North Devon District

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Name: John Patrinos

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I’m the current District Councillor for the Lynton & Lynmouth ward. I fully support the changes to this ward because it reflects the pattern of our community’s life much more accurately than the current boundaries. The schools, churches, and most voluntary groups draw membership from the focal Town of Lynton but also from a wider geographical area that includes Lynmouth, Parracombe, Martinhoe, Brendon and other smaller communities in the surrounding area. In addition communication routes, local periodicals, and often family connections reflect your proposal better than they reflect the present restricted boundary. I have talked to many local people and groups about these changes and encouraged them to give their feedback, however the backing for the proposed changes to the ward has been almost unanimous. As for your proposals for the rest of the District, I’m am unimpressed because you have stretched the link between the representatives and the their electorate unnecessarily thinly be introducing so many three member wards. Ideally a ward should be represented by one individual so that the community knows who is representing their interests, but while I realise that this isn’t always possible I feel strongly that so many three person wards will only further diminish such trust in democracy as remains. That you have had to create a solution that resorts to this on six occasions is regrettable. Consequently I would urge you to reconsider Option 1 proposed by the Council. This better reflects community links than your draft proposal and doesn’t resort to so many three Councillor wards.

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