Local Government Boundary Commission For England Report No. 308 LOCAL GOTORMfcJHT BOUNDARY COtfUISSIOK FOR ENGLAND REPORT LOCAL OOY^U-Ji^T liO'JiJjAifl COi.LklSoIGri ?CH EKGLAKD CHAIRMAN Sir Edmund Compton GCB KB]i DSPUTY CKAIfGi'iAN Mr J M Hankln QC TffilvIBSHS Lady Bov/den KrJ T Brockbank: Professor Michael Chisholm Mr H H Thornton C3 LL Mr D P Harrison PH To the Rt Hon. Merlyn Rees MP Secretary of State for the Home Department PROPOSALS FOH THE FUTURE ELECTORAL ARRANGEMENTS FOR THE METROPOLITAN BOROUGH OF CALDERDALE 1. We, the Local Government Boundary Commission for England, having carried out our initial review of the electoral arrangements for the metropolitan borough of Calderdale in accordance with the requirements of section 63 of, and Schedule 9 to, the Local Government Act 1972, present our proposals for the future electoral arrangements for that borough* 2. In accordance with the procedure laid down in section 60(1) and (2) of the 1972 Act, notice was given on 27 August 1975 that we were to undertake this review. This was incorporated in a consultation letter addressed to the Calderdale Borough Council, copies of which were circulated to West Yorkshire County Council, the Members of Parliament for the constituencies concerned and the headquarters of the main political parties. Copies were also sent to the editors of local newspapers circulating in the area and of the local government press. Notices inserted in the local press announced the start of the review and invited comments from members of the public and from interested bodies. 3. Calderdale Borough Council were invited to prepare a draft scheme of representation for our consideration. In doing so, they were asked to observe the rules laid down in Schedule 11 to the Local Government Act 1972 and the guidelines which we set out in our Report No 6 about the proposed size of the council and the proposed number of councillors for each ward. They were asked also to take into account any views expressed to them following their consultation with local interests. We therefore asked that they should publish details of their provisional proposals about a month before they submitted their draft scheme to us, thus allowing an opportunity for local . comment. 4. Section 7(3) of the Local Government Act 1972 requires that in metropolitan districts elections shall be by thirds. Section 6(2)(b) of the Act requires that every metropolitan district shall be divided into wards each returning a number of councillors divisible by three. 5« Calderdale Borough Council submitted their draft scheme of representation on 31 August 1976. They proposed to divide the area into 18 wards each returning 3 members to form a council of 5^. 6. The draft scheme produced a very even standard of representation, but comments suggested that this had been achieved at the expense of breaking local ties. A political association and a political party submitted alternative schemes for a 5^-member council and alternative arrangements for certain areas were suggested in other comments. We studied the draft scheme, the alternative schemes and the alternative arrangements suggested for certain areas. We noted that the alternative arrangements Mould produce a less even standard of representation and decided to adopt the draft scheme as our draft proposals subject to some minor boundary realignments suggested to us by Ordnance Survey. 7. On 23 May 1977 we issued our draft proposals and these were sent to all who had received our consultation letter or had commented on the Council's draft scheme. Calderdale Borough Council were asked to make these draft proposals, and the accompanying map which defined the proposed ward boundaries, available for inspection at their main offices. Representations on our draft proposals were invited from those to whom they were circulated and, by public notices, from other members of the public and interested bodies. We asked that comments should reach us by 25 July 1977« 8. The response to the draft proposals showed that there was local dissatisfaction about the wards in certain areas and that there was local support for each of the alternative schemes which had been submitted. The Council reserved the right to comment on the boundaries in certain areas at a local meeting. 9. In view of these comments we decided that we needed further information to enable us to reach a conclusion. Therefore in accordance with section 65(2) of the 1972 Act and at our request, Mr W J Pedley was appointed an Assistant Commissioner to hold a local meeting and to report to us. Notice of the meeting was sent to all who had received our draft proposals or had commented on them, and was published locally. 10. The Assistant Commissioner held a meeting at the Town Hall, Halifax on 2? November 1977 and visited the areas which were the subject of comment. A copy of his report is attached at Schedule 1 to this report. 11. Following the discussion at the meeting and his inspection of• the area, the Assistant Commissioner recommended that we should confirm pur draft proposals as our final proposals subject to a correction to the boundary between the Todmorden and Calder Valley wards which had been wrongly drawn on the draft proposals map. We noted that the boundary in question followed a parish ward boundary and, in accordance with para 3^2)(b) of Schedule 11 to the 1972 Act, it was our intention that the district ward boundary should follow the line of the parish ward boundary* 12. We reviewed our draft proposals in the light of the Assistant Commissioner's report. We noted that he had examined all the alternative arrangements which had been put before the meeting and had reached the conclusion that, on balance, the draft proposals would provide.the most satisfactory arrangements for the district as a whole. We decided to accept his recommendation and we" confirmed.our draft proposals as our final'proposals subject to correcting the .wrongly drawn line. 13- Details of these final proposals are set out in Schedule 2 to this report and on the attached map. Schedule 2 gives the names of the wards and the number of councillors to be returned by each. A detailed description of the boundaries of the proposed wards, as defined on the map, is set out in Schedule 3, PUBLICATION 1^. In accordance with Section 60(5)(b) of the Local Government Act 1972, a copy of this report and- a copy of the map are being sent to the Calderdale Metropolitan Borough Council and will be available for inspection at the Council's main offices. Copies of this report (without map) are being sent to those who received the consultation letter and to those who made comments. L.S. Signed: EDMUND COMPTON (CHAIRMAN) JOHN M RANKIN (DEPUTY CHAIRMAN) PHYLLIS BOWDEN T BROCKBANK MICHAEL CHISHOU* D P HARRISON R R THORNTON NEIL DIGNEY (Secretary) 21 September 19?8 ItF SCHEDULE 1 The Secretary, Local Government Boundary Commission for England, Room 123, 20 Albert Embankment, LONDON. 3H77TJ. Sir, Review of Electoral Arrangements Metropolitan Borough of Calderdale In accordance with my appointment by the Secretary of State as an Assistant Commissioner and pursuant to the instructions contained in your letter of the 19th October, 1977, I have the honour to submit the following report. 1. Date of Meeting A local meeting was held in theCouncil Chamber in the Town Hall, Halifax on Wednesday the 23rd November, 1977 commencing at 10.30 hours and concluding at 17.45 hours. The following day was spent in a series of visits and inspections, details of which are given in Paragraph 13. 2. Attendance The signed attendance lists accompany this Report (Annex A). Those who spoke or participated in the proceedings are listed below:- Calderdale Metropolitan Borough Mr.'G.P. Key LL.B., Chief Executive. Calderdale District Labour Party Mr. John Muir of Counsel who called: Counc. H. Wilson, counc, Allan Pettingell, Mr. Brian Pirth, Mr. R. Deadman and Mr. G.A. Benbow. Calderdale Council Liberal Group Counc. David Shutt, Mr. Allen Clegg, Mr. N. Collins-Tooth, Counc. Michael Taylor,. Counc. Norman Kemp, County Councillor Trevor Wilson and Counc. David J. Fox. Hebden Royd Parish Council Mr. K. Kaberry, Clerk to the Parish Council. Walsend Neighbourhood Action Group Mr. G.D. Scott and Mr. J.D. Storah. Todmorden Town Council Councrs. Frank Mills, Irving Wright and Margareta Holmstedt. Elland and District Neighbourhood Council Miss Margaret Riley. Individual Objectors Counc. Michael Taylor Mr. Philip Round, Parish Councillor, Hebden Royd Parish Council. Each speaker had the opportunity of commenting on what had been said by others in addition to making their own views known* 3. The Commission's Draft Proposals The draft proposals were based on the Borough Council's draft Scheme in view of the evenness of representation it would achieve subject only to minor Ordnance Survey modifications. Two of the alignments caused the transfer of a small number of electors, two in one case and twelve in another. I put the Ordnance Survey amendments to the meeting before hearing any of those present and no comments were made. 4. Comments on the Draft Proposals A number of written comments were received on the Draft Proposals and are summarised as follows:- (A) Calderdale District Labour Party In December 1976 the Party submitted a scheme for the district which provided for 18 three member wards to &ive a Council of 54 members. In July, 1977 they asked for their Scheme to be reconsidered especially with reference to 6 proposed wards i.e. Calder Valley, Luddendenfoot, St. Johns, Warley, Northowram and Shelf and Rastrick.