Local Government Boundary Commission For England Report No. 72 LOCAL GOVERNMENT BOUNDARY COMMISSION FOR ENGLAND REPORT NO. 72 LOCAL GOVERNMENT BOUNDARY COMMISSION FOR ENGLAND CHAIRMAN Sir Edmund Compton, GCB,KBE. DEPUTY CHAIRMAN Mr J M Rank:in,QC. MEMBERS The Countess Of Albemarle, DBE. Mr T C Benfield. Professor Michael Chieholm. Sir Andrew Wheatley,CBE. Mr P B Young, CBE. To the Rt Hon Roy Jenkins MP Secretary of State for the Home Department PROPOSALS FOR FUTURE ELECTOHAL ARRANGEMENTS FOR THE BOROUGH OP 3ERV/ICK-UPON-TV/ESD IN THE COUNTY OF 'NORTHUITOHLAND 1. We, the Local Government Boundary Commission for England, having carried out our initial review of the electoral arrangements for the borough of Berwick-upon-Tweed in accordance with the requirements of section 63 and schedule 9 to the Local Government Act 1372, present our proposals for the future electoral arrangements of that borough. 2. In accordance with the procedure laid down in section 60(1) and (2) of the 197? Act, notice was given on 13 May 1974 that we were to under- take this review. This was incorporated in a consultation letter addressed tc the Berwick-upon-Tweed Borough Council, copies of which were circulated to the Northumberland County Council, Parish Councils in the district, the Member of Parliament for the constituency concerned and the1 headquarters of the main political parties. Copies were also sent tc the editors of the local newspapers circulating in the area and to the local government press. Notices inserted in the local press announced the start of the review and invited comments from members of the public and from any interested bodies, 3. The Berwick-upon-Tweed Borough Council were invited tc prepare a draft scheme of representation for our consideration. V/hen doing so, they were ssked to observe the rules laid down in Schedule 11 to the Local Government Act 1972 and the guidelines which we set out in our Report No. 6 about the proposed size of the council and the proposed number of councillors for each ward. They were also asked to take into account any views expressed tc them following their consultation vjith local interests. V/e' therefore ssked that they should publish details of their provisional proposals about a month before they submitted their drrtft scheme to us, thus allowing an opportunity for local comment. 4. The Council hive not pnaaed n resolution unrlor section of the Locnl Government Act 1972. The prcviaicnn of section 7(6) will therefore apply and thn election:* of all district councillors will be held simultaneously. 5. On 20 Septombor 197U the Berwick-upon-Tweed Borcugh Council presented their draft scheme of representation. The Council proposed to divide the area of the borough into 16 wards each returning 1, 2 or 3 members tc form a council of 28, 6. V/e received no comments on the Council's draft scheme. 7. V.'e considered the draft scheme submitted by the Council. V/e noted that the scheme complied with the rules in Schedule 11 to the Local Government Act 1972 and our own guidelines and we considered that, taking into Account the widely scattered population, it provided a satisfactory basis of representation for the borough. After consulting Ordnance Survey we made some minor adjustments to the alignment of seme of the boundaries proposed by the Council. These changes were m^de in order to secure boundary lines which were readily identifiable on the ground. V/e then formulated our draft proposals accordingly, 8. On 15 October 197U we issued our draft proposals and these were sent to all who had received cur consultation letter. The Council were asked to make the draft proposals and the accompanying map3-i which defined the .proposed ward boundaries, available for inspection at their main offices. Representations on our draft proposals were invited from those to whom they were circulated and, by public notices, from members of the public and interested bodies. V/e asked that any comments should reach us by 10 December, 9. Our draft proposals included two wards named Islandshire and Norharnshire, each of which we proposed should be represented by 2 councillors. V/e received comments suggesting that these two wards should bo divided to form four wards, each returning 1 councillor. 10. Another comment suggested that the parish of Doddington in the proposed Chatton ward should be linked with the parish of V/coler in the proposed Wooler ward. 11. A third comment suggested that the parish of Middleton in the proposed Bamburgh ward should be included in the proposed Belford v/ard, 12. In view of these comments we considered that we needed further information to enable us to reach a conclusion. Therefore, in accordance with section 65(2) of the 1972 Act, and at our request, you appointed Mr Robert A Wotherspoon as an Assistant Commissioner to hold a local meeting and to report to us. 13. Notice of the local meeting was sent to all who had received our draft proposals or had commented on them, and was published locally. 1U. The Assistant Commissioner held the meeting at Berwick-upon-Tweed Town Hall on 25 February 1975 and visited the areas which were the subject of comment. A copy of his report ia attached at Schedule 1 fcr your information. 15. In the liflht of the discussion at that mestinp, and of his inspection of thn area the Assistant Commissioner recommends only one alteration to our draft proposals: that the parish of Middle-ton should bo part of the proposed Belford ward instead of the Bamburgh ward as v/e had proposed. It is his view that the close ties existing between the parishes concerned outweigh the disturbance which the change causes to the balance of representation in the two wards. /16. 16. V,Te considered -again our draft proposals in the light of the comments which v/e hsd received and cf the Assistant Commissioner's report. V/e concluded thnt the alteration recommended by the Assistant Commissioner should be adopted and, subject to this amendment, we decided to confirm our draft proposals as cur final proposals. 17. Details of these final proposals are set out in Schedule 2 to this roport and on the attached'maps. Schedule 2 gives the names of the wards and the number of councillors to be returned by each. The boundaries of the new. wards are defined on the map-a. PUBLICATION 17. In accordance with section 60(5)(b) of the Local Government Act 1972 a copy of this report and a cc?y of the maps are being sent to Berwick-upon-Tweed Borough" Council and will be made available fcr public inspection at "ti-.e Council's main offices. Copies of this report (without maps) are being sent to those who received the consultation letter and tc those who made comments. A detailed description of the boundaries of the proposed wards, as defined on the maps,is set cut in Schedule 3 to this report. L.S Signed: ED'.TUND COMPTON (Chairman) JOHN M RANKIN (Deputy Chairman) DIANA ALBEM.ARLE T C BENFIISLD MICHAEL CHI3HOIM ANDREY/ WH3ATLEY F B YOUNG DAVID R SMITH (Secretary) APRTT, SCHEDULE 1 LOCAL COVER^NT BOUNDARY COMMISSION FOR ENGLAND REPORT OF A MEETING to consider THE DRAFT PROPOSALS FOR THE ELECTORAL ARRANGEMENTS in ', THE BOROUGH OF BERWICK-UPON-TWEED ROBERT A. WOTHERSPOON, Assistant Commissioner, Cotcscue Park, Coverham, Leyburn. 3rd March 1975. North Yorkshire. To: THE SECRETARY, LOCAL GOVERNMENT BOUNDARY COMMISSION FOR ENGLAND. REVIEW OF ELECTORAL ARRANGEMENTS OF THE BOROUGH OF BERWICK-UPON-TWEED Pursuant to my appointment by the Secretary of State as Assistant Commissioner to hold a local enquiry or carry out any consultation or investigation with respect to the review by the Local Government Boundary Commission for England of the electoral arrangements for the Borough of Berwick-upon-Tweed, I conducted a local meeting at the Town Hall, Berwick-upon-Tweed, on Tuesday, - the 25th February 1975. Attendance The following persons attended the meeting :- NAME REPRESENTING or STATUS F. "p Holt Assistant Secretary, Berwick-on-Tweed Borough Council. Lt.Col. H. Grossman Councillor for ±ansffse F. Rogerson Councillor for Islandshire G.E. Miller Councillor for Norhamshire Clerk Duddo Parish Council Mrs. Squibb Former R.D. Councillor Mr. Squibb Observer Mr. & Mrs. D. V. Observers Morse. R. Lund P.R. Assistant, Chief Executive Office, Northumberland County Council Z. Hall Holy Island Parish Council T.J. Mayer Berwick Constituency Liberal Agent representing Alan Beith, M.P. I. McGregor Berwick Liberal Association (Contd.) 1. NAME REPRESENTING OR STATUS D.M. Brewis Observer W.M. Ford Observer Harry BIrkett Councillor Mrs. E.M. Stcphetison Councillor V. Dobson Observer W.J. Rogers-Coltman Middleton Parish Mrs. Willis Middleton Parish M. Hill ' Observer I.B. Smith Photo-News Mrs. J. Walkenshaw Tweedale Press Preliminaries In opening the meeting I submitted my personal appointment as Assistant Commissioner and emphasised that to facilitate the expression and discussion of views on the draft scheme I intended to proceed as informally as possible. Mr. F.I. Holt, Assistant Secretary, Berwick-on-Tweed Borough Council, proved the publication of the statutory notices of the meeting. Commission's Draft Proposals The Commission's Draft Scheme which adopted with two minor alterations the draft scheme submitted by the Borough Council provided for the division of the area into the following wards :- 2. I 2 3 4 PROPOSED PROPOSED ELECTORATE NO. OF WARD NAME NO. OF 1974 ELECTORS PER COUNCILLORS COUNCILLOR Elizabeth 3 2100 700 Edward 2 1445 722 Seton 2 1328 664 Tower 2 1967 983 Spittal 3 2103 701 Belford 1 780 780 * Bamburgh 1 797 797 * North Sunderland 2 1551 775 Beadnell 2 1371 685 Cheviot 1 522 522 Chat ton 1 632 632 * Ford 1 988 988 Milfield 1 945 945 Wooler 2 1557 778 * Islandshire 2 1560 780 # Norhamshire 2 1227 613 * 28 .