Kingsley, Paul From: Bradley, Joe (CEO) on behalf of Cllr.Baxter > Sent: 24 January 2017 13:45 To: reviews Subject: Boundary Commissioner’s Review of the District Attachments: Summary of Labour Group proposals.doc; Labour Group rewarding submission NEDDC.doc Dear Sir Please find attached proposals from the Labour Group at North East Derbyshire District Council regarding the Boundary Commissioner’s Review of the District. A hard copy will follow in the post. If you require anything further please do not hesitate to contact my office. Yours sincerely Councillor Graham Baxter,M.B.E. Leader of the Council North East Derbyshire District Council District Council Offices 2013, Mill Lane, Wingerworth Chesterfield S42 6NG Working with others we are improving quality of life in North East Derbyshire, ensuring it is a great place to live and work. Find out more at www.ne- derbyshire.gov.uk. Disclaimer This email is confidential, may be legally privileged and contain personal views that are not the views of North East Derbyshire District Council. It is intended solely for the addressee. If this email was sent in error please notify the sender, delete the email and do not disclose, copy, distribute, or rely on it. Under the Data Protection Act 1998 and the Freedom of Information Act 2000 the contents of this email may be disclosed. This message and attached files have been virus scanned. Attachments are opened at your own risk. 1 NORTH EAST DERBYSHIRE DISTRICT COUNCIL LABOUR GROUP REWARDING SUBMISSION Summary This document sets out the submission of the Labour Group in response to the Local Government Boundary Commission’s invitation to submit proposals for rewarding the North East Derbyshire District Council based on 53 councillors. The proposals set out the rationale for the amendments to ward boundaries and The name of the proposed ward The number of councillors for each proposed ward The projected electorate for each proposed ward, and The new electoral variance for each proposed ward In making its submission, the Labour Group has had full regard to the Commission’s guidance, rules and criteria in its deliberations, namely to Deliver electoral equality for local electors Reflect the interests and identities of local communities, and Promote effective and convenient local government A summary of the outcome of the rewarding proposals is attached. In summary, the Labour Group’s proposals will ensure that:- All electoral variances are within the +/-10% criteria set by the Commission All proposals provide good equality of representation across the North East Derbyshire District The proposals address the significant imbalances by making minimal changes to existing well defined ward boundaries The changes will not have a significant divisive impact on existing communities Where changes are made, they will provide stronger, clearer and more identifiable ward boundaries Background Information The North East Derbyshire District Council area has very distinct communities in its urban and rural areas. In preparing its rewarding proposals, the Labour Group has recognised the need to ensure that its proposals reflect and maintain the various distinct interests and identities of the communities. The current ward boundaries determined during the last review in 1999 are largely based around the towns and village settlements and the rural areas reflecting the parishes. - 1 - The North East Derbyshire District Council area is wholly parished and the Labour Group recognises that in a small number of cases its proposals will impact on parish electoral arrangements. Based on the electorate forecast for 2022 North East Derbyshire has 4 of its current 25 wards with imbalances greater than +/- 10%. The electorate forecast for 2022 is 81,682 an increase of 2022 electors (+2.5%) from 2016. To achieve overall electoral equality according to the 2022 forecast, each councillor should represent 1,541 electors. REWARDING PROPOSALS The issues in each existing ward have been considered below:- Killamarsh East Ward Killamarsh East Ward is forecast to have a variance of 0% and returns 2 Councillors. The Labour Group proposes no changes to this ward. Killamarsh West Ward Killamarsh West Ward is forecast to have a variance of -4% and returns 3 Councillors. It is proposed to transfer polling district TB from the Renishaw Ward comprising 156 electors in the village of Spinkhill to Killamarsh West Ward. The 2022 electorate forecast for Killamarsh West Ward is 4425 + 156 electors = 4581 electors ÷ 3 councillors = 1527 electors per councillor. This gives a variance of -1% This proposal both improves electoral equality in Killamarsh West Ward and contributes towards improving electoral equality in Renishaw Ward (see below). Spinkhill has public transport links to Killamarsh and its shopping and leisure facilities. It should be noted that Spinkhill is part of the Eckington Parish and this change will need to be reflected in the parish electoral arrangements. Renishaw Ward & Eckington North and South Wards It is proposed that the remainder of the Renishaw Ward (without the Spinkhill polling district TB) is merged with the Eckington South Ward and the boundary between Eckington North and South wards redrawn. This proposal will create a 3 member Eckington South and Renishaw Ward and a 2 member Eckington North Ward. - 2 - Merging the Renishaw Ward with the Eckington Wards is supported in terms of community identity in that both wards are also part of the Eckington Parish. Renishaw ward also forms part of the same County Division as Eckington. Changes to Eckington South and Eckington North ward boundaries. To transfer from Eckington South to Eckington North a small area comprising 173 electors in the following streets:- Moss Beck Court Moss Rise Place Sitwell Street 1,3,5, & 77 to 93 West End View Berry Avenue 1& 3 West Street (even nos.) 2-18 & 68-94 To transfer from Eckington North to Eckington South and Renishaw Ward a small area comprising 31 electors in the following streets:- Market Street 10-18, 18A, 22B, 24 Freemans Court 1-12 Angel Court, Angel House The transfer of these small areas between Eckington North and Eckington South will both improve electoral equality and provide clearer identifiable ward boundaries. Neither will be detrimental to community interests. The 2022 electorate forecast for Eckington North is 2893 + 173 (from Eckington South) = 3066 – 31 electors (transferred to Eckington South) = 3035 electors ÷ 2 councillors = 1518 electors per councillor. This gives a variance of -1%. The 2022 electorate forecast for the combined Eckington South and Renishaw Ward is 4721 (Eckington South less 173 electors transferred to Eckington North + 31 electors transferred from Eckington North + Renishaw Ward less 156 electors transferred to Killamarsh West). This is a total of 4721 electors ÷ 3 councillors = 1574 electors per councillor. This gives a variance of +2%. North East Derbyshire – the remainder of the Northern part of the area Overview Dronfield is a distinct urban area and it is proposed that the electoral inequality in this area should be considered separately to the rural wards which surround it. The 2022 electorate forecast for the current wards of Coal Aston (-11%), Dronfield North (+7%), Dronfield South –(8%), Dronfield Woodhouse (-7%) and Gosforth Valley (-9%) is 17,363. - 3 - This represents 21% of the total District Council electorate (down from 23% in 1999). In terms of equality of representation its proportionate entitlement of councillors should be 11 councillors and not the current 12. (53 councillors x 21%). A reduction of 1 councillor in this area could be used to improve electoral equality in the southern part of the district, where the inequality is greater, if an additional councillor was allocated to address the increase in electorate in the Tupton and Grassmoor wards. The proposals for the 5 Dronfield Ward are therefore based on its proportionate entitlement of councillors, namely 11 councillors and not 12. The effect of this will be to improve equality both in Dronfield, without detriment to community interests, and facilitate an improvement in equality in the southern part of the district. Dronfield North (+7%) and Coal Aston (-11%) It is proposed to redraw the ward boundaries between Dronfield North and Coal Aston to improve equality by transferring from Dronfield North to Coal Aston 346 electors in the Derwent Road/Summerfield Road area and part Green Lane. This would comprise the following properties:- Derwent Close Derwent Road Trent Grove Avon Close Summerfield Road Green Lane (part) Evens 86b to 122, 70A to 86 Odds 93, 101, 109, 115-125 The Holme Orchard house, Green Lane The 2022 electorate forecast for Dronfield North is 3305 – 346 = 2959 ÷ 2 councillors = 1480 electors per councillor. This gives a variance of -4% The 2022 electorate forecast for Coal Aston is 2753 + 346 = 3099 ÷ 2 councillors = 1550 electors per councillor. This gives a variance of 0.58% This would improve equality in Coal Aston from (-11%) to (+0.58%) and in Dronfield North from (+7%) to (-4%). Dronfield South, Gosforth Valley and Dronfield Woodhouse For the reasons explained earlier in this document it is proposed that between them these three wards should elect one less councillor. The suggestions outlined below would mean that Dronfield South and Gosforth Valley would continue to elect 3 councillors but Dronfield Woodhouse would elect only 1 councillor. The suggestions would meet the Commissions criteria as follows:- - 4 - By improving electoral equality providing strong, clear and identifiable boundaries along the route of the Dronfield Bypass between Dronfield South and Gosforth Valley and Carr Lane/B6056 between Dronfield Woodhouse and Gosforth Valley making it more convenient for councillors to represent electors, particularly east and west of the Dronfield By pass by maintaining community ties Dronfield South It is suggested that the western boundary of Dronfield South Ward should be the Dronfield by-pass. This would mean transferring from Gosforth Valley Ward polling district LC comprising 723 electors.