PER WG 260601.Doc AGENDA

N O T I C E
O F
M E E T I N G

PERIODIC ELECTORAL REVIEW WORKING GROUP

will meet on

TUESDAY 26 JUNE 2001
At 8.00 pm

in

MEETING ROOM 'A', TOWN HALL, ST. IVES ROAD,
MAIDENHEAD

TO: c.c.
ALL MEMBERS OF THE PERIODIC ELECTORAL REVIEW WORKING GROUP (For action) COUNCILLORS LAWRENCE (CHAIRMAN), MRS BATESON (VICE-CHAIRMAN), BURBAGE, MRS ENDACOTT, MRS GLIKSTEN, MRS KEMP, OLNEY, MRS QUICK, WERNER AND WILES.

Chief Executive, Borough Secretary, Andrew Scott, Rob Curtis and Sue Goddard.
Barry Morfett
Head of Corporate Administration Issued: Tuesday 26th June 2001

BJM/ag mins reps/PER WG 260601.doc

AGENDA PART I

ITEM SUBJECT

WARD PAGE

NO

1.

APOLOGIES FOR ABSENCE

To receive any apologies for absence.

AREAS FOR RECONSIDERATION

2.

To look further at certain areas as requested by Members at the last meeting viz:-



Ascot, Sunninghill and Sunningdale Cookham/Bisham Cox Green/Woodlands Park and Hurley Windsor Urban Area Maidenhead Urban Area

NB. The proposals submitted by the Liberal Democrat Group have been summarised in the above report. Details of their proposals have been attched as an Appendix.

2.

AREAS FOR RECONSIDERATION

At the Working Group meeting on 21 June, it was agreed that further consideration should be given to detailed options provided by Members of the Working Group in relation to the following areas:-

Ascot, Sunninghill and Sunningdale Cookham and Bisham Cox Green, Woodlands Park and Hurley Windsor Urban Area Maidenhead Urban Area

Members will recall that at the meeting on 21 June, the officers provided proposals for each of the areas in question and the following report provides details not only of the proposals originally but also the options supplied by individual Members.

Ascot, Sunninghill and Sunningdale

Officers' Proposal

The Working Group having agreed that the above areas merited in electorate terms, seven representatives on the Council. The proposal is that there should be a Sunningdale Ward with boundaries co-terminus with those of the Sunningdale Parish Council, electing two Members. The current Ward electorate would be 3,658 giving a Member/elector ratio of 1:1829. This represents a variance of +1.61% for 58 Members and –0.11% for 57 Members.

The remainder of the area, which is in fact that covered by Sunninghill Parish Council was divided using the Wards of that Parish. The Sunninghill and South Ascot Wards to be combined to give a total of 5,128 electors with three Members to be elected, the Member/elector ratio would be 1:1709. The variances would be –5.06% for 58 Members and –6.66% for 57 Members.

The Ascot and Cheapside Wards of Sunninghill Parish would then be combined to give a two Member Borough Ward with an electorate of 3,529. This would give a Member/elector ratio of 1:1714, which represents variances of –4.78% for 58 Members and –6.39% for 57 Members.

This proposal has the advantages of not only achieving the seven Members required, but also containing the new Borough Wards within existing Parish Council Wards or areas. The percentage variances are within the limits imposed by the Local Government Commission.

Other Option

North Ascot - A new two-Member ward, covering the polling districts of WA/WB and WC from the former Sunninghill ward.

Sunninghill – A new two-Member ward, covering the polling district WD, except for Cavendish Meads (306).

Addition from polling district VB of Sunningdale and South Ascot ward of: Church Rd (46); Bouldish Farm Rd (181); Liddell Rd (222), All Soul's Road (28); Lynhurst Rd (1); Kinross Ct (17); Spring Gardens (31); Elizabeth Ct (42); Woodend Drive (100); Oliver Rd (56); Kinross Av, (64); Cromwell Road (61): Carroll Crescent (176); Brockenhurst Rd (176); Lower Village Rd (35); Truss Hill (63); and Victroia Rd (142).

Sunningdale and South Ascot – A new three-Member ward, covering the polling districts VA and ZD.

Addition from polling district VB of everything except: Church Road (46); Bouldish Farm Rd (181); Liddell Rd (222), All Soul's Road (28); Lynhurst Rd (1); Kinross Ct (17); Spring Gardens (31); Elizabeth Ct (42); Woodend Drive (100); Oliver Rd (56); Kinross Av, (64); Cromwell Road (61): Carroll Crescent (176); Brockenhurst Rd (176); Lower Village Rd (35); Truss Hill (63); and Victroia Rd (142).

Cookham and Bisham

Officer Proposal

Whilst the officers had originally proposed that electors in the Bisham Parish area living to the west the A404M should be moved from the Cookham and Bisham Ward to Hurley Ward, it transpired that this would result in a reduction in the Member/elector ratio in Bisham and Cookham Ward to 1:1627 and variances of –9.61% for 58 Members and –11.14% for 57 Members. In addition, there had been representations from the Burchetts Green Association in which strong opposition was expressed to any proposal to move the entire area of Burchetts Green into Hurley Ward. The Working Group recognised the significant local opposition and in the light of the problems that would be caused to the variances in Bisham and Cookham accepted that the proposed move of electors in part of Bisham to Hurley should not be pursued further.

The proposal now is that the Cookham and Bisham Ward should be retained on its existing boundaries and that it should continue to elect three Members, with a Member/elector ratio of 1:…. which represents variances of ……% for 58 Members and ……% for 57 Members.

Other proposal

Cox Green, Woodlands Park and Hurley

Officer Proposal

Other Proposal

Windsor Urban Area The Windsor Urban area includes the following Wards:-

% variance 2001

% variance 2006

57

58

57

-6.98 -8.63
58
-5.37 -7.04
Castle Trinity Park Clewer North Clewer South
-8.56
-19.81
-7.67
-11.49
+5.23
-7.09
-18.44
-6.09 -9.97
+7.03
-23.20

-6.43

-4.80

-12.47
+3.90
-24.40
-10.96
+5.70

-23.09

Eton (North and South) -24.50

In working on a proposal for this area, the officers have been mindful that the eastern end, that is the Eton (North and South) Ward, has a percentage variance of between -23.09% and 24.50%, and at the western end the Bray Ward, has a percentage variance of +10.08%. As illustrated in the table above, the Wards within the former Borough of New Windsor vary quite significantly in terms of the Member/elector ratio and when first "assembled" in the late 1960's, the former Council whilst taking account of developments to the western end of the Borough, did put in place a number of boundaries which are perhaps no longer relevant and in some instances are difficult to justify.

In the knowledge that Members were anxious to retain intact the Eton (West) Ward and that there was an acceptance that the Eton (North and South) Ward could be viewed as part of the Windsor Urban Area, it is perhaps simplest to work from the eastern side of the Urban Area. The proposals are therefore as follows:-

i)

An Eton and Castle Ward

This would comprise polling districts KA (766 electors), KB (533 electors) and the following from polling district EA:-

Chapter Mews Church Lane Church Street Datchet Road Frogmore High Street (part) Home Park Private Market Street Park Street (part)

Royal Farms Royal Gardens St Alban's Close St Alban's Street Thamesside Thames Street (part) Windsor Castle and Precincts

The total electorate would be 1,686. This being a one Member Ward, the percentage variance would be –8.22% for 57 Members and –6.64% for 58.

ii) Park
A combination of polling districts SB (1,524), SC (1,096), SD (778), GB (1,426) and the following from SA:-

Adelaide Square Chaucer Close Edinburgh Gardens Fairlight Avenue Francis Road Gloucester Place Grove Road (1-27 and Number 2) Kings Road Osborne Road (part) St Leonard's Hill from Polling District DC *

*This would need tidying-up in a rewarding of Bray Parish. The total electorate would therefore be 5433 with 3 Members representing the Ward. The Member/elector ratio would be 1:1811, representing variances of +0.28% for 58 Members and –1.42% for 57 Members.

iii) "New" Ward
A combination of polling district EB (1,808 electors), the following from polling district SA:- Albany Road Alexandra Road Belmont Road Brook Street Dagmar Road Deveraux Road Francis Road (part) Grove Road (part) Helena Road Osborne Road (part) Prince Consort Cottages Russell Street Sheet Street

St Leonard's Avenue St Leonard's Road Temple Road Victoria Street

The following from polling district EC:- Maidenhead Road (part) Clewer Park Mill Lane Stephenson Drive Clewer Court Road

The following from polling district EA:- Royal Free Court, Bachelors Acre Barry Avenue Bridgewater Terrace Castle View House, Bridgewater Terrace Joseph Chariott's House Chariott's Place Charles Street The Courtyard, High Street King Edward Court Darville House, Oxford Road Park Street (part) Peascod Street Amberley Place, Peascod Street Queen Anne's Court, Peascod Street Sheet Street Victoria Street Ellison House, Victoria Street William Street

The total electorate for the Ward would therefore be 3,520. For a 2 Member Ward this represents a Member/elector ratio of 1,760, a variance of –2.55% for 58 Members and –4.19% for 57 Members.

iv) Trinity (expanded)
A combination of polling districts XA (1,008 electors), XB (1,918 electors), XC (1,516 electors) and the following from EC:-

Maidenhead Road (part) Parsonage Lane Rectory Close Wells Close Errington Drive Clarence Road (part)

Orchard Avenue Oak Lane

The following from GC:- Bell View Bell View Close St Andrew's Avenue St Andrew's Crescent Dedworth Road (part) Cranbourne Avenue

The total electorate would therefore be approximately 5,160. For a 3 Member Ward the Member/elector ratio would be 1:1720, representing a variance of – 4.76% for 58 Members and –6.37% for 57 Members. It must however be remembered that the windfall housing sites in the area will add a further 568 electors by 2006. This will bring the ratio up to 1:1909 and the variances will be +4.9% for 58 Members and +6.76% for 57 Members.

v) Clewer East
A combination of polling district FA (2,137 electors), the following from GC (1,159 electors)

Kentons Lane

Abbotts Walk

Priors Road

Sheepcote Road Greenacre Church Terrace Clewer Hill Road (part) Dedworth Road (part)
Wolf Lane (Part) Fuzzens Walk Keepers Farm Close Poolmans Road
Monks Road Selwyn Close Oakley Mews

and the following from GB (615 electors) Camm Avenue Foster Avenue Luff Close Keeler Close Park Corner
Lodge Way Burton Way Highfield Road Manor Farm Close Manor Farm House

For a two Member Ward the electorate would be 3,911 – a Member/elector ratio 1:1955 – variances of +8.25% for 58 Members and +6.42% for 57 Members will apply.

iv) Clewer West
A combination of polling districts FB (2,298 electors), FC (448 electors), GA (963 electors) and the following from DC (355 ):-

Guards Walk Charlton Place Charlton Road
Furness Row Furness Square Furness Walk
Kenneally Walk Alexander First School Lyell Walk West Liddell Place Nicholls Walk
Lyell Walk East

Charlton Square Charlton Walk Charlton Way

Furness Way

Liddell Square

Liddell Way Lyell Place East Lyell Place West
Sidney Road Wright Square Wright Way
Kenneally Close Kenneally Place

Kenneally Row

Dedworth Road (part)

Furness Place The total electorate for the proposed Ward would therefore be 4,046. For a 2 Member Ward the ratio would be 1:2023 representing variances of +12.01% for 58 and +10.13% for 57. Although both variances are above the allowable figure of 10% there is a very strong argument that the majority of electors in this area look towards urban Windsor rather than rural Bray Parish. The situation could be eased by retaining within Bray Parish the electors living in polling district DC north of Dedworth Road – 83 in total.

Note: This particular proposal would require a re-warding of Bray Parish.

Maidenhead Urban Area Excluding the Parished area of Cox Green, the Maidenhead Urban area includes the following wards:-

% variance 2001

% variance 2006

57
+5.12
-11.87
58
+6.92
-10.35
57
+5.99
-12.77
58
+7.83
-11.25
Belmont Boyn Hill St Mary’s Furze Platt Pinkneys Green Oldfield

+8.76 +10.63

+13.46 +15.43

-0.71
+1.42
+0.10 +0.28
-2.47 -2.09
-0.78 -0.39

+11.43 +13.34

+11.21 +13.14

The first area to be looked at is the opportunity to reduce the electorate within Oldfield Ward and at the same time increase that within Boyn Hill Ward to reduce the variances.

The boundary could be re-aligned between the two Wards to move the following from polling district QB into polling district CA:-

Albert Street Castle Hill East Road Frascati Way Grenfell Avenue Grenfell Place Grenfell Road High Town Road North Road Princes Street South Road West Road

This will add 632 electors to Boyn Hill – producing a Member/elector ratio of 1:830 thereby improving the variance to +1.33% for 58 Members or –0.38% for 57 Members. The effect on Oldfield would be to make the ratio 1:1836, improving the variance to +1.66% for 58 Members and -0.05% for 57 Members. The re-alignment also has the benefit of using the main A4 trunk road and Frascati Way as boundaries.

There is also an opportunity to correct imbalances in the St Mary's and Furze Platt Wards. St Mary's currently has a Member/elector ratio of 1:1998 representing a variance of +10.63% for 58 Members and +8.76% for 57 Members. Furze Platt has a Member/elector ratio of 1:1823 representing a variance of +0.10% for 58 Members and –0.71% for 57 Members. A realignment of the boundary between the Wards to move the following from polling district VA into polling district MC would add 369 electors to Furze Platt and reduce St Mary's by the same number:-

Moorside Close Pearce Road Pearce Close Moor Lane (part) Laggan Road Laggan Square

The Furze Platt Member/elector ratio would therefore be 1:1947 thereby improving the variance to 7.70% for 58 Members or +5.99% for 57 Members. The effect on St Mary's would be to make the ratio 1:1875 - the variance being +3.82% for 58 Members and +2.07% for 57 Members.

Members will have noted that the Member/elector ratio in Pinkneys Green is virtually "spot on", whereas that in Belmont is at what might be seen as an acceptable level. Having looked at the boundary between the two Wards, which is basically a line from the A4 junction with Courthouse Road, along the centre of Courthouse Road to its junction with Oaken Grove/Linden Avenue, the officers would caution against moving that boundary, which would have knock-on effects elsewhere.