Jeannette Bowen

Marton West Community Council

Representative of a community group/organisation

11/02/2013 18:21

Please find attached a letter from the Executive Committee of Marton West Community Council. We strongly object to the proposal which will be submitted by Council because only the Labour Group suggestion has been considered for submission and a boundary change of this magnitude is totally unnecessary. Jeannette Bowen (Secretary)

39 Cheltenham Avenue Marton in Cleveland Middlesbrough TS7 8LR

Tel: 01642 320453 Email: [email protected]

11th February 2013

The Review Officer (Middlesbrough) Layden House 76-86 Turnmill Street London EC1M 5LG

Dear Sir

Ref: Boundary Commission Electoral Review: Middlesbrough Marton West Ward

This letter is written on behalf of the Executive Committee, Marton West Ward Community Council, to express our strong objections to the proposal from the Labour Group, which is being submitted by Middlesbrough Borough Council as its only submission to the Commission.

We accept that Middlesbrough should lose two councillors from its current complement of forty eight councillors, especially considering the declining population in the town. However, we do not accept that this massive re-construction is necessary, other than for various other motives.

If we consider the 6 present Wards in the South area of Middlesbrough, using the attached map titled 'Electors per Councillor: Dec 2018 Elector Projections' and based on the target of 2,208 electors/Councillor, then the current Wards have:

Ward Councillors --- Deviation ---- (%) (Electors) Stainton & Thornton 1 22.4% 495 2 -7.1% -314 3 2.4% 159 Marton West 2 -3.3% -146 Marton 2 -1.9% -84 2 -8.7% -384

In total then the 6 Wards are 274 electors below the target i.e. only 23 per Councillor (1%). This is clearly well within the ±5% limit.

It is not surprising therefore that the proposal shown on the 'Ward Boundary Proposals - Labour Group' map Ref.: V6_4 dated 23rd January 2013, proposes using the same external boundary for these 6 Wards as at present with no change in the total number of Councillors (i.e. 12). It would appear that the prime objective of these proposals is to turn Marton West and Marton from two 2-Councillor Wards into a single 3 Councillor Ward simply to justify the reverse process in Coulby Newham (i.e. make Coulby Newham two 2-Councillor Wards instead of a 3 Councillor Ward).

If we look at these three current Wards we see a significant similarity:  Coulby Newham is split by a main road (Stainton Way) with a number of footbridges; Marton/Marton West is split by Stokesley Road with a number of light controlled Pedestrian Crossings

 Coulby Newham has a main shopping centre (Parkway Centre) located at the South end of the North area; Marton/Marton West has its main shops located at the West side of the East area; Both have a few small shops in the other area

 Coulby Newham has a Community Centre located in the North area; Marton/Marton West has a Community Centre located in the East area

 Each of the 4 areas has a Primary School

 Each of the 4 areas has a Public House with restaurant

 All 4 areas have clear boundaries formed by main roads and local becks.

Based on the above there is no obvious reason why we need to enlarge Coulby Newham so that it can justify 4 Councillors at the expense of shrinking Marton/Marton West to a 3 Councillor Ward.

If we now look at the proposed individual Ward boundary changes:

 Clearly the most pressing need is to reduce the number of electors in Stainton & Thornton by at least 384 to get it down to 5% above target and to increase Hemlington by at least 93.

 Given that these 2 Wards combined have a surplus of only 181 electors (60 per Councillor or 3%) then there is no need to move any electors out of the combined area.

 It would appear (without having detailed numbers) that Stainton & Thornton as proposed is now OK.

 Hemlington does not need to lose the NE corner to Coulby Newham.

 The area between Marton West Beck and Lane in Marton West is clearly detached from Coulby Newham by the beck – so why try to incorporate it into Coulby Newham when it is clearly part of Marton West?  Similarly why take the part of Eagle Park to the East of Marton West Beck into Coulby Newham?

 Becks are ideal boundaries whereas estate roads are not.

Nunthorpe needs to gain at least 163 electors to get up to -5% deviation:  The proposal appears to achieve this by taking the St Cuthbert’s Way estate on the West of Stokesley Road from Marton West and the De Brus estate at the south end of Brass Castle Lane from Coulby Newham.

 As a much preferred alternative it could take the ‘Yew Tree Grove’ area (bounded by Cypress Road, Stainton Way and the railway) from Marton.

 If it isn’t necessary to take the De Brus estate then that could be moved into Marton West making Brass Castle Lane the southern boundary with Nunthorpe.

 Apparently residents of De Brus estate believe that they currently are part of Marton West and were surprised to find they were actually part of Coulby Newham!

The result is very much status quo with a few tweeks to equalise the number of electors per Councillor – surely what was intended by the review! The old adage should apply: ‘If it ain’t faulty, then don’t try to fix it!’

In summary, ideally if numbers permit:

 Stainton & Thornton: as the ‘Labour Plan’ - with 1 Councillor;

 Hemlington: bounded by Hemlington Road, Stainton Way and the Parkway but excluding the ‘Dales’ estate - with 2 Councillors;

 Coulby Newham: bounded by Hemlington Road, Middlesbrough South boundary, Marton West Beck and the Parkway - with 3 Councillors;

 Marton West: bounded by The Parkway, Stokesley Road, Brass Castle Lane and Marton West Beck - with 2 Councillors;

 Marton: bounded by the railway, Stainton Way, Stokesley Road (including Marton Village as currently) and a line drawn behind the property on the north side of Ladgate Lane but excluding the Yew Tree Grove estate - with 2 Councillors;

 Nunthorpe: bounded by the railway, Middlesbrough East/South boundary, Brass Castle Lane, Stokesley Road and Stainton Way but including Yew Tree Grove estate - with 2 Councillors.

We understand that one of the Boundary Commission’s aims is for the ward to “reflect the interests and identities of the community”. At present in Marton West:

 It is the community who lead the Community Council meetings, not the councillors, as applies in most other wards. Our meetings have one of, if not the highest average attendance in Middlesbrough – which speaks for itself

 It is one of the few wards that has six newsletters per year, delivered to each property, to ensure that local information reaches everyone

 The Marton West Community has its own website where planning applications, local news, newsletters etc are displayed

 The Marton West Community has its own Facebook page

 The Marton West Ward Neighbourhood Plan is currently being submitted. Those involved, from across the ward, have chosen to take the whole ward as their ‘neighbourhood’ because of the very strong links which make us a community

 The Marton West Ward enters for ‘Northumbria in Bloom’. Awards were won in each section of the ward: beyond Gunnergate Lane – Normanby Court and Fairy Dell; Beyond Stainton Way – Fernhead and Middlesbrough Golf Club; McInnes estate – best front garden. The organisers would prefer a small committee to run this but Chris Hobson refuses, as it is something the whole ward get involved with and we enter as Marton West Community

 The 8 year fight to save a woodland in the ward has strengthened the community spirit, with people from all the parts of the ward participating

 The Community Speedwatch has been in progress for several months with people and actions from across the whole ward

 The councillors have been speaking to one energy company for several months, investigating the possibility of the ‘community’ being the customer to enable cheaper costs for everyone

In our view there is no reason for any change to the boundaries of Marton West ward.

Yours faithfully

Mike Ellis Jeannette Bowen Chair Secretary Marton West Community Council Marton West Community Council