Page 3 Agenda Item 3

Boundary Commission for

Review of Ward Boundary Arrangements in Sutton

Sutton Council Proposal

Agenda Item 3 Page 4 Ward Boundary Review for Sutton - Council Proposal

Purpose 3

Reviewing the boundaries 3

Borough Profile 5

Proposed New Ward Arrangements 8

Electorate Change - 2018-2025 8

Proposal in summary 8

Proposal by Ward 11

Worcester Park 11

Nonsuch 11

Stonecot 12

New Ward - North 12

Cheam 12

Sutton North 13

New Ward - East Cheam 13

Sutton West 13

Sutton Central 14

Belmont 15

St Helier 15

New Ward - St Helier East 16

Wandle Valley 16

Carshalton Central 17

Carshalton South and Clockhouse 17

Wallington North 18

Wallington South 18

Beddington North 18

Beddington South 19

Appendix 1 - Maps of Ward Proposals 20

2 Page 5 Agenda Item 3 Ward Boundary Review for Sutton - Council Proposal Purpose

As part of their ongoing review of Electoral Arrangements in Sutton, the Boundary Commission for England (BCE) are undertaking a review of Sutton’s ward boundaries.

The first stage of the review was to establish the number of Councillors that Sutton requires in the future. The Council currently has 54 councillors, with three councillors representing each of the 18 wards. Those councillors are all elected at the same time, every four years. The Commission is minded to recommend no change, and that 54 councillors should be elected to Sutton Council. However, the Commission’s guidance makes clear that Council size should be regarded as provisional until the Commission have made their final recommendations for warding arrangements.

Between 25 June and 30 September 2019, the Commission invited proposals from the public about where ward boundaries for Sutton’s 54 councillors should be drawn and what areas and communities will make up their wards. The Commission will then publish its draft recommendations in January 2020 and open a further phase of consultation with local people. New wards are scheduled to come into effect at the 2022 council elections.

The purpose of this report is to present Sutton Council’s proposal for new ward arrangements.

Reviewing the boundaries Following the BCE’s previous review in 2000, Sutton’s ward boundaries have been in place since the 2002 elections. This current review enables the Council to reflect on the extent to which the Borough has changed since the review, and how ward boundaries may need to change to achieve electoral equality for Sutton in the future and reflect changes in the Borough’s community.

When reviewing proposals for new ward boundaries the Commission applies three criteria:

● The pattern of wards should mean that each councillor represents roughly the same number of voters as elected members elsewhere in the authority to secure equality of representation

● As far as is possible, ward patterns should reflect community interests and identities, and boundaries should be recognisable to local residents

● Electoral arrangements should promote effective and convenient local government and reflect the electoral cycle of the council

In developing the Council’s proposal, officers from Electoral Services and Planning considered electorate population data projected to 2025. Using mapping software specifically designed to review electoral district boundaries, officers tested a range of options for ward boundary change against the BCE criteria.

Although improving Sutton’s electoral equality was a key factor in developing the Council’s proposal, officers also took into account issues and suggestions raised by Members in a ward boundary survey (July 2019) and a Member workload survey (April 2019).

These surveys covered a range of issues, such as the appropriateness of ward names, community interest and representation, local area identity, communications, facilities and variations in Member caseloads. The views of Elected Members on changing from the present three-member ward pattern to address over and

3 Agenda Item 3 Page 6 Ward Boundary Review for Sutton - Council Proposal under representation have been acknowledged and the development of the proposal also corrects some historic drafting errors around ward boundaries.

Additionally, the proposal follows key principles agreed by a cross-party working group of Members and endorsed by feedback from the Member surveys. These are as follows:

● Members welcome the flexibility that two-member wards could bring but are cautious about reducing to single member wards because of resilience.

● Little appetite from Members for substantial change from the existing pattern of wards.

● Where possible, boundaries should reflect settled communities and make sense to residents.

● Any proposed arrangements need to be robust and flexible enough to deal with increases in the electorate in the future arising from new developments.

After officers had taken all of these factors into consideration, they sought the views of Members on an initial proposal during August 2019, revising this in light of Member feedback to create the Council’s final proposal. There were 10 responses to the consultation from members, including two group responses.

4 Page 7 Agenda Item 3 Ward Boundary Review for Sutton - Council Proposal Borough Profile

Location

The Borough of Sutton is one of the southern most boroughs of London. It is south of the London Borough of , west of the London Borough of and east of the Royal Borough of . It covers an area of 43 km2 (17 sq mi) and is the 80th largest Borough in England by population. Sutton is the principal town.

Situated in ’s Zone 5, the Borough of Sutton is less than 30 minutes by train from . South and south west London are easily accessible by public transport. There are 10 train stations which serve key neighbourhoods within the borough providing direct connections to London Victoria, London Bridge, London Blackfriars and St Pancras International. Sutton also has direct rail connections with Epsom, Dorking, Guildford and Horsham, as well as Wimbledon for an interchange with the London Underground and West Croydon for the London Overground. Gatwick and Heathrow airports can be reached easily within 30 and 60 minutes, respectively, and an extensive road network provides close and easy access to the M25 and M23.

Administration

The Borough is administered by Sutton Borough Council. Created by the London Government Act 1963, Sutton Borough Council replaced three local authorities: Beddington and Wallington Borough Council, Sutton and Cheam Borough Council and Carshalton Urban District Council.

There are 18 Sutton wards with 3 Councillors per ward giving a total of 54 Councillors who serve a four year term. Since the most recent local elections in May 2018, the Borough is currently a Liberal Democrat run administration. The political composition is 33 Liberal Democrats, 18 Conservatives and 3 Sutton Independent Residents.

The local authority covers two parliamentary constituencies: Carshalton and Wallington and Sutton and Cheam. Both constituencies are entirely within the administrative boundary of the Borough of Sutton.

Employment and business growth

Between 2010 and 2016, the number of employee jobs in LB Sutton increased by 7,000 (+10.6%) from a total of 66,000 in 2010 to 73,000 in 2016, however, the number of employee jobs fell to around 71,000 in 2017. As of 2017, there were 63,300 employee jobs in services, 6,000 in construction and 1,750 in manufacturing.

The number of active businesses in LB Sutton has increased by 3.7% over the last year from 9,225 in 2016 to 9,570 in 2017. The proportion of new enterprises surviving after 1 year increased from 92.9% in 2015 to 94.2% in 2016.

The number of out of work benefit claimants as a percentage of Sutton’s working age population (aged 16-64) has increased by +0.4% over the last year from 2.1% in April 2017 to 2.5% in April 2018.

5 Agenda Item 3 Page 8 Ward Boundary Review for Sutton - Council Proposal

Social Deprivation

According to the government’s Index of Multiple Deprivation (IMD 2019), Sutton’s overall social deprivation ranking has improved since 2015, relative to other local authorities in England. Sutton is now ranked within the 8th least deprived decile (having previously been within the 7th) in the country.

Sutton is the 4th least deprived borough in London behind Richmond, Kingston and . However, this masks significant variation in deprivation across the borough, with a number of communities (parts of St Helier, Beddington South and Wandle Valley) experiencing high levels of deprivation (i.e. living in the 30% most deprived areas in the country), and one community (in Beddington South) ranked within the 10% most deprived in the country.

Current Population

Sutton’s resident population was 203,627 on 30 June 2017 (GLA’s 2017 based population estimates).

Sutton’s resident population has increased by 19,069 (+10.4%) over the previous 10-year period since 2007 and by 13,143 (+6.9%) compared to the 2011 Census figure of 190,100.

Births increased sharply from 2,009 in 2001-02 to reach a peak of 2,835 in 2011-12 before falling slightly to 2,767 by 2016-17.

Net migration to Sutton from other parts of the UK and overseas has fallen sharply from a peak of +1,133 in 2012-13 to only +7 in 2016-17.

Projected population - 2018-2028

GLA (2017 housing led estimates) population data projects that Sutton’s overall population will grow by 13,793 additional residents between 2018 and 2028 from 207,378 to 221,171. Much of the 6.7% overall growth is likely to be in the Sutton Central, Sutton North and Wandle Valley wards, and will be largely attributable to residential development in these areas. Section 4 of this report describes the implications of planned development for the size of the electorate and electoral equality.

6 Page 9 Agenda Item 3 Ward Boundary Review for Sutton - Council Proposal

Over the next 10 years from 2018 to 2028, the number of borough residents aged 0-15 is projected to increase by 444 (+1.0%) from 44,138 to 44,582; residents aged 16-64 will increase by 6,911 (+5.2%) from 131,964 to 138,875; and residents aged 64+ will increase by 6,439 (+20.6%) from 31,278 to 37,717.

Household Size

Average household size is projected to decrease over the next 10 years from 2.39 persons per household in 2018 to 2.33 in 2027 (- 2.5%) according to the GLA’s 2016-based Central Trend household projections.

Ethnicity

Over the next 10 years, the proportion of black and ethnic minority (BAME) residents is estimated to increase from 26.3% in 2018 to 29.9% in 2028 according to the GLA’s housing-led ethnic projections (Nov 2017). As of 2018, 73.7% of borough residents are white, 14.9% are Asian or mixed race, 7.4% are Black or mixed race, 1.3% are Chinese and 2.7% are from ‘other’ ethnic origins.

7 Agenda Item 3 Page 10 Ward Boundary Review for Sutton - Council Proposal Proposed New Ward Arrangements

Electorate Change - 2018-2025

Sutton’s electorate is projected to grow by 9% (13,832) between 2018 and 2025 from 153,165 to 166,997. The average ward electorate is 8,509. By 2025, this could increase to 9,278 (based on 18 three member wards). Much of the growth in Sutton’s electorate is projected to result from planned building development, particularly in Sutton Central and Wandle Valley Wards. Overall, in addition to the projected electorate population increase, planned development in Sutton could account for 4,462 additional electors.

The size of wards presently ranges from 7,930 (Carshalton South and Clockhouse) to 9,424 (Sutton Central) and 9,457 (). By 2025, the size of wards is projected to range from 8,486 (Carshalton South and Clockhouse) to 9,972 (Worcester Park), 10,967 (Wandle Valley) and 11,414 (Sutton Central).

Following the first stage of their review of electoral arrangements, to establish the Council size, the Boundary Commission are minded to recommend a Council size of 54 Councillors. This is no change from the present number of Councillors. Currently, the average number of electors for each Councillor (electoral ratio) is 2,836 and is projected to grow to 3,090 by 2025, an increase of 253 (9%). The BCE’s threshold for acceptable electoral ratio is that this should vary by no more than -/+ 10% of the average number of electors per Councillor. By ward, the current electoral ratio ranges from 2,643 (Carshalton South and Clockhouse) to 3,152 (Worcester Park). 10 of the Borough’s 18 wards are below the current electoral ratio average of 2,836.

In 2025, 13 out of the 18 wards are projected to be below the Sutton average 3,090 electors per Councillor with three of these more than 6% below the average. In addition to the projected population increase, planned building development may result in significant increases in the number of electors per Councillor particularly in Sutton Central (3,805) and Wandle Valley (3,657) wards. For these wards, the variance from the projected Sutton average of 3,090 electors per Councillor could be as much as 23% and 19% respectively. This is significantly outside the BCE’s threshold (-/+10%) for acceptable electoral ratio.

Proposal in summary This proposal comprises of:

● an increase in the number of wards from 18 to 21 as an outcome of creating 8 two member wards; ● increasing the Council size from 54 to 55 councillors; and ● reducing the electoral ratio to 3,033 (from 3,090) electors per Councillor in 2025

At the start of the consultation, the Commission was minded to recommend a provisional Council size of 54 Members for Sutton. However, as the proposal was being developed it became clear that the flexibility of having an additional Member could enable a warding arrangement that could achieve better electoral equality and a more equitable and effective distribution of Member representation. As a result, the proposal introduces a number of two member wards creating a number of individual wards that more closely reflect their communities and improve electoral equality and Member representation across the Borough.

Under this proposal, the electoral ratio for all Sutton wards would fall considerably within 10% of this new average (thus meeting the BCE’s threshold for acceptable electoral ratio) with the majority of wards falling within +/- 6% of the average number of electors per councillor.

8 Page 11 Agenda Item 3 Ward Boundary Review for Sutton - Council Proposal

Appendix 1 illustrates the current and proposed ward arrangements, and the impact of the proposal on electoral ratios. A detailed map of the proposals can be viewed on a zoomable map h ere.

The ward by ward descriptions set out below describe the individual wards and explain how they have been drawn to meet the BCE’s criteria for evaluating warding arrangements.

9 Agenda Item 3 Page 12 Ward Boundary Review for Sutton - Council Proposal

Proposed Wards summary of forecast electorate in 2025

Target electors per councillor: 3033

Proposed New Proposed Current Name Current Forecast Actual Percentage Ward Name Number of Number of Elector Count Variance Variance Councillors Councillors

Worcester Park 2 Worcester Park 3 6272 +205 +3.4% North

Worcester Park 2 Nonsuch 3 6103 +36 +0.6% South

Stonecot 2 Stonecot 3 6320 +253 +4.2%

North Cheam 3 Currently N/A 9506 +405 +4.5% Worcester Park, Nonsuch and Stonecot

Cheam Village 3 Cheam 3 9066 -34 -0.4%

Sutton North 3 Sutton North 3 9273 +173 +1.9%

East Cheam 2 Currently Sutton N/A 6191 +124 +2.0 West and Belmont

Sutton West 2 Sutton West 3 6137 +70 +1.2%

Sutton Central 3 Sutton Central 3 9172 +71 +0.8%

Sutton South 3 Sutton South 3 9818 +718 +7.9%

Belmont 2 Belmont 3 6051 -16 -0.3%

St Helier West 3 St Helier 3 9091 -10 -0.1%

St Helier East 2 Currently N/A 5512 -555 -9.1% Wandle Valley

Hackbridge 2 Currently 3 5656 -411 -6.8% Wandle Valley

The Wrythe 3 3 9036 -64 -0.7%

Carshalton 3 Carshalton 3 9306 +206 +2.3% Central

Carshalton 3 Carshalton 3 8290 -811 -8.9% Beeches & South & Clockhouse Clockhouse

Wallington 3 Wallington 3 9524 +424 +4.7% North North

Wallington 3 Wallington 3 8794 -306 -3.4% South South

Beddington 3 Beddington 3 8530 -570 -6.3% North

Wallington East 3 Beddington 3 9192 +92 +1.0% South

10 Page 13 Agenda Item 3 Ward Boundary Review for Sutton - Council Proposal Proposal by Ward

Worcester Park

Proposed Name 2025 Electorate Variation (%) Councillors

Worcester Park North 6272 +3.4% 2

Worcester Park is located in the north-west of the borough, bordering the London Borough of Kingston to the west, and the to the north. No significant residential developments are planned in the ward before 2025.

It is proposed that the boundary with Nonsuch (Worcester Park South) in the south west of the ward could be redrawn to bring the commercial centre of Worcester Park wholly into the ward, where it is currently split between the two. This would be in line with what residents perceive as the road’s identity.

The current London Road boundary between Worcester Park (Worcester Park North), Nonsuch (Worcester Park South) and Stonecot includes a significant number of residents who would identify as living in North Cheam, and would look to the North Cheam community centre for amenities. Therefore, it is proposed that the eastern boundary with the new North Cheam ward would run east of Trafalgar Avenue, Clarkes Avenue, Cotswold Way and Colborne Way to Cheam Common Road. This proposal would see the electorate significantly reduce in size so it is proposed to reduce the number of Councillors representing Worcester Park (Worcester Park North) to two, to ensure electoral equality.

It is proposed to change the name of the ward to Worcester Park North, as a result of proposing a change to the name of Nonsuch to Worcester Park South, in line with BCE naming conventions.

Nonsuch

Proposed Name 2025 Electorate Variation (%) Councillors

Worcester Park South 6103 +0.6% 2

Nonsuch is in the north-west of the borough, bordered by and the London Borough of Kingston to the south and west. Within the current ward boundaries, one significant residential development is planned, which would add to the electors in the ward.

It is proposed that the boundary with Worcester Park (Worcester Park North) in the north west of the ward could be redrawn so the commercial centre of Worcester Park is wholly within one ward, where it is currently split. This would better reflect the communities’ perception of where the road is. In the north east, it is proposed to redraw the boundary with the new North Cheam ward south of the North Cheam community centre. This would enable the North Cheam community centre to be entirely within the new North Cheam ward. The remaining boundary with Cheam, north east of Cheam Park, is proposed to be maintained, as it provides an identifiable border between communities.

As a result of changes to the boundaries which would reduce the electorate in the ward, it is proposed to reduce the number of councillors to two.

11 Agenda Item 3 Page 14 Ward Boundary Review for Sutton - Council Proposal

The appropriateness of Nonsuch as a name for this ward was questioned by members during consultation, so it is proposed to change it to Worcester Park South, which consultation feedback highlighted as being more reflective of the identity of the ward.

Stonecot

Proposed Name 2025 Electorate Variation (%) Councillors

Stonecot 6320 +4.2% 2

Stonecot is in the north-west of the borough, bordered by the London Borough of Merton to the north and west. No significant residential developments are planned before 2025.

A change to the southern boundary of the ward is proposed, so it would run behind the houses south of Gander Green Lane to better fit with the identifiable area around Stonecot Hill. The existing northern, eastern and western boundaries make use of significant roads and a train line, which create a natural divide between settled communities in neighbouring wards and it is therefore proposed that these be maintained. As a result of reducing the size of the ward, it is proposed to reduce the number of Councillors representing Stonecot to two.

New Ward - North Cheam

Proposed Name 2025 Electorate Variation (%) Councillors

North Cheam 9506 +4.5% 3

North Cheam is a largely residential ward in the north-west of the borough, and residents and the North Cheam community centre are currently split between Worcester Park, Nonsuch and Stonecot Wards. It has increasingly developed its own identity, reflecting the decision to propose the creation of a new, three Member ward.

The northern boundary is proposed to run behind houses south of Gander Green Lane to London Road, and along the borough boundary.

The eastern boundary with Worcester Park (Worcester Park North) would run east of Trafalgar Avenue, Clarkes Avenue, Cotswold Way and Colborne Way to Cheam Common Road, reflecting that residents in this area would identify as living in North Cheam, and would look to the North Cheam community centre for amenities.

The southern boundary with Nonsuch (Worcester Park South) along Cheam Common Road is proposed to be configured so that the community centre is within the ward. The south eastern boundary of the current Nonsuch (Worcester Park South) and Stonecot wards with Cheam (Cheam Village) is proposed to be maintained, as Cheam Park, would continue to provide an identifiable border between communities.

Cheam

Proposed Name 2025 Electorate Variation (%) Councillors

Cheam Village 9066 -0.4% 3

Cheam is in the south west of the borough, bordered by Surrey to the south and west. No significant

12 Page 15 Agenda Item 3 Ward Boundary Review for Sutton - Council Proposal residential developments are planned in the ward between now and 2025, and the population is likely to be stable.

A change in name is proposed to reflect the community identity of the ward, and the proposed creation of East Cheam and North Cheam wards.

No changes to the current boundaries of the ward are proposed, as it is reflective of the community, provides good electoral equality, and the A217 acts as a strong boundary with Belmont and the new East Cheam ward.

Sutton North

Proposed Name 2025 Electorate Variation (%) Councillors

Sutton North 9273 +1.9% 3

Sutton North is in the north of the borough, and largely residential in feel. Several residential developments are planned in the ward before 2025, which will add to the population of electors.

It is proposed to move the boundary with the new East Cheam ward to run behind houses on Gander Green Lane. This would be a logical boundary, as houses on Collingwood Road would then be within Sutton North, and the vehicle entrances to Collingwood Recreation Ground and the allotments are in Sutton North. Additionally, both the recreation ground and allotments are considered to be in Sutton rather than Cheam. These proposed changes also address the fact that the current electorate is slightly undersized.

No further significant change to the current boundaries of Sutton North are proposed. Consultation with Members has highlighted that the current ward is reflective of the community, and makes use of significant roads and key landmarks to create sensible boundaries.

Two minor amendments are proposed along the southern boundary with Vale Road, and the eastern boundary along Duke of Edinburgh Road. This accounts for development that has occurred since the previous review, and ensures that settled communities remain within a single ward.

New Ward - East Cheam

Proposed Name 2025 Electorate Variation (%) Councillors

East Cheam 6191 +2.0% 2

The creation of a new, two Member, East Cheam ward is proposed to reflect the distinct identity of the historical part of Cheam east of the A217, whilst also reflecting parish boundaries, and the fact that residents in this area look to Cheam for access to amenities. The boundaries of the new ward are proposed to be drawn behind houses on Gander Green Lane in north east, along the A217 in the west, and behind houses on Dorset Avenue and Holland Avenue in the south, and behind houses east of Overton Road on the south eastern boundary to the railway, then joining up with Gander Green Lane.

Sutton West

Proposed Name 2025 Electorate Variation (%) Councillors

Sutton West 6137 +1.2% 2

13 Agenda Item 3 Page 16 Ward Boundary Review for Sutton - Council Proposal

Sutton West is centrally located in the borough. Within the current boundaries, two sizeable residential developments are planned, which would add to the population of electors.

It is proposed to reduce the number of Councillors representing Sutton West to two. West of Gander Green Lane is proposed to become part of the new East Cheam ward, reflecting the parish boundary.

The boundary with Sutton Central could be moved east, running largely down St Nicholas Way. This keeps the residential area west of the town centre in a single ward, and improves electoral equality in both Sutton West and Sutton Central, accounting for the significant development in the town centre.

It is proposed to redraw the boundary with Sutton South so it runs along the railway line to reflect residents’ perception of where they live, and create a more logical boundary that makes use of significant infrastructure.

Sutton Central

Proposed Name 2025 Electorate Variation (%) Councillors

Sutton Central 9172 +0.8 3

Sutton Central is centrally located in the borough, characterised by the largely commercial area in the west, and residential streets to the east. A large amount of residential development is planned in the ward before 2025, which will add significantly to the number of electors.

It is proposed to redraw the boundary with Sutton West down St Nicholas Way, so the residential area west of the town centre would be kept in a single ward. This would enable Sutton Central to be maintained as a single, three Member ward, whilst achieving electoral equality in light of the large-scale development planned in the town centre. During consultation, it was highlighted that the population in the town centre is likely to be comparatively transient compared to other areas, and that a single, larger ward, would provide greater stability.

The eastern boundary with Carshalton Central (Carshalton) is proposed to be maintained for consistency in identity between ward boundaries and constituency boundaries.

To accommodate the additional electorate expected in Sutton Central, another option was tested, which would have seen the creation of a new, two Member ward focused on the residential area in the east of Sutton Central. Sutton Central would have also become a two-Member ward, covering a smaller area centred on the High Street. It became clear through consultation that, although this would achieve electoral equality, the flexibility of an additional councillor could be better utilised in the and St Helier area, for more resilient allocation of Members across the whole borough. The option put forward in this proposal - to maintain Sutton Central as a single, three Member ward - addresses these concerns, whilst also creating wards that reflect communities.

Sutton South

Proposed Name 2025 Electorate Variation (%) Councillors

Sutton South 9818 +7.9% 3

Sutton South is centrally located in the borough, bordered by Belmont to the south, Sutton West, the new Sutton Central ward, and Carshalton Central (Carshalton) to the north. It is largely residential, with close links

14 Page 17 Agenda Item 3 Ward Boundary Review for Sutton - Council Proposal the High Street is Sutton. A couple of developments are planned within the ward, which will add a small number of additional electors to the population.

It is proposed to redraw the boundary with Sutton West so it runs along the railway line to reflect residents’ perception of where they live, and create a more logical boundary that makes use of significant infrastructure.

The boundary with the new East Cheam ward is proposed to be drawn behind houses east of Overton Road. Although this is further east than the ideal boundary of York Road, this option would enable better representation of both wards by maintaining electoral equality, without disrupting community identities.

Houses off Egmont Road currently in Belmont are usually considered to be in Sutton South, so it is proposed to redraw the boundary between the two wards to reflect this.

The northern boundary with Sutton Central currently follows the trainline, which separates the residential areas in Sutton South with the more urban High Street. The trainline also provides a strong boundary with Carshalton Central (Carshalton). It is proposed to maintain this.

One option was tested to move the boundary between Sutton South and Carshalton South and Clockhouse (Carshalton Beeches and Clockhouse) further west (including houses off Willis Avenue, Prior Avenue, Kayemoor Road and Upland Road within Carshalton South and Clockhouse (Carshalton Beeches and Clockhouse)) to address the variation in population of electors between the wards, however this was not felt to be reflective of the communities in these areas. It is therefore proposed to maintain Road as this is the natural boundary between these two wards.

Belmont

Proposed Name 2025 Electorate Variation (%) Councillors

Belmont 6051 -0.3% 2

Belmont is in the south of the borough, bordering Surrey to the south. No significant developments are planned in the ward before 2025. The current Belmont ward is larger than the area that would usually be identified as Belmont, so it proposed to reduce the ward in size, and the number of Members representing it, to two. This strengthens the identity of the ward, and significantly improves electoral equality.

The north-western part of the current ward looks to Cheam for amenities, so it proposed for the boundary between Belmont and East Cheam to be drawn north of houses on Dorset Road, east of houses on Holland Avenue, and through Overton Park.

Houses off Egmont Road in the northern part of the ward bordering Sutton South is usually considered to be Sutton South, so it is proposed to redraw the boundary between the two wards to reflect this.

In the east of the ward, the boundary with Carshalton South and Clockhouse (Carshalton Beeches and Clockhouse) has been redrawn behind houses east of Banstead Road South, to create a more logical boundary.

St Helier

Proposed Name 2025 Electorate Variation (%) Councillors

St Helier West 9091 -0.1% 3

15 Agenda Item 3 Page 18 Ward Boundary Review for Sutton - Council Proposal

St Helier is in the north of the borough, bordering the London Borough of Merton to the north. It is a largely residential ward, characterised by the St Helier Estate. No significant residential development is planned in the ward before 2025.

Minor changes to the eastern ward boundary with the current Wandle Valley (St Helier East) ward are proposed, so the boundary runs consistently down Green Wrythe Lane, where it had previously been split between a number of wards. This creates a more consistent boundary, and improves electoral equality in the proposed St Helier East ward.

New Ward - St Helier East

Proposed Name 2025 Electorate Variation (%) Councillors

St Helier East 5512 -9.1% 2

It is proposed to create a new, two Member ward from the east of the current Wandle Valley ward. As well as a change in housing stock, consultation feedback has highlighted that residents in this area would identify with the St Helier community, rather than Wandle Valley (Hackbridge). An option was tested to maintain a single ward in this part of the borough, however feedback received suggested that this did not go far enough to reflect the local area’s identities.

The boundary between St Helier East and Hackbridge would be drawn along the , creating a strong, natural border. The boundary of the current Wandle Valley ward with The Wrythe would be moved north, to run behind houses on Bramblewood Close and Buckhurst Avenue, so would be consistent with the edge of the St Helier estate. The relatively higher electoral ratio variation in this ward is justified both in terms of reflecting the community identity and to address the relatively higher casework volumes for Members in this part of the Borough.

Wandle Valley

Proposed Name 2025 Electorate Variation (%) Councillors

Hackbridge 5656 -6.8% 2

Wandle Valley is a large ward in the north of the borough, bordering the London Borough of Merton in the north. A significant amount of residential development is planned across the ward before 2025, which will add a large number of additional electors to the ward. To reflect the rapidly growing community of Hackbridge, and distinct identities within the current ward, it is proposed to split the ward into two smaller, two Member wards, with the River Wandle forming the boundary between the two. The River Wandle is also proposed to be used as the boundary between Hackbridge and The Wrythe. These changes would see the ward boundary better reflect the area defined in the Hackbridge Community Plan, creating a more consistent place-based identity.

The eastern ward would become Hackbridge, centred on the growing town and strengthening the identity of this area, and creating a more coherent community than the current arrangement allows.

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The Wrythe

Proposed Name 2025 Electorate Variation (%) Councillors

The Wrythe 9036 -0.7% 3

The Wrythe is a largely residential ward in the north of the borough. No significant residential development planned in the ward before 2025.

Changes to the ward boundaries in the north east of the ward have been proposed to improve elector equality, without disrupting community boundaries. The northern boundary with the new St Helier East ward would be moved north, to run behind houses on Buckhurst Avenue, consistent with the edge of the St Helier estate. The western boundary with Hackbridge would be redrawn to follow the western branch of the River Wandle. The remaining boundaries are proposed to be maintained as they make use of strong physical boundaries, or changes between communities.

Carshalton Central

Proposed Name 2025 Electorate Variation (%) Councillors

Carshalton 9306 +2.3% 3

Carshalton Central is centrally located in the borough. No significant residential developments are planned in the ward before 2025.

The southern boundary with Carshalton South and Clockhouse (Carshalton Beeches and Clockhouse), currently only partially follows the trainline, so it is suggested to alter the boundary in the south east of the ward to continue along the trainline.

A small adjustment along the eastern boundary with Wallington North is proposed to ensure houses on one road are within the same ward, but remaining boundaries are proposed the be maintained, with the western boundary with Sutton Central ensuring consistency in identity between ward boundaries and constituency boundaries.

A name change, to Carshalton, has been proposed as a better fit with the ward, and in light of the proposed change in name of Carshalton South and Clockhouse ward to Carshalton Beeches and Clockhouse, to fit with BCE naming conventions.

Carshalton South and Clockhouse

Proposed Name 2025 Electorate Variation (%) Councillors

Carshalton Beeches and 8290 -8.9% 3 Clockhouse

Carshalton South and Clockhouse is the largest ward in the borough, but also the least populated. It has a distinct north/south split, with the residential north comprised of Carshalton Beeches and Carshalton on the Hill, whilst the south is rural in feel, characterised largely by farmland, with a small residential area just north of the border with the London Borough of Croydon and Surrey. No significant residential developments are planned in the ward before 2025.

17 Agenda Item 3 Page 20 Ward Boundary Review for Sutton - Council Proposal

It is proposed that the northern border with Carshalton Central (Carshalton), follows the trainline in its entirety to create a stronger boundary. Along the western boundary, a small change is proposed in the south along the border with Belmont, to continue behind houses east of Banstead Road South.

One option was tested to move the boundary between Sutton South and Carshalton South and Clockhouse (Carshalton Beeches and Clockhouse) further west (including houses off Willis Avenue, Prior Avenue, Kayemoor Road and Upland Road within Carshalton South and Clockhouse (Carshalton Beeches and Clockhouse)) to address the variation in population of electors between the wards, however this was not felt to be reflective of the communities in these areas. It is therefore proposed to maintain Banstead Road as this is the natural boundary between the two wards.

One option was tested to look at whether creating a single Member ward for Clockhouse in the south would be appropriate in light of the community identity in this part of the ward, however it was felt that the population was too small to enable good representation.

A name change has been proposed to better reflect the community identity in the north of the ward.

Wallington North

Proposed Name 2025 Electorate Variation (%) Councillors

Wallington North 9524 +4.7% 3

Wallington North is a predominantly residential ward in the east of the borough, with the community centre focused on Manor Road. One development is planned within the ward before 2025, adding a small number of additional electors to the population.

The boundary along Rectory Lane could be strengthened by ensuring all properties along it are in a single ward, however no further changes are proposed as the train lines in the north and south provide sensible boundaries between communities, and the border with Carshalton Central (Carshalton) follows significant roads.

Wallington South

Proposed Name 2025 Electorate Variation (%) Councillors

Wallington South 8794 -3.4% 3

Wallington South is in the south-east of the borough. Several developments are planned within the ward before 2025, slightly increasing the number of electors.

No significant changes are proposed to the boundaries, with a minor amendment proposed to keep houses on the same roads in a single ward. The boundary could be redrawn around Lavender Vale so all residents are within a single ward. Other boundaries reflect the community identity and make use of infrastructure.

Beddington North

Proposed Name 2025 Electorate Variation (%) Councillors

Beddington 8530 -6.3% 3

18 Page 21 Agenda Item 3 Ward Boundary Review for Sutton - Council Proposal

Beddington North is a large ward in the north east of the borough, bordering with the London Boroughs of Croydon to the east, and Merton to the north. It is home to a large industrial area, park, and farmland to the north of the ward, with residential area largely confined to the south. No significant residential developments are planned in the ward before 2025.

No significant changes are proposed to the boundaries, with a minor amendment proposed to the boundary with Wallington North along Rectory Lane, which could be strengthened by ensuring all properties along it are in a single ward. Remaining boundaries are felt to be reflective of communities, and where appropriate, making use of infrastructure.

An option was tested to move Beddington Park and Farmlands into a single ward, where it is currently split with Wallington North, however consultation feedback from Members highlighted that, as a community asset used heavily by residents of both wards, the current boundary should be maintained.

It is proposed to change the ward name to Beddington, in light of the suggested name change in the current Beddington South (Wallington East) ward, as per BCE naming conventions.

Beddington South

Proposed Name 2025 Electorate Variation (%) Councillors

Wallington East 9192 +1.0% 3

Beddington South is in the south-east of the borough, and borders the London Borough of Croydon to the south and east. It is a largely residential ward, comprising of the Estate in the north, and East Wallington in the south. No significant residential developments are planned in the ward before 2025.

No significant changes are proposed to the boundaries, with a minor amendment proposed to keep houses on the same roads in a single ward. The boundary could be redrawn around Lavender Vale so all residents are within a single ward. Other boundaries reflect the community identity and make use of infrastructure.

A name change has been proposed to reflect the local area with which the community in the ward most associates, reflecting consultation feedback from Members.

19 Agenda Item 3 Page 22 Ward Boundary Review for Sutton - Council Proposal Appendix 1 - Maps of Ward Proposals

Existing ward boundaries and population in 2025

This map shows the current ward arrangements, with projected 2025 population, incorporating planned developments and projected population growth or decline. The ‘difference’ in population shows how far from the average electors a ward is, with the BCE’s accepted maximum or minimum +/-10% from the average, with a target of between +/-5%.

Sutton Central and Wandle Valley are significantly above the BCE’s electoral ratio, highlighting a lack of equality by 2025 in these wards if no changes were made. A number of other wards are also slightly above and below the ideal target.

20 Page 23 Agenda Item 3 Ward Boundary Review for Sutton - Council Proposal

Proposed ward boundaries and population in 2025

This map shows the proposed ward arrangements, with projected 2025 population, incorporating planned developments and projected population growth or decline. The ‘difference’ in population shows how far from the average electors a ward is, with the BCE’s accepted maximum or minimum +/-10% from the average, with a target of between +/-5%.

All wards fall within the BCE’s accepted range of electors from the average. Where wards are outside the target of +/-5%, it is felt the proposal is the best option to reflect community identity and provide resilience to future growth and demand for access to Members.

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