Stuart Drummond Mayor Tel: 01429 266522 Civic Centre www..gov.uk Hartlepool TS24 8AY Our Ref: CEMS/SD/OA

Contact Officer/Email: [email protected] Direct Line: 01429 523702

20th December 2010

Review Officer (Hartlepool) The Local Government Boundary Commission for Layden House 76-86 Turnmill Street London EC1M 5LG

Dear Review Officer (Hartlepool),

Electoral Review of Hartlepool – Mayor’s Submission

As Mayor of Hartlepool I welcome the Electoral Review and the Commission’s initial proposals for a reduced council size. This is an issue that I have felt strongly about for a number of years and you will be aware that in the last Electoral Review I sought a reduction in council size. This proposal gained wide support but it was felt by the Commission that a reduction in council size was not suitable at that time due to the recent change to a Mayoral system.

The enclosed submission forms my response to the consultation and builds upon the submission I made in the previous consultation round. The ward boundaries that I am proposing for Hartlepool Borough CounciI have been prepared in light of the three main considerations that the Commission is required to give regard to when preparing its recommendations during an electoral review: • equalising the number of electors each councillor represents; • reflecting community identity; • and providing for convenient and effective local government.

This submission sets out evidence against each of the above and demonstrates that the ward boundaries proposed within this submission are the most appropriate ones for Hartlepool. It is worth noting that within Hartlepool the communities that residents recognise are fairly small, sometimes only a number of streets. Therefore the proposal to have 11 wards covering Hartlepool will inevitably see a number of communities brought together into a single ward. In this submission I have sought to bring together communities that have a shared identity and have clear connections between them.

The proposal put forward in this submission is to have 32 Members covering 11 wards. This means that there will be 10 three member wards and 1 two member ward. The proposed ward boundaries are set out in map 1 on page 5 of the report.

In summary, this submission has been designed to both identify the wards and provide a clear rationale aligned to your criteria for the proposed ward boundaries. I feel these proposals best reflect the communities of Hartlepool.

I look forward to receiving the Commission’s recommendations in spring 2011.

Yours sincerely,

Stuart Drummond Mayor Hartlepool Borough Council

Electoral Review of Hartlepool Borough Council

Submission to the Local Government Boundary Commission for England on Warding Patterns from the Mayor of Hartlepool Borough Council

1 Executive Summary

This submission proposes ward boundaries for Hartlepool Borough Council in response to the Local Government Boundary Commission for England’s phase 1 consultation on the Hartlepool electoral review.

The wards proposed have been prepared in light of the three main considerations that the Commission is required to give regard to when preparing its recommendations during an electoral review • equalising the number of electors each councillor represents; • reflecting community identity; • and providing for convenient and effective local government.

This submission sets out evidence against each of the above and demonstrates that the ward boundaries proposed within this submission are the most appropriate ones for Hartlepool.

2 1 Introduction

1.1 The council was informed by The Local Government Boundary Commission for England that an Electoral Review of Hartlepool Borough Council would be undertaken in July 2010. The review was officially started on the 20th July 2010 with a consultation on council size that ran until the 30th August 2010. The current consultation will run until 20th December 2010 and seeks views on ward boundaries based on a Council size of 33 Members which is the figure that the Commission is currently minded to recommend. It is acknowledged that the number of Councillors and Wards proposed may be subject to change following review of the submissions made at this stage.

1.2 This submission forms my response to the consultation and builds upon the submission I made in the previous consultation round. A separate response from the full council has also been submitted.

1.3 Hartlepool Borough Council continues to achieve high standards and has been awarded either an “Excellent” or 4 star status in each of the Comprehensive Performance Assessments, last year the council received a 3 out of 4 rating in the Comprehensive Area Assessment.

1.4 The council is currently comprised of 47 councillors across the 17 wards of Hartlepool. There are two wards, Elwick and Greatham, which are each represented by one member. The remaining 15 wards all have three members representing them.

1.5 All members, including myself, are elected for a four year term. Councillor elections are done by thirds, where each year a third of the council is up for election.

1.6 Following the Local Government Act 2000, the council has been operating executive arrangements based on a directly elected Mayor and Cabinet Model since 2002. I became the first directly elected Mayor of Hartlepool in 2002 and I am now in my third term of office.

3 2 Key Considerations in the Development of Warding Patterns

2.1 The Local Government Boundary Commission for England has three main considerations when preparing its recommendations during an electoral review: • equalising the number of electors each councillor represents; • reflecting community identity; • and providing for convenient and effective local government.

3 Ward Boundary Proposal

3.1 This submission sets out proposed ward boundaries for Hartlepool based on the Commission currently being minded to recommend 11 wards. The Commissions 3 main considerations have been taken into account in the preparation of the ward boundaries and evidence of this will be demonstrated in section 5 of this submission.

3.2 It is worth noting that within Hartlepool the communities that residents recognise are fairly small, sometimes only a number of streets. Therefore the proposal to have 11 wards covering Hartlepool will inevitably see a number of communities brought together into a single ward. In this submission I have sought to bring together communities that have a shared identity and have clear connections between them.

3.3 The proposal put forward in this submission is to have 32 Members covering 11 wards. This means that there will be 10 three member wards and 1 two member ward. The proposed ward boundaries are set out in map 1 on the following page.

4 Map 1 – Proposed Ward Boundaries for Hartlepool Borough Council

“This map is based upon Ordnance Survey material with the permission of Ordnance Survey on behalf of the Controller of Her Majesty’s Stationary Office © Crown copyright. Unauthorised reproduction infringes Crown copyright and may lead to prosecution or civil proceedings. 100023297 2010.”

5 4 Councillor / Elector Variance

4.1 The projected electorate for 2016 is 71,381. This proposal allows for 11 wards, 10 of which would be represented by three Ward Members and 1 Ward (Hartlepool Villages) represented by two Ward Members.

4.2 The projected average number of electorate per Ward member is 2,231. This means that the average number of electorate within the 10 three member wards will be 6,692 and within the 1 two member ward will be 4,461. It is these averages upon which the percentage variance is based within the following table.

No Ward Name Electorate 2016 Variance

1 Hartlepool Villages 3,355 -24.8%

2 Saxon 7,191 +7.5%

3 St Hilda’s 7,248 +8.3%

4 St Oswald’s 6,204 -7.3%

5 Stranton 6,381 -4.6%

6 Park 7,346 +9.8%

7 Burn Valley 6,989 +4.4%

8 St Aidan’s 6,630 -0.9%

9 Seaton Coastal Ward 7,505 +12.15%

10 7,198 +7.6%

11 St Teresa’s 6,256 -6.5%

4.3 The proposed ward submission would ensure that 9 wards were within a 10% variance of the proposed optimum figure of electorate to Councillor. The remaining 2 wards have strong reasons for variance outside of the tolerance of 10% and the evidence for which will be provided in the following section of this submission.

6 5. Evidence for Ward Proposals

5.1 The following section sets out the evidence that has informed the preparation of the ward boundaries proposed in this submission.

1. Hartlepool Villages

Electoral Representation

It is proposed that there will be two ward members representing the Hartlepool Villages ward. The number of electorate per Councillor estimated for 2016 will be 3,355 against the optimum number for a two Member ward of 4,461. This will give a variance of -24.8%. However, I believe that there are factors of community identity and effective and convenient local government that outweigh the consideration of electoral variance for this ward. The evidence for this is set out below.

Community Identity

There is clear evidence of a strong community identity within this area. The village communities from the area actively work together and have formed a Hartlepool ‘Rural Forum’ with support from Rural Community Council and Hartlepool Borough Council. This Forum has sought to develop a rural voice for the Borough and is well attended by residents from across the villages. There is a strong distinction made by residents from the villages of Hartlepool between themselves and the urban core of the Borough and this ward seeks to reflect that distinction.

This community has also been represented on the Local Strategic Partnership for a number of years through the Town and Parish Council Representative. A post held in recent times by a Parish Councillor from Greatham.

Bringing the villages together in one ward will serve to strengthen further the already established relationships between them.

Effective & Convenient Local Government

Although the smallest ward in terms of electorate, with a total projection of 3,355 by 2016, the Hartlepool Villages ward covers a total area of 53 sq km which is significantly larger than any of the other 10 wards within this submission.

The ward also covers 7 Parishes, namely, Hart, Elwick, , Greatham, , Claxton and Brierton. The proposed eastern boundary for this ward follows the parish boundaries. This means that there will be no requirement to introduce wards within the parishes which would add another layer of complexity to local governance.

As set out within the Electoral Review Technical Guidance the impact on individual Councillors must be considered particularly in terms of the size of

7 the ward area, size of electorate and the number of Parish Councils which all may impact on a Councillor’s ability to effectively represent a ward. As identified above the proposed Hartlepool Villages Ward covers a large geographical area of 53 sq km and contains 7 Parishes with 4 parish councils and 3 parish meetings.

It is argued that the large geographical area, the number of active Parishes and the strong rural identity within this proposed ward provides evidence which outweighs the consideration of electoral representation. For a Councillor to effectively represent this ward it is reasonable to conclude that a smaller number of electorate per Councillor is appropriate.

Future developments

It is also worth noting that the current proposals for new housing sites contained within the Core Strategy recommend an additional 2,700 new homes within this ward at Claxton and Wynyard. Therefore, in time I would expect to see this ward being represented by 3 ward members bringing it in line with the other 10 proposed wards for Hartlepool.

2. Saxon Ward

Electoral Representation

It is proposed that 3 ward members will represent this ward. For the 3 member wards within this submission the optimum number of electorate is 6,692. The 2016 projected electorate within the ward is 7,191 giving a variance of +7.5% which is within the recommended tolerance level of 10%.

Community Identity

The proposed ward is made up from 4 distinct yet interlinked communities, these being King Oswy, Hart Station, Clavering and the area of Middle Warren between the A179 to the North and the Hart Parish Boundary to the South. The proposed ward Boundary closely follows that of the current boundary and is extended to the east to include the King Oswy community. The level of community identity is strengthened through the shopping facilities available within the ward. The King Oswy Shops lie central to the Hart Station and King Oswy neighbourhoods and provide a local hub of facilities for both communities. Similarly the shopping precinct on Clavering Road strongly links the Clavering estate and the Hart Station neighbourhood. The recently developed Tall Ships pub and the neighbouring shopping parade at the northern end of the Middle Warren development again form a community hub linking the Middle Warrren and Clavering areas. The natural connectivity between these two neighbourhoods, and therefore the wider ward has recently been significantly improved with the introduction of a pedestrian crossing across the A179 Hart Road.

8

Effective & Convenient Local Government

There is a strong sense of connectivity between the individual neighbourhoods that make up this proposed ward with road and footpath networks along King Oswy drive, Clavering Road, Westwood Way and Merlin Way giving easy access across the area. The proposed ward boundary encompasses much of the current ward which will assist in terms of familiarity and knowledge of dealing with local issues.

3. St Hilda’s Ward

Electoral Representation

The projected electorate for the proposed St Hilda’s is 7,248 giving a variance of 8.3 % and therefore within the 10% recommended tolerance.

Community Identity

The proposed St Hilda’s ward incorporates the 3 interlinked communities of the Headland, Central Estate and West View. Each of these neighbourhoods have their own distinct sense of community identity with ‘Neighbourhood Action Plans’ (NAPs) established. These are brought together into the wider North Hartlepool NAP which covers the whole area proposed as the new ward boundary. The Headland is also represented by a Parish Council and also has a strong sense of historical context as it was an Authority in its own right before amalgamation with in the late 1960’s, this historical context further engenders the sense of community within this area. The current Ward arrangement sees both the Central Estate and the Headland fall within the same ward which has engendered a strong relationship between the two areas. The strong sense of connectivity between these areas and the West View area and the commonalities which exist in terms of local schooling, transport, cycle path and footway connectivity serve to strengthen the identity of this area.

Effective & Convenient Local Government

As identified above the ward can be easily traversed by road, footpath or cycle route with all Councillors and electorate able to travel across the ward without travelling through adjoining wards.

The natural barriers making up the ward also promote the sense of connectivity between the individual areas which make up the ward. The Victoria Dock and Harbour area to the south of the ward provide a natural boundary and separate it distinctly from the Marina development. The rail track and embankment leading onto Warren road with the Oakesway industrial estate to the south form a logical natural boundary to the adjoining

9 ward.

4. St Oswald’s Ward

Electoral Representation

The projected electorate for the proposed ward is 6,204 giving a variance of -7.3% and therefore within the 10% recommended tolerance.

Community Identity

The distinctive communities which form this proposed ward are the Dyke House and Throston Grange neighbourhoods. Both neighbourhoods share commonalities in terms of the issues associated with deprivation and both are covered by NAPs. The smaller neighbourhoods of Bakers Mead and Holdforth Road also fall within the proposed boundary and fit naturally into this ward within the natural boundary of the rail track and Warren Road. The sense of overall community within the proposed ward is strengthened by the recently refurbished sporting facilities at the Grayfields Recreational Ground which immediately adjoins both the Dyke House and Throston neighbourhoods who utilise this facility and see it as a key focus for recreational activities for within the area.

Effective & Convenient Local Government

There is good connectivity throughout the proposed ward with the major routes of Throston Grange Lane, Easington Road and Raby Road linking the individual neighbourhoods together.

5. Stranton

Electoral Representation

The projected electorate for the proposed Stranton ward is 6,381 giving a variance of -4.6% and therefore within the 10% recommended tolerance.

Community Identity

The distinct individual neighbourhoods of Stranton, Burbank and elements of the Town Centre have been brought together to form this ward. Very strong neighbourhood identity exists within the Burbank and Stranton areas and also within the community to the North of the ward which encompasses the area between Grange Road and Hart Lane. This sense of community within the overall ward area is further strengthened by a large proportion of the area falling into Hartlepool’s NDC boundary, this has provided the neighbourhoods with significant experience of dealing with shared issues and commonalities.

10

Effective & Convenient Local Government

The experience of the Burbank estate which is covered by a NAP and the remainder of the ward which forms part of the NDC area provides a solid base in terms of ensuring strong local governance within this ward with shared issues, commonalities and neighbourhood focused working already established.

6. Park Ward

Electoral Representation

The projected electorate for the proposed Park ward is 7,346 giving a variance of +9.8% and therefore within the 10% recommended tolerance.

Community Identity

Historically the existing Park ward has had a strong sense of identity. This proposal retains all of the existing ward area; thus retaining this long standing identity and adds two additional areas to the north of the ward which include the southern part of the Middle Warren Development which is bounded by the Hart Parish Boundary and Throston Grange Lane; and the area to the North of Hart Lane which includes the Hartside Gardens and Birchill Gardens areas.

Effective & Convenient Local Government

By retaining the existing Park ward within one ward provides a strong foundation on which to build strong local government within the proposed ward area. The Tesco shopping outlet, neighbouring shopping facilities and Doctors surgery are located centrally within the proposed ward area and act as a easily accessible community hub shared by residents from each of the individual neighbourhoods.

7. Burn Valley

Electoral Representation

The projected electorate for the proposed Burn Valley ward is 6,989 giving a variance of +4.4% and therefore within the 10% recommended tolerance.

Community Identity

In terms of community identity the proposal for the Burn Valley ward retains the neighbourhoods within the existing Burn Valley ward arrangement and

11 extends south west along the natural boundary of Oxford Road up to Catcote Road and north to incorporate the natural neighbourhood situated between Park Road and Grange Road. The proposed ward is compact and as such there are common key core issues and shared interests, particularly on the issues relating to the Private Landlord sector.

Effective & Convenient Local Government

The compact nature of this ward allows ease of access across the area. The existing Burn Valley ward is encompassed within the new ward proposal and provides a strong base from which to deliver strong local government within this locality.

8. St Aidan’s

Electoral Representation

The projected electorate for the proposed ward is 6,630 giving a variance of - 0.9% and therefore within the 10% recommended tolerance.

Community Identity

The proposed ward is made of a number smaller strongly identified neighbourhoods. The Jutland Road neighbourhood lies at the south east corner of the proposed ward, this area is very distinct in terms of community identity and has in the past been isolated from adjoining areas. However pedestrian crossings on the A689 have helped to address this issue and significantly improved the connectivity between this area and the rest of the ward. The Belle Vue area also has a strong sense of community, the facilities located at the Belle Vue community centre provide a hub of facilities for people living both within the immediate locality and wider area. The ‘Brooke’ estate and the area adjoining St Aidan’s school are also clearly definable neighbourhoods. The remaining area within the ward is the area adjoining Caledonian Road. The boundaries for this ward are clearly definable main routes, these being, Stockton Road, Brierton Lane, Catcote Road, Oxford Road and Belle Vue way. These major routes encompass the ward will serve to promote a stronger ward wide identity.

Effective & Convenient Local Government

A number of main traffic routes, bus routes and footpaths link this proposed ward area and provide strong evidence for ease of access across the ward for both members and electorate.

12

9. Seaton Coastal Ward

Electoral Representation

The projected electorate for the proposed Seaton Coastal ward is 7,505 giving a variance of +12%. However there are a number of important issues to take into consideration as to why this variance is appropriate to this ward. The evidence for this is set out within the criteria identified below.

Community Identity

The area of Hartlepool forms a distinct community and is likened to a village by local residents. However the number of electorate within the existing Seaton Ward would be significantly beneath the recommended variance without the compelling evidence of geographical size and parish councils that supports the case within the Hartlepool Villages ward. The distinct identity of Seaton Carew however remains hugely important to residents and the issue of extending the ward boundary to incorporate a larger electorate is sensitive. The promenade of Seaton Carew is a key recreational asset for local residents and provides an excellent and well used connection route to the Hartlepool Marina. Building on this natural linkage between the 2 areas it is therefore proposed that the new Seaton Coastal ward incorporates the 2 communities of Seaton Carew and Hartlepool Marina.

Effective & Convenient Local Government

The connectivity between the two distinct areas within this ward and the shared commonality of key issues such as coastal protection and tourism will help to establish a strong, effective and convenient local government arrangement within this ward.

10. Brierton

Electoral Representation

The projected electorate for the proposed Brierton ward is 7,198 giving a variance of +7.6% and therefore within the 10% recommended tolerance.

Community Identity

The proposed Brierton ward combines the two natural and distinct neighbourhoods of Owton and the area to the west of Catcote Road. The area has a thriving voluntary sector with a number groups located across the area. The area known as ‘I Block’ is also incorporated into the new ward area from the existing Fens ward, this small area is naturally part of the Owton Community and is located within the Owton NAP area. There is strong connectivity between the two areas which will engender a stronger ward identity, the Brierton Lane shops are used by residents from both

13 neighbourhoods. The Brierton Sports centre is a key local asset and is well used by residents of both communities. Both neighbourhoods were built at the same time and as such have similar estate layouts. There are also strong commonalities between the two areas in terms of the problems associated with disadvantaged areas.

Effective & Convenient Local Government

Accessibility throughout the proposed ward is excellent with key bus routes running the through the length of the proposed boundary area. The strong commonality between the two areas will engender strong local government within this locality.

11. St Teresa’s

Electoral Representation

The projected electorate for the proposed South Hartlepool ward is 6,256 giving a variance of -6.5% and therefore within the 10% recommended tolerance.

Community Identity

The proposed St Teresa’s ward is comprised of the two distinct adjoining communities of Fens and Rossmere. The area is bounded by the clear boundaries of Catcote Road, Brierton Lane the A689 and the Greatham Parish Boundary to the south. The Fens shopping precinct is central within the area and acts as a hub for residents within both areas as it is easily accessible via a main route.

Effective & Convenient Local Government

The main route of Catcote Road runs the length of this proposed ward and provides excellent access to both Councillor and electorate in accessing all parts of the area. This proposal also maintains existing parish boundary for Greatham.

6 Conclusions

6.1 This submission for proposed ward boundaries has taken into consideration the following:

- Electoral Representation - Community Identity - Effective and Convenient Local Government

6.2 This submission proposes 32 ward members covering 11 wards in Hartlepool, 10 three member wards and 1 two member ward.

14