(a) Power.--In addition to reapportionment of wards under 53 Pa.C.S. Ch. 9 (relating to municipal reapportionment) and section 11 of Article IX of the Constitution of Pennsylvania, a council may, with or without a petition as provided under section 10401.1 (relating to petition of registered voters) and subject to approval by the registered voters as provided under section 10407 (relating to voting procedures), create a new ward, divide a ward or wards or detach part of a ward and attach it to another ward, in accordance with this chapter.

(b) Registered voter requirement.--A new ward must contain at least 300 registered voters according to the last general or municipal election.

(c) Size.--Each ward in a city shall be numbered and composed of compact and contiguous territory as nearly equal in population as practicable and as officially and finally reported in the most recent Federal decennial or special census.