Fuller, Heather From: Fuller, Heather Sent: 18 March 2013 09:15 To: Hinds, Alex Subject: FW: Milton Keynes Review Attachments: MK Ward Proposals - Iain Stewart_JPG From: STEWART, Iain Sent: 17 March 2013 17:33 To: Reviews@ Subject: Milton Keynes Review Alternative New Warding Arrangement for Milton Keynes Council Dear Sir, As the Member of Parliament for Milton Keynes South, I would like to make a representation to the consultation on the proposed new wards for Milton Keynes Council. My submission relates to the proposals for the area of Milton Keynes Council covered by my Milton Keynes South Parliamentary constituency; namely the existing 11 wards of Stony Stratford, Loughton Park, Emerson Valley, Furzton, Denbigh, Whaddon, Bletchley & Fenny Stratford, Eaton Manor, Woughton, Walton Park and Danesborough. I support the Commission’s proposed Tattenhoe and Woughton & Fishermead wards. However, I have proposed an alternative warding for the other areas of my seat. In addition, I have made suggestions for the remaining areas of Milton Keynes. This is simply to show that my proposals for the area covered by my constituency do not result in difficulties in composing wards in the rest of Milton Keynes. While I would argue that my proposals do reflect local communities and ties, other proposals may be preferable. For the MK South areas, I have been able to come up with an arrangement that preserves the “Western Flank” area (with the boundaries of the A5, A421 and the council boundary) and the Bletchley area (covered by Bletchley & Fenny Stratford Town Council and West Bletchley Parish) without a cross‐community ward that has attracted some criticism. I note from the Draft Recommendations documents, in particular, the reluctance of many residents in Bletchley to see parts of Bletchley paired with the Western Flank areas for ward boundary purposes. The Western Flank and Bletchley are well‐recognised sub‐divisions of Milton Keynes. In addition, I am aware of a strong wish from residents in Danesborough ward for the area not to be included in an urban ward. Finally, I specifically object the proposed Campbell Park & Old Woughton ward. This joins two areas of my constituency, Simpson and Ashland, with areas many miles to the north with which they have no community ties. 1 The ward strikes me as rather an artificial creation made up from “left over” areas after other wards have been composed. In order to address these concerns, and to better reflect local community ties, I have proposed 18 3‐member wards plus one 2‐member ward and a one 1‐member ward. I believe this satisfies the criteria as set out in Paragraph 16 of the Draft Recommendations Report. In addition, all my proposed wards have forecast 2018 electorates within 10% of the electoral quota. I have detailed my proposed new wards for “Milton Keynes South” below. DETAILS OF NEW WARDS Numbers correspond to the attached map. The electorates are based on the forecast ones for 2018 and are all within 10% of the 2018 electoral quota of 3,342 electors per councillor. The Western Flank 1. Stony Stratford (2 Member Ward) – 2018 electorate: 6,132 Comprises polling districts SA to SF. The ward includes the whole of the Stony Stratford Town Council area and the small Calverton Parish area. Calverton has long been paired with Stony Stratford in a local electoral ward and the two share many close links. For example All Saints Church in Calverton is linked with St Mary & St Giles Church in Stony Stratford. As one of the historic towns around which the new town of Milton Keynes was designed, Stony Stratford retains a proud, strong and distinct local identity. Electorally, it is the right size for a two member ward. While, since the last review of boundaries, it has been paired with Abbey Hill Parish (the Two Mile Ash estate), the two communities are distinct. I would argue strongly that Stony Stratford’s identity would be best served by having a two‐member ward. As I explain further in my proposals for my Emerson Valley & Furzton ward (No 4) below, I would further argue that this logical 2 member ward arrangement for Stony Stratford avoids the need to disrupt other strong community ties in the Western Flank. 2. Two Mile Ash & Oakhill (3 Member Ward) – 2018 electorate: 9,864 Comprises Two Mile Ash (SG), the whole of the new Fairfields/Whitehouse development, Crownhill (LB), Grange Farm (LE) , and Oakhill/Medbourne/Shenley Wood (LF). This is a logical fitting together of the most modern of the West Flank developments together with the immediately adjacent estates of Two Mile Ash and Crownhill. Crownhill and Two Mile Ash in particular will have strong links with the new Fairfield and Whitehouse developments. In the planning discussion, for example, there has been considerable debate about the optimal pedestrian and traffic links between them and neighbouring estates. The employment, education and retail facilities planned for the new developments will include neighbouring estates in their natural catchment areas. I would strongly argue that Two Mile Ash will have much more in common with these areas than with Heelands or Bradwell, as proposed in your Draft Recommendations. I would further argue that the needs of the very recent estates of Medbourne, Oakhill and Grange Farm will be similar to those of the proposed developments in Fairfields and Whitehouse. 3. Loughton & Shenley (3 Member Ward) – 2018 electorate: 9,632 Comprises Loughton (LA), Great Holm (LC), Shenley Church End (LD) and Shenley Lodge (HA). This ward combines the whole of Loughton Parish with parts of Shenley Church End and Shenley Brook End Parishes. I would argue this is 2 a logical pairing of very similar estates, which share a common road artery in Watling Street. Loughton, Great Holm, and Shenley Church End are already linked in the existing Loughton Park ward. I would suggest that Shenley Lodge has at least as much in common with these areas as with Furzton with which it is currently paired. Housing in Shenley Lodge and Shenley Church End was developed at the same time. In addition, Shenley Lodge is one of the defined catchment areas for Denbigh School (located in Shenley Church End) and the Caroline Haslett primary school in Shenley Lodge is a partner school of Denbigh. Many residents in Shenley Lodge use the shops and services at the Shenley Church End local centre. 4. Emerson Valley & Furzton (3 Member Ward) – 2018 electorate: 10,435 Comprises Furzton North and South (HB and HC), Emerson Valley North and South (GA and GB) and Shenley Brook End (GE). This area is wholly within the Shenley Brook End & Tattenhoe Parish. I was particularly concerned by the proposals in the Draft Recommendations to divide the Furzton and Emerson Valley estates into two along the linear park and pair the southern parts of both with Bletchley. I would suggest that, rather than dividing both estates, the linear park unites them. People from all parts of Emerson Valley and Furzton use the park for recreation and leisure. Paragraph 70 of the Draft Recommendations suggests that this division of Emerson Valley and Furzton is a consequential result of other ward arrangements, rather than being based on strong “local ties” arguments. I believe that my proposals for the Western Flank as a whole avoid the need to split two estates which share very similar characteristics throughout. 5. Tattenhoe (3 Member Ward) – 2018 electorate: 9,651 Unchanged from LGBCE initial proposals (ie Tattenhoe (GC), Westcroft (GD), Kingsmead (GF) and Oxley Park (GG and LG). I agree with the suggestion that the areas of this proposed ward share similar characteristics and local ties. Bletchley Area Bletchley, Fenny Stratford and Water Eaton are also well‐established areas around which the new town of Milton Keynes was planned. They are covered by Bletchley & Fenny Stratford Town Council and West Bletchley Council. Neither council is big enough for two 3‐member wards but are too big to have just one 3‐member ward each. Taken together, three 3‐member wards are possible. 6. Far Bletchley (3 Member Ward) – 2018 electorate: 9,269 Comprises the whole of existing Whaddon ward (UA to UD) plus Denbigh West (EB – from existing Denbigh ward) and Saints (AB – from existing Bletchley & Fenny Stratford ward). All this area lies within the West Bletchley Council area. The main Buckingham Road, Shenley Road and Whaddon Way roads link all parts of the proposed ward, with shops and a community centre at the junction of Whaddon Way and Warwick road providing a community hub. 7. Bletchley Park (3 Member Ward) – 2018 electorate: 10,534 This ward joins the adjacent parts of Bletchley & Fenny Stratford Town Council and West Bletchley Council. I have also included the small new Ashland estate from Simpson and Ashland Parish, which is already within the existing Bletchley & Fenny Stratford ward. This does involve splitting the Simpson and Ashland Parish. To avoid too great a difference in ward electorates, I have proposed including Simpson village (497 electors) in my proposed Wavendon & Walton ward, as I believe Simpson and Walton are natural bedfellows. However, if there is a wish not to split Simpson and Ashland Parish, Simpson could continue to be included in this Bletchley ward. 3 My proposed ward comprises Church Green (AA), Poets (AC), Fenny Stratford (AF), Granby (AG) and Ashland (AI) from the existing Bletchley & Fenny Stratford ward; and Denbigh NW (EA) and Denbigh NE (EC) from existing Denbigh ward. There are good road links to all parts of the ward and there is a railway line linking Bletchley and Fenny Stratford stations which are both within the ward. 8. Water Eaton (3 Member Ward) – 2018 electorate: 9,856 Comprises whole of existing Eaton Manor ward plus Central Bletchley (AD) and Manor North (AH) from existing Bletchley & Fenny Stratford ward.