Liberal Democrat Boundary Review Submission Gloucester City Council - Sept 2014 Introduction This submission outlines the proposal for new ward boundaries for Gloucester City Council. There will be nineteen wards of various sizes. Across the city, there will be thirty nine councillors. There are 12 wards with two councillors, 4 wards with three councillors and 3 wards with one councillor. All wards are within the maximum variation of 10% based on the 2020 figure of 2,584 electors per councillor. The Liberal Democrat group on Gloucester City Council is proposing the new boundaries. All party agreement Eight of the new wards being proposed within this report have unanimous support from members of Gloucester City Council, as agreed at the council meeting on the 25th September. A report from the city council with supporting evidence will be sent to the Boundary Commission separately. The eight wards with all party agreement are as follows 1. Barton & Tredworth – 3 councillors (existing boundaries) 2. Elmbridge – 2 councillors 3. Kingsholm & Wotton – 2 councillors 4. Kingsway – 2 councillors 5. Longlevens – 3 councillors (existing boundaries) 6. Quedgeley Fieldcourt – 2 councillors 7. Quedgeley Severn Vale – 2 councillors 8. Tuffley – 2 councillors (existing boundaries) No change in boundaries We are proposing that there is no change to two wards, where we don’t have all party agreement. 1. Moreland – 3 councillors (existing boundaries) 2. Podsmead – 1 councillor (existing boundaries) Wards on new boundaries We are proposing nine wards with new boundaries. Some of these proposals will be the same as that being suggested by one of the other two groups on the council. 1. Abbeydale – 2 councillors 2. Abbeymead – 2 councillors 3. Barnwood – 2 councillors 4. Coney Hill – 1 councillor 5. Grange – 2 councillors 6. Hempsted 1 councillor 7. Hucclecote – 2 councillors 1 | P a g e 8. Matson & Robinswood – 3 councillors 9. St Oswald’s & St Peter’s – 2 councillors Map of Gloucester with new boundaries Old ward boundaries shown with new ward highlighted in different colours. Current polling districts indicated. 2 | P a g e 3 | P a g e Ward 1 Proposed ward name – Abbeydale Electorate 2014 – 5055 Electorate 2020 – 5169 Proposed representation – 2 councillors Variance from average – 0.00% Polling districts - A2, A4, A5, A5A (part of N3 & N4 & A3 Shergar Close) Notes It is proposed that a new Abbeydale ward is established, which will have two councillors. The western boundary of the new ward will run along Painswick Road taking a number of houses from polling districts N3 and N4. This will provide a better defined boundary between this ward and Matson and Robinswood and will assist in maintaining electoral equality. Most of the Abbeydale area was green fields until around 1970, when Heron Homesteads constructed the Heron Park development. The Heron Park appears to have been designed in accordance with the Radburn model. It consists of loops and cul-de-sacs radiating from a central spine road, Heron Way, giving access to the rear of the houses where there are garages and hard-standings. The houses face each other across interconnecting pathways and green spaces, so that pedestrians are largely separated from traffic. In keeping with the developer's brand name, the streets were named after British birds. Later parts of Heron Park, such as Hawthorne and Bittern Avenues, were not built to the Radburn model. Heron Primary School, which opened in 1977, serves the local community, as does the Glevum Way Shopping Centre with anchor store of a Morrisons supermarket. The ward has a community centre, a doctor's surgery, a pub and a veterinary clinic. The second half of what became known as Abbeydale was started around 1976, with further development on land between Heron Park and the M5. These homes were constructed by the Robert Hitchins and Glevum Estates building companies and are distinguished by their more conventional layout and different house designs. 4 | P a g e 5 | P a g e Ward 2 Proposed ward name – Abbeymead Electorate 2014 – 4886 Electorate 2020 – 4886 Proposed representation – 2 councillors Variance from average – (-5.54%) Polling districts - F5, F6, A1 & (majority of A3) Notes The proposal to create the new Abbeymead ward will unite the natural community that is currently split between two wards of Abbey and Hucclecote. The new ward will have two councillors. Abbeymead is a modern and fairly affluent suburb of Gloucester consisting mostly of housing built from the 1980s onwards. There is no new housing in development and the area is now maturing into one with its own distinct community identity. There is one primary school (Abbeymead Primary School), one small shopping area consisting of a Tesco Express, hairdressers, pet shop, takeaway, small restaurant and a pub. There is no community centre at present, but planning permission has been granted to Hillview Baptist to build a community centre just of Lobleys Drive. This centre will be open to the community as a whole with the church using it mostly on Sundays. It will be known as the Abbey Centre and the church are currently raising the necessary funding. There are several community groups who use the name Abbeymead in their name including Abbeymead Rovers who are one of the most successful and well run children’s football teams in the city. 6 | P a g e 7 | P a g e Ward 3 Proposed ward name – Barnwood Electorate 2014 – 5164 Electorate 2020 – 5184 Proposed representation – 2 councillors Variance from average – 0.31% Polling districts - B1, B2, B3, B5A, B5B Notes It is proposed to create a new two councillor ward of Barnwood from the polling districts B1, B2, B3, B5A and B5B. This area is very different to other parts of the current Barnwood ward, which are included in the proposed Coney Hill ward. Barnwood would comprise of the historic part of Barnwood along Barnwood Road on the east side of the railway line together with modern housing estates off Abbeymead Avenue. These communities use few of the facilities in Coney Hill. The local shopping centres are in Abbeymead and Hucclecote with a large Sainsbury supermarket in Barnwood. The local facilities include St Lawrence Church, Barnwood Park Arts College, Barnwood and Dinglewell Primary Schools, a guides group in Dinglewell and a GP surgery in Hucclecote on the edge of the ward. Two primary areas of open space are Barnwood Park and King George V Playing Field. 8 | P a g e 9 | P a g e Ward 4 Proposed ward name – Barton & Tredworth Electorate 2014 – 7697 Electorate 2020 – 7928 Proposed representation – 3 councillors Variance from average – 2.27% Polling districts - C1, C2, C3, C4, C5, C6 Notes The proposed ward is coterminous with the existing ward and received unanimous support when debated at the council meeting on the 24th of September. The city council will be proposing an identical recommendation for this ward. Barton and Tredworth is a well established ward with three councillors. It is in a central position in Gloucester near the bus and train station. It is a ward with 45 different communities and with an estimated 50 different languages spoken. The ward has distinct Boundaries formed by major roads on three sides and the main railway line on the other. The community facilities consist of several community centres for the community, a junior school and a primary school, doctors’ surgery, police station, and various places of worship for the multi- faith community. The ward also has a superstore, various shops, cafes and restaurants. 10 | P a g e 11 | P a g e Ward 5 Proposed ward name – Coney Hill Electorate 2014 – 2758 Electorate 2020 – 2758 Proposed representation – 1 councillor Variance from average – 6.73% Polling districts – B4, B5 Notes Proposed Coney Hill ward will be focused on two communities, which share many common facilities. This comprises polling districts B4 and B5 that are currently part of the existing Barnwood ward. Coney Hill ward will have one councillor. Coney Hill is largely a 1930’s council estate, much of which is now privately owned and Saintbridge a 1960’s development. The area is located between Metz Way and Painswick Road. The communities share many of the same facilities, including St Oswalds Church, Coney Hill Community Primary School, Askwith Road GP surgery, local guides and scout groups, The Vibe Youth Club and Coney Hill Park, There is a local shopping centre at Coney Hill Parade. An alternative name for this new ward could be Coney Hill & Saintbridge 12 | P a g e 13 | P a g e Ward 6 Proposed ward name – Elmbridge Electorate 2014 – 4998 Electorate 2020 – 5094 Proposed representation – 2 councillors Variance from average – (-1.43%) Polling districts – D1, D2, D3, D4 + (part of G4 + 411) Notes The proposed ward received unanimous support when debated at the council meeting on the 24th of September. The city council will be proposing an identical recommendation for this ward. Elmbridge ward is located north of the city. It shares a boundary with the wards of Barnwood, Kingsholm and Wotton, Longlevens and farmland beyond the city boundary. The ward is a well established ward with a mature residential area which has the associated facilities such as schools and playing fields. The proposed ward will be coterminous with the existing ward, apart from where a boundary change along the road boundary of Horton Road and Cheltenham Road rather than the boundary of Wotton Brook which will bring approx 411 electors from Kingsholm and Wotton ward to Elmbridge ward. This will also improve electoral equality in Elmbridge ward. The proposed ward will continue to have 2 councillors. The ward has two doctors’ surgeries and one dentist surgery. The ward has two churches; Lonsdale Road Methodist Church and Brethren’s Meeting Room.