Agenda item

To consider the report of the Head of Legal and Policy Development concerning proposals on warding patterns for submission to the Local Government Boundary Commission for England (LGBCE).

48.1         The Council considered a report of the Head of Legal and Policy Development concerning the proposals of the Boundary Review Working Group (BRWG) on warding patterns for submission to the Local Government Boundary Commission for England (LGBCE).

48.2         Councillor Haigh moved the recommendation set out in the report. She reported that the BRWG had agreed proposals for 8 wards and several principles for other wards that would be submitted to the LGBCE. She advised that individual political parties would submit their own proposals for the other wards and the LGBCE would make their decisions based on evidence from a number of sources.

48.3         Councillor Hilton seconded the motion.

48.4         Councillor Tracey stated that Westgate ward should have three Members representing constituents and that Hempsted should not be split into a separate community.

48.5         Councillor Chatterton noted a number of factual errors in the proposed evidence and requested that all errors been corrected before the documentation was submitted to the LGBCE.

48.6         Councillor Hilton advised that the timetable for the review had meant that it had not been possible to achieve a consensus on all wards, but that there was some agreement between Parties on other areas. He stated that Matson should be a three Member ward, with a single Member ward for Coney Hill and a separate single Member ward for Hempsted. He commended the BRWG for achieving a substantial amount of agreement in challenging circumstances.

48.7         Councillor Porter spoke in favour of a three Member ward for Westgate.

48.8         Councillor Pullen raised concerns about the possibility of moving the Linden area into Podsmead as the community had stronger links with Moreland.

48.9         Councillor Dallimore stated that there was significant community cohesion between Linden and Podsmead, with both schools and transport links being shared.

48.10      Councillor Toleman stated that Hempsted should not be separated from Westgate ward and that the new ward should have three Members.

48.11      Councillor Haigh thanked Duncan May and Sue Mullins for their support to the BRWG and requested that Members informed officers about any factual errors in the proposed submission as soon possible.

48.12      RESOLVED – that, subject to the amendment of any factual errors, the draft Warding Proposal map at Appendix 1 and the Evidence in support of Warding proposals at Appendix 2 be approved for submission to the Local Government Boundary Commission for England.