Hertsmere Borough Council, and Was Pleased to Note That There Was Considerable Agreement Between Our Suggestions and Your Recommendations

Home , Bushey, Elstree

The Council has considered carefully your draft recommendations on the new electoral arrangements for Hertsmere Borough Council, and was pleased to note that there was considerable agreement between our suggestions and your recommendations. We were particularly pleased with your agreement for Hertsmere to be represented by 39 councillors, the same number as present.

Looking at the different geographic area of the Borough our comments are as follows.

Aldenham East & West

The Council are pleased the draft recommendations see Aldenham East and West largely unaltered as the Radlett and surrounding rural areas constitute a distinct geographical locale. Your suggestion to move the Patchetts Green area from Bushey North and Bushey Heath into Aldenham West is welcome. We agree that the M1 motorway provides a strong boundary and local Councillors have confirmed that residents here identify with Radlett (Aldenham West) more strongly than Bushey.

Bushey Central, Bushey North, Bushey South, Bushey St. James

The Council are pleased to note that you have largely adopted the proposal we submitted for Bushey. However we would like Bushey Central and Bushey South to retain their current names of Bushey Park (Bushey Central) and Bushey Heath (Bushey South). King George recreation ground continues to fall in the Bushey Park ward from which it takes its name. Residents in Bushey Heath identify strongly with this name. Retention of these names will aid continuity and continue the identity fostered by these historically relevant names.

Borehamwood Brookmeadow, Borehamwood Cowley Hill, Borehamwood Hillside, Borehamwood Kenilworth, Elstree & Shenley

The retention of the current arrangements in the Elstree ward are welcomed by the Council as residents consider this area distinct from Borehamwood town and see the railway line as a boundary. Similarly Shenley ward is a distinct settlement surrounded by unoccupied rural areas which does not require alteration, as reflected in the proposal.

Borehamwood Brookmeadow has been altered in line with the Council’s proposal and the same is true largely of Borehamwood Cowley Hill. However, the council is strongly of the opinion that Todd Close should be transferred from Borehamwood Cowley Hill to Borehamwood Kenilworth, as per its submission. The residents in this area identify strongly with the Studio Way estate in Borehamwood Kenilworth. The Todd Close area is connected by roads and footpaths to the Kenilworth Ward and is a part of the Studio Way community. The developer of that area saw the wider Studio Way area as a coherent community and named the streets after prominent figures in the film industry. The Todd Close area is separated from other residential areas of Borehamwood Cowley Hill by a sports centre, a large secondary school and the Council offices.

The movement of Todd Close into Borehamwood Kenilworth has the effect of making the ward 11% above the average electorate per Cllr. which is not acceptable. Therefore, some further alteration is necessary between the Borehamwood Cowley Hill, Borehamwood Kenilworth and Borehamwood Hillside Wards as follows:  Foster House in Maxwell Road, to the south of Elstree Way, to be moved from Borehamwood Kenilworth to Borehamwood Cowley Hill. This block of flats is surrounded by businesses rather than being part of a strong residential community and therefore we feel the electors here would not feel any great impact as a result of this change.  Kimbolton Green to be retained in Borehamwood Hillside ward, where it currently is located, rather than it being moved into Borehamwood Kenilworth as suggested in the draft proposals.

The Council believes the residents of Todd Close have strong affinity and physical connection to the Studio Way estate in Borehamwood Kenilworth and therefore the above changes are merited from a community identity point of view. If this move was to be made the future convenience of these electors would be improved by their proximity to a polling station in the Borehamwood Kenilworth Ward.

Potters Bar Furzefield, Potters Bar Oakmere and Potters Bar Parkfield

We note that it is in Potters Bar where the Council agrees least with your proposals.

The vast majority of the area to the South of the M25 has been placed in the Potters Bar Furzefield ward but we must point out that the road link you identify connecting this area to Potters Bar is not the locally favoured or dominant communication link. Potters Bar has two centres and a much stronger case links Parkfield Ward with the area south of the M25. Parkfield Ward enjoys a main road and bus route to connect with this area. The road provides a link to the local community hospital, a major super market and the second centre of Potters Bar. Your proposal for Furzefield Ward also sees the caravan site at Brookes Place split between this ward and Potters Bar Parkfield. While this site is currently split, our submission had rectified this. We are keen to see Brookes Place caravan park being wholly within one Ward.

Your proposal for Potter Bar Parkfield ward sees a pinch point introduced around the Potters Bar Community Hospital area which gives the Ward an awkward shape and does little for community coherence.

The Council largely agrees with the proposal for Potters Bar Oakmere as this reflects the thinking in our proposal.

Your proposals for the Potters Bar area caused us to give further detailed consideration to that area and we would now like to suggest a development of our initial submission. We appreciate that your proposal was numerically successful but we doubted that the community identity of the proposed Furzefield Ward was something that would be recognised by residents. In response we have formulated an approach which divides the present three Potters Bar Wards into four two member Wards, with the advantage of reflecting accurately the identity of the area south of the M25. The northern portion of Furzefield, Parkfield and Oakmere Wards of our four Ward proposal are as you suggested, while the southern portion of Furzefield and Parkfield has been amended to create a fourth Ward. The greatest change is the establishment of the fourth Ward – Bentley Heath and the Royds – this area covers a southern part of Potters Bar and the greater majority of the area south of the M25. This new Ward links part of Potters Bar with the more rural area in a manner that has credibility for the local community.

Numerically our arrangement shows Furzefield Ward to be 4.6% over represented; Parkfield Ward to be ‐1% under represented; Oakmere Ward to be 3.5% over represented and the new Ward of Bentley Heath and the Royds to be 6.8% over represented.

While these figures are less successful than those in your proposal, we believe that the four Wards successfully represent the community identity of each area. We would suggest that any numerical worsening in our proposal is more than compensated in the much improved community identity of each Ward.

Elstree & Borehamwood Town Council

Turning now to proposals for Elstree and Borehamwood Town Council, we wish to point out what we suspect is an error in the distribution of Councillors between the wards. Your proposal sees Borehamwood Kenilworth South allocated two Councillors while Elstree Ward is reduced from two to one councillor.

The projected figures show that the average electorate per town councillor is 2386. The proposed scenario sees Borehamwood Kenilworth South have an average electorate of 1374 electors per Cllr. while 3985 electors are represented by the single Cllr. in Elstree.

If Borehamwood Kenilworth South is given one Cllr. they would represent 2748 electors. If Elstree retains two elected members then they represent 1993 electors each. The draft recommendations would see Elstree significantly under‐represented. The distribution of one and two Cllrs in Borehamwood Kenilworth South and Elstree respectively is clearly a more tolerable arrangement. Hertmere Electoral Review ´ (District Wards) 2017 District Wards 1998 shown with HBC Response Suggestion Creation of new Ward in Potters Bar

District Wards 2018 - HBC Suggestion August 2017

District Wards 1998

Potters Potters Bar Bar Parkfield Furzefield

Potters Bar Furzefield Potters Bar Shenley Oakmere

Shenley Potters Bar Oakmere Potters Bar Parkfield

Aldenham West Bentley Heath & The Royds The Hertfordshire (Electoral Changes) Order 2015 Parish Wards 2018 Aldenham East Aldenham West Civil Parish or Unparished area 2008 The Hertsmere (Parish Electoral Arrangements) Order 2008 Aldenham East (County) Electoral Divisions 2017 The Hertfordshire (Electoral Changes) Order 2015 B. Cowley Hill B. Cowley Hill

B. Brookmeadow Bushey B. Kenilworth North Bushey North B. Brookmeadow B. Kenilworth

B. Hillside Bushey St. James B. Hillside Elstree Bushey St. James

Bushey Heath Elstree Bushey Park Bushey Park Bushey Heath

0 1 2 3 Miles

Document Name: Wards_2018HBCSug201708_Wards1998 © Crown copyright and database rights 2017 Ordnance Survey EUL 100017428 Hertmere Electoral Review ´ (District Wards) 2017 Electorate Population Estimates 2021 District Wards 2018 - HBC Response Suggestion Potters Bar to lose a councillor (8 councillors) but be divided into 4 two councillor wards, Borehamwood to gain (12 councillors)

Shown with the variance from the ideal average of 2141 Electors per Councillor

-8.5% - -5.0% Potters Bar -4.9% - 0.0% Parkfield Potters Bar 2Cllrs Furzefield 4235Elctrs -1.1% 0.1% - 5.0% 2Cllrs 4479Elctrs Potters Bar 4.6% 5.1% - 6.8% Oakmere Shenley 2Cllrs 2Cllrs 4434Elctrs 4060Elctrs 3.5% -5.2%

Bentley Heath & The Royds

2Cllrs Aldenham East 4575Elctrs 6.8% 2Cllrs 4028Elctrs -5.9% Aldenham West B. Cowley Hill 2Cllrs 3Cllrs 4279Elctrs 6726Elctrs -0.1% 4.7% B. Brookmeadow Bushey North

3Cllrs 3Cllrs B. Kenilworth 6569Elctrs 6638Elctrs 3Cllrs 2.3% 3.3% 6860Elctrs 6.8% Bushey St. James

3Cllrs B. Hillside 6043Elctrs 3Cllrs -5.9% 6806Elctrs Elstree 6% 2Cllrs 3985Elctrs -6.9% Bushey Park 3Cllrs 5874Elctrs -8.5%

Bushey Heath 2Cllrs 3939Elctrs 0 1 2 3 -8% Miles

Document Name: Wards_2018HBCSugAug_2021PopnEstimates © Crown copyright and database rights 2017 Ordnance Survey EUL 100017428 Hertsmere Electoral Review (District Wards) 2017 LGBE Recommentdations June 2017 HBC Response Suggestion August 2017

Aldenham East Aldenham 2 Cllrs Shenley East 4028 Elctrs 2 Cllrs Shenley -6% 2 Cllrs 2 Cllrs 4060 Elctrs 4028 Elctrs -5% 4060 Elctrs -5.9% -5.2%

Borehamwood Borehamwood Cowley Hill Cowley Hill

3 Cllrs 3 Cllrs 6782 Elctrs 6726 Elctrs Borehamwood 6% 4.7% Brookmeadow 3 Cllrs Borehamwood 6638 Elctrs Borehamwood Brookmeadow 3% Borehamwood Brook Road West (DC) Kenilworth 3 Cllrs Maxwell Road / Foster House (EB) Kenilworth 6638 Elctrs 3.3% Eldon Avenue (DC) 3 Cllrs Todd Close (DD) 6868 Elctrs 7% 3 Cllrs 6860 Elctrs 6.8%

Shenley Road South (EB) Bullhead Road / Thornbury (EB)

Shenley Road Monksmead, South (EA) Lemsford Court (EC) Borehamwood Borehamwood Hillside Hillside Elstree Kimbolton Green (EC) Elstree 3 Cllrs 2 Cllrs 6741 Elctrs 3985 Elctrs 2 Cllrs Rippon Way - 3 Cllrs 5% (Directors Arms and -6.9% 3985 Elctrs South East (EC) 6806 Elctrs -7% 6%

Potters Bar Parkfield Potters Bar Furzefield 2 Cllrs Potters Bar Parkfield 4235 Elctrs 3 Cllrs 2 Cllrs -1.1% 4479 Elctrs 6687 Elctrs Potters Bar Potters Bar 4.6% 4% Oakmere Oakmere 2 Cllrs 4454 Elctrs 2 Cllrs 4% 4434 Elctrs 3.5%

Potters Bar Furzefield 3 Cllrs 6583 Elctrs 2%

Bentley Heath & The Royds

2 Cllrs 4575 Elctrs 6.8%

Shenley Shenley 2 Cllrs 2 Cllrs 4060 Elctrs 4060 Elctrs -5% -5.2%