seats and now only had to determine where the boundaries should be.