FER 2016 Royal County of Berkshire
West Berkshire a ceremonial shire’s district Mishka Mayers [email protected]
FER in West Berkshire Council’s (WBC) future size, 42 or 43 members? Ref X: WBC’s proposal to be 42-councillors - 27-wards; http://decisionmaking.westberks.gov.uk/documents/s58609/13.%20Final%20Warding%20Pattern%20numbers.pdf ie Schedule of as-proposed wards Ref Z: my alternative to be 43-councillors i.e. 28-wards. My original scheme was submitted during last spring. A planning appeal’s decision has caused a >4% increase to forecast. In Lower Kennet wards group the forecast’s enlargement is significant eg Theale CP’s forecast 22% variance. So as to minimise disruption of West Berks original scheme my suggested revisions are confined within Lower Kennet and Tilehurst. The variances for both Thatcham and Tilehurst remain at the extremes of good electoral equality criteria. WBC’s revised scheme has 3-of-27 wards outside the statutory variance eg Hungerford ward. My Ref X, Thatcham CP to be combined with Aldermaston CP; and Tilehurst CP to be combined with Tidmarsh CP & Sulham CP. The AONB contains 9-wards: all of WBC’s original proposals can continue. Englefield and Theale are both outside of the North Wessex Downs (NWD- AONB). Englefield Manor is nr my Theale Green secondary school. Naming of wards in urban areas: compass point is simple & clearest. Cold Ash is a population centre within ward’s footprint its ‘pin point’ centre is Hermitage CP. Its noted that the Commission are still mindful to go for a 42-member Council. A rigorous analysis of updated forecast reveals that 42-member plan has variances too too great for the statutory criteria’s provision. A 43-member scheme would resolve the extreme variances of Thatcham and Tilehurst: their variances were 8% and -7% respectively. Thatcham needs an extra councillor. Aldermaston is Newbury-centric. 7-member Thatcham & Aldermaston is forecast 0% variance. Mortimer wards forecast growth necessitates a westward radical revision thru to Thatcham. Aldermaston is Newbury-centric. Beenham CP can supersede Aldermaston CP as hub for a single-member ward: forecast 1% variance. . Sulhampstead CP has academic & rural character, South & North respectively. My scheme (Ref Z) would resolve the electoral equality criteria. The solution is to rotate anti-clockwise thru wards in Lower Kennet: 28-wards in my Appendix. The forecast’s growth, especially in Lower Kennet wards, substantiates my analysis: there is a clear need for a 43-member Council of the future. === fin ===
1 Peter Kingswood RIBA
FER 2016 Royal County of Berkshire
West Berkshire a ceremonial shire’s district Mishka Mayers [email protected]
…--- Appendix WARD, 28 as-proposed 2023 av/cllr cllr variance Stratfield Mortimer 3333 3333 1 10.07% updated forecast was 17% OMIT zBB Beech Hill CP. * Co-terminous ward and whole parish (CP): clear identity. Suggest revised name ward. Burghfield 5875 2937 2 -3.00% OMIT ySG2 Sulhampstead South PW; ADD zBB Beech Hill CP. * 3% variance is improvement from 11% …! Beenhan 3048 3048 1 -0.66% Aldermaston ward forecast was 10% OMIT WA Wasing CP, BH Brimpton CP, & AA Aldermaston CP; ADD ySG-2 Sulhampstead South PW. * Excellent electoral equality criteria solution. Suggest revised name ward.
Thatcham South & Aldermaston 3324 3324 1 9.77% ADD WA Wasing CP, BH Brimpton CP, & AA Aldermaston CP, and TH11 & TH13 Thatcham South PW. * Aldermaston CP is Newbury-centric. * An extra cllr: better solution allows electoral equality.
Theale [& Englefield] 3341 3341 1 10.37% updated forecast was 22% OMIT zSF Sulham CP & zTC Tidmarsh CP. * Englefield Manor is nr my Theale Green secondary school. Tilehurst North [& Tidmarsh] 5652 2826 2 -6.67% OMIT pt of zTL4 split; ADD zSF Sulham CP & zTC Tidmarsh CP. * These hamlets adjoin sub-urban Tilehurst. * 3% urban variance is improvement from 7%. ======
2 Peter Kingswood RIBA
FER 2016 Royal County of Berkshire
West Berkshire a ceremonial shire’s district Mishka Mayers [email protected]
Alternative Z: my alternative scheme
WARD, 28 as-proposed 2023,AMD av/cllr cllr variance ======A NWD-AONB, so’west Lambourn 3342 1 10.37% Hungerford 5543 2772 2 -8.47% Kintbury 3152 1 4.09% B NWD-AONB, north Downsland 3114 1 2.84% Ridgeway 3150 1 4.03% Chieveley 2999 1 -0.96% Cold Ash
C Newbury environment Speen 2814 1 -7.07% NEWBURY 27 308 3034 9 0.205% Greenham 5790 2895 2 -4.39%
D Lower Kennet THATCHAM [19,867] & Aldermaston [1380](^) 21 247 3035 7 0.24% Beenham 3048 1 0.66% Theale [& Englefield] 3341 1 10.34 Burghfield 5875 2937 2 -2.99 % Stratfield Mortimer 3333 1 10.07% E beyond Reading Pangbourne & Purley 6163 3081 2 1.77% TILEHURST & H’brook 17 571 2928 6 -3.29% ______total / average 130 217 3028 43-members … (^)4-wards: West, East, Central, South-&-Aldermaston ... 3 Peter Kingswood RIBA
FER 2016 Royal County of Berkshire
West Berkshire a ceremonial shire’s district Mishka Mayers [email protected]
Revised forecast X: West Berks scheme http://decisionmaking.westberks.gov.uk/ieListDocuments.aspx?CId=116&MId=4323&Ver=4
WARD, 27 as-proposed 2023-AMD av/cllr cllr variance ======A NW-AONB, so’west Hungerford 5543 2771 2 -11% Kintbury 3152 1 1.68% B NW-AONB, north Lambourn 3342 1 7.8% Downlands (SiC) 3114 1 0.45% Ridgeway 3150 1 1.61% Bradfield 3168 1 2.20%
C the central towns Chieveley 2999 1 -3.26% Cold Ash
D Lower Kennet Aldermaston 3398 1 9.64% Bucklebury 2994 1 -3.42% Theale 3779 1 22% Burghfield 6617 3308 2 6.73% Mortimer 3621 1 17%
E beyond Reading Pangbourne & Purley 6163 3030 2 -0.60% TILEHURST & H’brook 17 133 2856 6 -7.89% ______Totals / Average 130 217 3100 42-members … 4 Peter Kingswood RIBA
FER 2016 Royal County of Berkshire
West Berkshire a ceremonial shire’s district Mishka Mayers [email protected]
Dear Mishka Meyers FER in West Berkshire Council’s (WBC) future size, 42 or 43 members? Ref X: WBC’s proposal to be 42-councillors - 27-wards; http://decisionmaking.westberks.gov.uk/documents/s56677/New%20ward%20m aps%20-%20alphabetical.pdf ie 27-maps http://decisionmaking.westberks.gov.uk/documents/s56676/Final%20calculations%20in%20Alphabetical%20Order%20- %2013%20March%202017.pdf Schedule of as-proposed wards Ref Y: an alternative to be 43-councillors i.e. 28-wards. WBC’s scheme (Ref X) respects whole CPs: but, Mortimer ward’s 13% variance is no-good electoral equality. How to resolve: find a CP with mixed identity. Sulhampstead CP has academic & rural character, South & North respectively. My scheme (Ref Y) would resolve the electoral equality criteria. The solution is to rotate anti-clockwise thru wards in Lower Kennet: 28-wards in my Appendix. Yours sincerely < e-Mail > Peter Kingswood --- Appendix WARD, 28 as-proposed 2023 av/cllr cllr variance Stratfield Mortimer 3047 3047 1 5.25% OMIT: BB Beech Hill CP revised ward name. Burghfield 6403 3201 2 10.58% OMIT: SG1 Sulhampstead North PW; ADD: BB Beech Hill CP, transfer-IN from Mortimer.
Been’n & Aldermaston 2976 2976 1 -0.72% OMIT: WA Wasing CP & BH Brimpton CP; ADD: SG-1 Sulhampstead North PW, transfer-IN from Burghfield ward, revise ward name Thatcham East & Brimpton 2800 2800 1 -3.27% ADD: BH Brimpton CP & WA Wasing CP, an extra ward. ===
1 Peter Kingswood RIBA
FER 2016 Royal County of Berkshire
West Berkshire a ceremonial shire’s district Mishka Mayers [email protected]
Alternative Y: an alternative scheme WARD, 28 as-proposed 2023 av/cllr cllr variance ======A NW-AONB, so’west Hungerford 5239 2620 2 -9.52% Kintbury 2802 1 -3.22% B NW-AONB, north Lambourn 3024 1 4.46% Downlands 3014 1 4.11% Ridgeway 3036 1 4.87% Bradfield 3071 1 6.08%
C the central towns Chievley 2881 1 -0.48% Cold Ash 5733 2867 2 -0.99% Speen 2784 1 -3.84% NEWBURY 26 108 2901 9 0.203% Greenham 6176 3088 2 6.67% THATCHAM & Brimpton(^) 19 602 2800 7 -3.27%
D Lower Kennet Been’m & Aldermaston 2976 1 -0.72% Bucklebury 2859 1 -1.25% Theale 3062 1 5.768% Burghfield 6403 3201 2 10.58% Stratfield Mortimer 3047 1 5.25% E beyond Reading Pangbourne & Purley 6059 3030 2 4.64% TILEHURST & H’brook 16 616 2769 6 -4.34% ______total / average 124 492 2895 43-members … (^) to be 4-wards: West, C&S, North, East-&-Brimpton ... 2 Peter Kingswood RIBA
FER 2016 Royal County of Berkshire
West Berkshire a ceremonial shire’s district Mishka Mayers [email protected]
Alternative X: West Berks scheme http://decisionmaking.westberks.gov.uk/ieListDocuments.aspx?CId=116&MId=4323&Ver=4 WARD, 27 as-proposed 2023 av/cllr cllr variance ======A NW-AONB, so’west Hungerford 5239 2620 2 -11.62% Kintbury 2802 1 -5.47% B NW-AONB, north Lambourn 3024 1 2.024% Downlands 3014 1 1.687% Ridgeway 3036 1 2.43% Bradfield 3071 1 3.61%
C the central towns Chievley 2881 1 -2.81% Cold Ash 5733 2867 2 -3.26% Speen 2784 1 -6.07% NEWBURY 26 108 2901 9 -2.13% Greenham 6176 3088 2 4.18% THATCHAM 19 140 3190 6 7.625%
D Lower Kennet Aldermaston 3214 1 8.43% Bucklebury 2859 1 -3.54% Theale 3062 1 3.306% Burghfield 6321 3161 2 6.63% Mortimer 3353 1 13.12%
E beyond Reading Pangbourne & Purley 6059 3030 2 2.21% TILEHURST & H’brook 16 616 2769 6 -6.57% ______Totals / Average 124 492 2964 42-members … 3 Peter Kingswood RIBA