Boundary Changes in SW – Rationale

I have looked at the figures for SW Rushcliffe and compiled the accompanying spreadsheet, which has 2 sheets Current and Proposal. I have used the published 2018 electorate figures. For the variance calculation I have used the published figure of 2078 for 45 seats. Stanford Ward The parishes in Stanford Ward do not have any real affinity or any centre of population. My suggestion is that Stanford disappears and its parishes are absorbed into other wards, including and Leake. This is similar to the situation before the last boundary change. Soar Valley and Gotham ’s closest links are with , so it should be included in Soar Valley. However, Soar Valley is already too large (+24% on old figures, +9% on new figures) and Gotham too small (-3% on old figures, -18% on new figures), so Soar Valley would need to lose Kingston upon Soar and Ratcliffe upon Soar to Gotham Ward. To support this move, it is worth noting that the group of parishes called the “453churches” consists of the five parishes in the proposed Gotham Ward: Gotham, Barton, Thrumpton, Ratcliffe and Kingston. The children from Ratcliffe and Kingston go to Sutton Bonington Primary School, except those from New Kingston, who go to Gotham Primary School. An alternative proposal would be to combine the resulting Soar Valley and Gotham wards into a 2 seat ward, which might be more acceptable to some residents. Leake The current Leake Ward is too small (-2% on old figures, -10% on new figures). Leake Ward should gain , and , which reflects the affinity of these smaller parishes to and gives a variance of +5.7%.

Gill Aldridge South Rushcliffe Labour Party 16 June 2012