Cllr Moulding

Pascoe, Mark

From: ANDREW MOULDING Sent: 05 July 2015 11:49 To: reviews Cc: Subject: Draft recommendations on the electoral arrangements for Devon County Council

Dear Sir I am a Devon County Councillor, representing the Axminster Division. I would like to suggest a range of amendments to the arrangements for the East Devon District. These amendments are based on the three main criteria:

∙ Improve electoral equality ∙ Reflect community identity ∙ Provide for effective and convenient local government It would appear that the mean average for the number of electors per councillor is 10,400. There is also a suggestion that a 10% variance from the average is acceptable. In speaking to residents, county, district and parish councillors in East Devon, it would appear that the criteria set out above, particularly “community identity” is the most important element of a proposed re-arrangement. In the East Devon District, the TOTAL number of the projected electorate to 2020 is 112,296, with an allocation of 11 councillors. This gives an average number of electors per councillor of 10,209 (which is below the average number suggested of 10,400) If there were only 10 councillors allocated in the East Devon District, this would give an average for the projected electorate to 2020 of 11,300, which is still within the 10% variance. It is my suggestion that this can be achieved by a far more acceptable rearrangement of parishes, providing greatly improved community identity, more convenient local government and still retaining electoral equality. These are my suggestions:

∙ Axmouth and Combpyne Rousdon would be removed from the AXMINSTER division added to the SEATON and COLYTON division ∙ The parishes of All Saints, Chardstock, Dalwood, Kilmington, Membury and Shute & Whitford would be added to the AXMINSTER division These are my suggestions for the two divisions which effect my representation. I appreciate that these amendments would have a knock-on effect to the other divisions. However, I suggest that this can lead to a vast improvement to the other divisions as follows: HONITON would include all the parishes surrounding the market town of Honiton and may also include Yarcombe from the current AXMINSTER division Otter Valley (OTTERY) could include some additional small parishes, but would lose some, such as East Budleigh, Bicton and Otterton, which would revert to BUDLEIGH SALTERTON SIDMOUTH would probably remain as suggested BUDLEIGH SALTERTON would be separate from Exmouth, but include a number of smaller parishes, including East Budleigh, Bicton and Otterton EXMOUTH could be split to WEST EXMOUTH and EAST EXMOUTH which may be preferable to the town being represented by two councillors.

1 This leaves BROADCLYST where currently 2 councillors are designated. I would suggest this would be split and be redefined as BROADCLYST and CRANBROOK. Each division would include surrounding parishes. eg Broadclyst would include parishes to the north and west, whilst Cranbrook, which is growing extremely fast would include parishes such as Whimple and Rockbeare. Therefore I suggest that the East Devon District would consist of the following 10 divisions:

∙ Axminster ∙ Broadclyst ∙ Budleigh Salterton ∙ Cranbrook ∙ Exmouth East ∙ Exmouth West ∙ Honiton ∙ Ottery ∙ Seaton / Colyton ∙ Sidmouth It is my view that this is a far more equitable arrangement, with each division containing a Market or Coastal Town as its hub. This would also remove the allocation of two councillors representing the divisions of Exmouth and Broadclyst, which is not, in my opinion, a satisfactory arrangement. This eliminates the 21 parish division termed Whimple and Newbridges, where the local community would struggle with an identity. The numbers may need to be juggled around somewhat, but I believe this is achievable and meets the criteria set by the Commission. I have copied this submission to the Town Clerk for Axminster Town Council, to the Secretary of the Devon Association of Local Councils and to Cllr Christine Channon, who chairs the Procedures Committee at Devon County Council, to whom I gave a presentation on 3rd July. Councillor Andrew Moulding Axminster Division Devon County Council

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