Boston)Local Government Boundary Commission for England

To the Review Officer (Boston)Local Government Boundary Commission for England Dear Sir, As Rector of Skirbeck I did initially email to the Council Chairman, concern at the loss of the name of Skirbeck in revision of Ward boundaries. That email was forwarded to you I know from having spoken to someone in your department. That concern remains for Skirbeck was a historic and distinct parish for at least a thousand years and was only reluctantly split in 1931 with the urban area being absorbed by the old Borough of Boston and the open fields attached to Fishtoft, (fields now built on and in the anomalous situation of being physically linked to Boston but in a Civil parish whose centre they are not linked to). A continued separate identity was granted in 1931 by the ward areas of the town. The name and identity was continued in the ecclesiastical parish whose boundaries remained unchanged, so that unusually with the urban sprawl of Boston, the ecclesiastical parish boundaries make more sense than the civil ones! To abandon the name of “Skirbeck” for “College” is not only historical vandalism but ridiculous when Boston College has closed down their campus in Mill Road to centralise on their other site. “College Ward” would be an anachronism in its name, before it was even established! However, having viewed a map of the proposed new boundaries there are other, and more serious concerns from the local community on the east side of the Maud Foster Drain, the historic Skirbeck . The area north of the River Witham and east of the Maud Foster is proposed to be severed from the large Woad Farm Estate area and linked instead with Skirbeck Road (historically and ecclesiastically always a part of Boston and St Botolph’s parish) and the area on the west side of the River Witham‐ the lower High Street with which it has no historic, community or even geographical links. Maple Road has no conceivable affinity with an area on the other side of both the River Witham and John Adam’s Way. If this boundary is established between College and Haven Wards‐ for the whole area east of the Maud Foster Drain this means 1. The ancient parish church is being severed from the bulk of its parish. 2. The Skirbeck Community Centre is being severed from the greater part of the Community it serves. 3. St Nicholas’ Primary School is being separated from part of its usual catchment area 4. St Nicholas School and St Nicholas’ Church which have worked together for 150 years finish up in different wards with different councillors to represent their interests. 5. Boston Nursery School, which is the only nursery school in this part of Boston, is being separated from part of its natural catchment area too. 6. The local Community’s Post Office on Kingsway will be in a different ward from that of a large numbers of its users. To have different councillors for such a clearly identified and interlinked area will be confusing and divisive in a community which has always subsisted and worked together. Local Councillors of differing parties in the past, as now, have worked collaboratively together on issues which have affected the whole of this area. In the past on such matters as the 1998‐1999 proposals by Finn Forest for a chemical wood‐processing plant on its site on Fishtoft Road; and only this year when Skirbeck Church, St Nicholas’ School, The Over 60’s group, Polish Karate, and Community Hall Committee all worked together for a most successful Diamond Jubilee Celebration on St Nicholas’ School field and Service in St Nicholas’ Church. When Community cohesiveness is being emphasised as of crucial importance, to implement changes that fracture a community that exists, by separating its people and institutions and giving them different councillors, seems quite illogical. One suggestion would be that that the area west of the Maud Foster Drain around Rowley Road etc. should be taken from area 2A and placed with 2B, to allow the area east of the Maud Foster Drain in 2B to be with 2A, where its natural affinities would place it. There may be other ways to avoid the division of a natural unit. The imperative of numerically equal ward constituencies is understood; however even with parliamentary constituencies it is recognised that historical and community links have to be respected and exact equality of voter numbers is not always achievable in particular circumstances. The contention locally is that the Maud Foster drain forms just such a natural and traditional dividing line between historic Boston and Skirbeck and that the community links that exist now, bear out that division. The hope is that in finalising boundaries Skirbeck’s integrity, unity and name will be preserved. Fr Paul Noble, Rector of Skirbeck. July 27th 2012 .

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