Starkie, Emily From: reviews Sent: 31 October 2016 08:52 To: Starkie, Emily Subject: FW: Electoral Review of Torridge: Draft Recommendations ‐‐ Jonathan Ashby Review Assistant LGBCE 0330 500 1252 From: Sent: 31 October 2016 00:59 To: reviews <
[email protected]> Subject: Electoral Review of Torridge: Draft Recommendations FAO: Emily Starkie, Review Officer (Torridge) Dear Ms Starkie, Thank you for your consultation request dated 6th September 2016 with respect to proposals for ward changes within the Torridge District. Currently Holsworthy Hamlets parish is in a ward with Holsworthy town & Sutcombe parish. Under the proposals, in an attempt to create new wards with roughly equivalent numbers of registered electors, the Boundary Commission proposal would sever Holsworthy Hamlets parish from Holsworthy town& place it in a new ward called “Milton & Tamarside”. The total number of district councillors across Torridge would remain unchanged at 36. The proposed Milton & Tamarside ward would comprise the nine parishes of Bradford, Bridgerule, Cookbury, Hollacombe, Holsworthy Hamlets, Milton Damerel, Pancrasweek, Pyworthy& Thornbury. The Boundary Commission proposals were discussed in detail at the recent meeting of Holsworthy Hamlets Parish Council. It was felt that the proposed nine parish ward, although useful in making a ward containing close to the target number of registered electors, is not practical in a rural, sparsely populated community like this one because of the vast geographical area that it would create to be covered by the district councillors in attending all the parish council meetings. It was felt that the likely outcome would be a disconnection of the electorate from their district councillors.