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Liberal Democrat response to LGBCE proposals for 53 seat county council

Liberal Democrat council leaders and chairs of constituency parties in met on the 26th July.

The current county council boundary review for Gloucestershire was part of the agenda.

The following comments to the LGBCE proposals for Gloucestershire are now submitted for your consideration.

The submission is done without prejudice to the county council Liberal Democrat group’s view that the process has been flawed from the beginning and that 63 members rather 53 would provide a better fit for council governance and community identity.

However, we now have plans for a 53 member council and I present the points on behalf of Liberal Democrat colleagues to the 53 member proposal.

1. District

We propose that the LGBCE returns to the boundaries originally submitted by the county council for the following four divisions

Springbank & Swindon Village

Prestbury & Pittville

St Paul's & St Peter's

Hesters Way & St Mark's

We are content with the other six divisions proposed by the LGBCE, for Cheltenham

2.

The LGBCE proposals for new divisions are acceptable including the names of divisions.

3. District

We propose alterations to the proposed Mitcheldean Division to better balance community identity.

Mitcheldean division (24)

In the original proposal the division of Mitcheldean is within the numerical limits to ensure electoral equality.

The LGBCE’s proposal to move the area known as Plump Hill from the Mitcheldean division into the & division is for expediency, not to assist improved local government or improve electoral equality in that area.

Plump Hill is historically part of Mitcheldean. It is part of the natural community of Mitcheldean. The Plump Hill part of the A4136 is a steep winding hill and notorious for accidents. It has historically

1 | Page Liberal Democrat response to LGBCE proposals for 53 seat county council been monitored by Mitcheldean Council and the division including Mitcheldean. To move it to a different electoral division would lose this continuity and knowledge.

The Commission then suggests dividing the Parish Council into two very unequal wards. This would not help the local council deliver effective local government.

Maintaining Plump Hill in Mitcheldean division would still keep the percentage within those required and would even make it nearer a perfect number.

To increase the number of voters in Drybrook & Lydbrook we suggest that the part of Broadwell which is in Blakeney & Bream under the commission’s proposal is moved into Drybrook & Lydbrook. 464 voters moved into Drybrook & Lydbrook would give that division a higher percentage, and reduce the percentage in Blakeney & Bream, which is over the desired number at present.

Taking account of the above proposal and moving 412 voters in Soudley from Blakeney & Bream into division would leave Blakeney & Bream with 8527 voters, still within the tolerance. This would increase the number of voters in Cinderford and still be within the required percentage. Soudley would then be in the same division as Ruspidge, with which it shares a Parish Council, and the natural communities would be reflected.

4. District

We are content with the proposed boundaries for all ten divisions except a minor amendment to the Barnwood and Hucclecote division.

We propose that the southern boundary of polling district B1 continues along Metz Way to the main railway line thus removing the dog leg extension of polling district B4.

This will tidy division boundaries between Barnwood & Hucclecote and Coney Hill & Matson divisions. This is a commercial area of Gloucester and will therefore have a neutral effect on division electoral numbers.

We are content with the proposed names of all Gloucester divisions except division 34 Lower Tuffley & New Quedgeley and we propose a name that reflects the communities that it consists of Kingsway & Grange.

5. District

The number of Councillors should be increased from 7 to 8 which would put it in line with the Forest of Dean Council which has a similar number of voters (approx. 68,000), particularly if you take account of approved planning applications.

An eight member proposal would also resolve the problem of two divisions being greater than the 10% variance. We ask the LGBCE to consider an eight division for Tewkesbury district.

However, based on the Commission’s proposals for 7 councillors, we recommend the following:-

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Liberal Democrat response to LGBCE proposals for 53 seat county council

Winchcombe to gain Gotherington Parish from Bishops Cleeve and lose Woodmancote Parish to Bishops Cleeve

Winchcombe would lose 1600 voters and gain 700 voters leaving total of 9615. It would therefore be 9615: 4% over the County average rather than 14%.

Woodmancote shares a long urban boundary with Bishops Cleeve and has much closer community/service links with Cleeve than Winchcombe.

Cleeve to gain Woodmancote Parish from Winchcombe but lose Gotherington Parish to Winchcombe and Parish to Highnam (50)

Cleeve would lose 500 voters to Highnam and 700 voters to Winchcombe and gain 1600 voters from Winchcombe. It would therefore be 10211: 11% over the County average rather than 6%.

Gotherington is a mainly rural parish and has a lot in common with the neighbouring rural of and Greet (proposed for Winchcombe Division) whereas Bishops Cleeve is an urban parish. Stoke Orchard is also a rural parish and therefore has a lot in common with the neighbouring rural parish of Stoke Orchard and Elmstone Hardwick. Stoke Orchard Parish Council supported going into the Highnam Division.

Highnam to gain Stoke Orchard Parish from Cleeve and lose Innsworth to Churchdown

Highnam would lose 1400 voters to Chuchdown but would gain 500 voters from Cleeve. It would therefore be 8977: 3% below the County average rather than 7% above the County average.

Innsworth is an urban parish which shares an urban boundary with Churchdown and has close community / service links with Churchdown.

Churchdown to gain Innsworth from Highnam

Churchdown would gain 1400 voters from Highnam. It would therefore be 10,362: 12% above the County average rather than 1% below.

Equalisation of votes

This brings 2 Divisions nearer the County average although it takes 2 Divisions further away. However, it reduces the size of the worst anomaly: Winchcombe and therefore overall provides a more even distribution of votes.

6. District

Members from the believe that there is no good fit on the 10 seat model for their district. Whatever is done the new divisions don’t meet the LGBCE criteria - that as far as possible they reflect the natural communities of Gloucestershire.

Cllr. Jeremy Hilton – Gloucester Westgate division

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