BOUNDARY COMMISSION RECOMMENDATIONS FOR REVIEW OF WARDS OF DISTRICT COUNCIL

Response from PARISH COUNCIL on the Boundary Commission’s three main considerations.

1. Electoral Equality achieved by Draft recommendations:

Boundary Commission Recommendation: , Fishbourne, Appledram and Donnington to form a 3 member ward entitled Bosham & Donnington Ward.

Electorate Electors per Variance Electorate Electors per Variance (2015) Councillor from (2021) Councillor from (2015) average (2021) average

7,924 2,641 3% 8,355 2,785 1%

COMMENT: The proposal meets the consideration of improving electoral equality.

2. Reflection of Community Identity.

COMMENT:

There is serious concern about the unintended damage that would be caused by the choice of name for the new ward. Though “Bosham and Donnington” has the advantage of marking the geographical extremes of the new ward, it omits two of the village names and this could have damaging (though unintended) outcomes. Whatever rule is applied to naming of new wards has to have room for some flexibility. . This is where local knowledge has such an important part to play.

In this particular case, combining the names of four separate villages under the name of two of them conflicts both with the Fishbourne Neighbourhood Plan and with the CDC's own local plan both of which stress the need for the preservation of the individual villages and of the neighbouring AONB. This is vital not only because of the quality of life in the separate villages but also because we are fighting to prevent major developers from building on the strategic gaps between villages and destroying for ever the charm and attraction of the coastal villages and their popularity as a tourist area.

What we need, therefore, is a name which includes Fishbourne (e.g. Fishbourne and Bosham Group) or at least sends the clear message that the ward consists of separate villages (e.g. or Four Villages, but with a sub-heading for use on notices and paper heading) e.g.: Harbour Villages Ward Donnington ...... Appledram ...... Fishbourne ...... Bosham

3. Provision of effective and convenient local government

COMMENT: We recognise the constraints imposed by meeting the three criteria but would argue strongly that where compromise has to be met between the three criteria, the interests and identities of local communities should have top priority not least because the third criterion (effective and convenient local government), cannot be achieved without this.

Given that District Councillors are the voice of their communities at Council meetings, they need to build up a day-to-day knowledge of their individual community. There have to be questions about whether one ward involving four very different villages is best served by having three councillors –– especially since there would seem to be nothing to prevent all 3 councillors coming from just one of the four villages.

Until 1987, Fishbourne was divided in local government terms between Bosham and Chichester and this resulted in no definite voice being heard for Fishbourne. It is likely that the current proposal would create fears of a return to this feeling of being unrepresented - thereby alienating the trust that is essential between electorates and their representatives.

We would be very happy to answer any questions you may have on our response.

Geoff Hand Chairman, Fishbourne Parish Council