22.8.16

Dear Sir/Madam

Re Review of ward boundaries for

I would like you to reconsider the boundaries for Dene & North Heaton wards as the current proposals do not reflect the communities in the area.

I find the following statement from your report rather confusing

“In its own consultation with local people, the Council proposed that the Benton Lodge estate be included in a Dene ward, which extended into South . However, when the Council made its submission to us, it proposed that the estate be included in a Manor Park ward with residential areas to the east, and that an area centred on Dovedale Gardens be included in Dene ward. This change in the Council’s approach to Benton Lodge estate prompted submissions to us from local councillors and residents who opposed the inclusion of the estate in Manor Park ward. We looked at both areas during our visit to the city. Whilst we recognise that the placing of the Benton Lodge estate and of other residential areas requires a balance of judgements, it has not been demonstrated that the inclusion of the estate in Manor Park would reflect communities in this part of the city. Furthermore, because we are constrained by the boundaries of the city and by Coast Road, the proposal would result in a level of electoral inequality which we are not prepared to recommend. We therefore consider that the inclusion of the Benton Lodge estate in a Manor Park ward will provide the best reflection of our statutory criteria.”

You firstly state that the inclusion of the Benton Lodge estate in Manor Park would not reflect communities in this part of the City, but then say that you will still go ahead with including the estate in Manor Park.

As a Councillor for Dene ward I would ask you to look again at area C option1 in the Council’s own report, which I & my colleagues believe offer s a much better reflection of the local communities & should give approximately the same number of electors. Option 2 was put forward by the City Council with no consultation with local residents or Councillors The Council report states that “Option 2 attempts to address more of the concerns about the different communities and by having Dene running through it reflects the affiliation residents have to Jesmond”

To me this statement makes little sense, as residents in the current Dene ward have no affiliation to Jesmond . I’m sure the residents in the current ward, who will be part of the new Dene ward, have an affiliation to Gosforth, not Jesmond.

Any arrangement of wards will bring together different communities, but surely the main aim should be to avoid dividing the communities that already exist, which I believe is the case with Option2.

The Benton Lodge estate & the upper half of Benton Park Road have been part of Dene ward for over 30 years & I believe are part of the same community as the lower part of Benton Park Road & the area around Freeman Hospital. The residents worked hard together over several years to influence the re- development of the DSS site & were part of the same local residents’ committee for many years. I have spoken to many residents of the Benton Lodge estate & the vast majority would prefer to remain part of Dene ward. I enclose a copy of a petition against becoming part of Manor Park ward (now I believe to remain as North Heaton ward), which has been signed either on paper or on-line by 145 residents of Dene ward. Most of the signatures are from people living on the estate.

In order to balance voter numbers, Option 1 proposed leaving the Jesmond Park West/Denewell Avenue area in North Heatonward. Before the boundary changes in 2004, I represented this area, before it was transferred to North Heaton. This area has been part of the same polling district as the estate for at least 30 years & shares facilities with this estate including High Heaton Library & the shops on Newton Road in front of the library. It also shares transport links to the City Centre. I do not see the logic of putting the Jesmond Park west area in Dene ward & breaking this link with the High Heaton estate. Again many of the residents of the Jesmond Park West I have spoken to about this would prefer to be part of the new North Heaton ward.

The forecast electorate figures and variance for Area C are as follows -

Option 1: Dene - 7506 (-10% variance) Manor Park/North Heaton - 7563 (-9% variance)

Option 2: Dene - 7466 (-10% variance) Manor Park/North Heaton 7607 (-9% variance)

As the numbers are so similar, I hope that you will respect the views of local residents re-consider the proposals for these 2 wards & accept Option 1. I also request that you keep the name Dene ward, rather than Haddricks Mill or alternatively “ Dene & Haddricks Mill” ward

Thanks

Yours faithfully

Cllr Dr Wendy Taylor Dene Ward Newcastle City Council