People and Places Local Government Boundary Commission for England Report No 550
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PEOPLE AND PLACES LOCAL GOVERNMENT BOUNDARY COMMISSION FOR ENGLAND REPORT NO 550 Her Majesty's Stationery Office PEOPLE AND PLACES LOCAL GOVERNMENT BOUNDARY COMMISSION FOR ENGLAND REPORT NO 550 Local Government Commission for England x LIBRARY COPY , PLEASE RETURN LONDON HER MAJESTY'S STATIONERY OFFICE 1988 O Crown Copyright 1988 First published 1988 ISBN Oil 752130 2 To: The Rt. Hon. Nicholas Ridley MP Secretary of State for the Environment The Rt Hon. Douglas Hurd MP Secretary of State for the Home Department People and Places — A Report by the Local Government Boundary Commission for England Foreword The Local Government Boundary Commission for England was established by the Local Government Act 1972. Since then it has reported on many electoral and administrative boundaries but its last general report was produced in 1983.(11This report gives an account of the Commission's activities since 1983, outlines its current programme and discusses some of the problems the Commission faces in its work. It is addressed to the Secretaries of State, to whom the Commission reports under the Act, but it is hoped that it will be both useful to local authorities and of interest to a wider public. 111 Local Government Boundary Commission for England (LGBC) Report No. 443. Local Government Boundary Commission for England Chairman MrGJEHertonCMGMBE Deputy Chairman Mr JG Powell CBE Members Professor G E Cherry MrKFJEnnalsCB Mr GR Prentice MrsHRVSarkany MrBScholesOBE Contents Page Introduction 1 The Local Government Boundary Commission for England 2 Why change local government boundaries? The Commission's Approach to its work 3 Making proposals for change 4 Consultation 5 Local knowledge 6 Local meetings 6 Legal challenge 7 Guidelines issued by the Secretary of State 8 Planning and development 9 Green Belts 10 Campaignsfor return to pre-1974 boundaries 11 The views of local people 12 Divided communities 13 Reluctance to advocate change 13 Cost-benefit of boundary changes The Commission's Work since 1983 Boundary Reviews 14 Parish reviews 15 Rural parishes 16 Urban parishes 17 District boundaries 20 Non -metropolitan counties in Page 22 London boroughs and the City of London 23 Metropolitan districts 23 Unitary authority 23 Seaward boundaries 24 National boundaries 24 Electoral Reviews 25 Criteria for electoral reviews 25 Countyelectoral reviews 26 Further electoral reviews of districts 26 Review of ILEA's electoral arrangements 27 Council size-The Widdicombe Report 28 New Legislation 28 Conclusion Appendices 30 A Criteria which the Local Government Boundary Commission For England will take into account in carrying out reviews of principal areas 32 B Approach to the reviews of Non-Metropolitan Counties 33 C Guidelines for the reviews of London and the Metropolitan districts 35 D Revised check list of points to be covered in parish reviews 38 E List of reports to the Secretary of State on principal area boundary changes since January 1983 40 F Check list of points to be covered in boundary reviews (other than parish reviews) IV Introduction The Local Government Boundary Commission for England 1. The Local Government Boundary Commission for England was set up by the Local Government Act 1972 to review the boundaries of Greater London, the London boroughs, the counties and districts and their electoral arrangements, and to make proposals for changes to them in the interests of "effective and convenient local government."The Commission also makes proposals in respect of reviews of parishes carried out by district councils. The Commission is not concerned with parliamentary constituencies which are the exclusive responsibility of the Parliamentary Boundary Commission. 2. The Commission has a duty, under the 1972 Act, to review at periodic intervals all counties in England, all metropolitan districts and all London boroughs.111 It has a separate duty to review, also at intervals, the electoral arrangements for all counties, districts and London boroughs.121 3. The Commission is also empowered to undertake ad hoc boundary reviews of districts and electoral reviews and it must consider requests for them from local authorities,131 as well as recommendations from district councils arising out of their own parish reviews.14' 4. In considering suggestions put to it, as well as in producing or modifying its own draft proposals, the Commission takes account of guidelines issued by the Secretary of State." These are discussed later in this report. Having decided on its final proposals, the Commission reports to the Secretary of State, who may accept, modify or reject its proposals, when he takes the final decision. 5. It is also the Commission's responsibility, and one it sees as very much part of its role, to ensure as wide a consultation as possible at each stage, with all those affected by, or interested in, a review. 01 Section 48(1 )The Local Government Act 1972. 121 Section 50(2) The Local Government Act 1972. 131 Section 48(3X4) The Local Government Act 1972. (4) Section 48(8)The Local Government Act 1972. 'Throughout this report 'Secretary of State' should be taken to mean either the Secretary of State for the Environment or Secretary of State for the Home Department as appropriate to the context. Why Change Local Government Boundaries? 6. Changes in the size and distribution of population will inevitably mean that the areas of some local authorities will from time to time cease to be apt for effective and convenient local government. For example, new development may often straddle an existing boundary; but a boundary which cuts through property is unlikely to be convenient to the property owner who may have to deal with two separate authorities, for example, for rating and planning purposes. It can also make it harder, or more expensive, to deliver local government services effectively, for example, by requiring vehicles from two authorities to collect rubbish from adjoining houses in the same street. 7. Similarly, unless electoral areas - district wards and county divisions- are kept under periodic review, changes in the distribution of population will mean that the general equality of representation which Schedule 11 to the 1972 Act calls for, will cease to apply, and votes in one area will weigh more heavily than those elsewhere in the same district or county. 8. But if local boundaries must be changedfrom time to time, there are good reasons for changing them as seldom as possible. Most people value continuity in their lives and often feel fierce loyalty to their village, parish, town, city or county. Any boundary change, therefore, is quite likely to be strenuously opposed by local people who are normally content with things as they are; they will resent the instability which frequent change can mean to their communities. 9. Another good reason for avoiding frequent change is that even a minor boundary variation will require much detailed work on the part of not less than two local authorities - and a substantial change, for example, to a county boundary, can involve six (or more) authorities: two counties, two {or more) districts and two (or more) parishes. Detailed work will be required not only by those authorities, but by the Commission and the Department of the Environment (and by the Home Office when electoral areas are affected), as well as by Ordnance Survey. In short, we are well aware that boundary changes cost money. 10. Opposition to boundary changes has changed little since Mr Balfour, introducing the London Government Bill nearly ninety years ago, said: 'I am well aware that there is probably no more ticklish question to be dealt with in this Bill than this question of areas. It invariably arouses jealousies, feelings, local passions and local rivalries in a way which has proved very embarrassing to every government which has endeavoured to deal with the complexity of our existing local areas and which has, I am afraid, stood in the way of many important and useful reforms.' (Hansard, 23 Feb. 1899, Col. 356). 11. The Commission is not in the business of re-drawing wholesale the local government map of England. Rather, it views its task as that of an estate manager, seeking to keep the fabric of the map in good repair and to prevent, if possible, that tendency towards rigidity in the pattern which was a characteristic of local government in the 85 years before reorganisation in 1972. THE COMMISSION'S APPROACH TO ITS WORK Making proposalsfor change 12. Our task is to make proposals for changes appearing to us desirable in the interests of 'effective and convenient local government.' We meet on a regular basis. At each meeting we have before us for each item all the proposals and counter-proposals put to us by local authorities, supported by all the written representations from members of the public. In addition, we have advice from Ordnance Survey on the technical suitability of proposed boundaries. When we are considering whether to carry out a review, and when we are formulating our proposals, we have regard to the guidelines set out in Department of the Environment (DOE) Circular 33/78, extracts of which are reproduced at Appendix A. These guidelines ask us to have in mind three broad considerations: — whether the boundary accords with the wishes of the local inhabitants; — whether it reflects the pattern of community life; and — whether it is conducive to the effective operation of local government and associated services. 13. We comment further on our guidelines in paragraphs 28-33 and 42-45 below. It is important that those who wish to suggest changes should put forward a detailed and reasoned case which we can relate to them -and this applies to all types of boundary review. The submissions we receive, whether for or against change, do not always set out the facts and arguments which have led to the conclusion that it will or will not be in the interests of effective and convenient local government, which is our concern.