Local residents’ submissions to the Council electoral review

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Dunkeyson, Nicholas

From: Reviews@ Sent: 10 January 2013 16:48 To: Reviews@ Subject: Custom Form Submission Received

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Custom Form Submission Received

Review Editor,

A new custom form submission has been received. The details of the form submission are as follows:

Submission Information

Custom Form: Online submissions form (#183)

Form URL: http://www.lgbce.org.uk/current-consultations/online-submissions-form Submission ID: 1682 Time of Submission: Jan 10th 2013 at 4:47pm IP Address: ::ffff:86.16.73.222

Form Answers

Name: G.Agrisanti

Area your submission Three Rivers refers to: Organisation you member of the public belong to: Your feedback: To whom it may concerns: As a secretary of By The Wood Flats Ltd.and speaking on behalf of all our members, am strongly objecting at the proposed joining of Carpenders Park and South Oxey. We, ar Carpenders Park, are completely indipendent from anything in South Oxey, the community existed much before South Oxey was created and would like to remain so.One question I would like to ask, are the members of the deciding Committee local people?? I do not believe so because if they were they would live the boundary as there are!! Thank you for your attention, Yours sincerely, G.Agrisanti File upload:

This communication is from LGBCE (http://www.lgbce.org.uk) - Sent to Review Editor

1 Dunkeyson, Nicholas

From: Reviews@ Sent: 10 January 2013 15:24 To: Reviews@ Subject: Custom Form Submission Received

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Custom Form Submission Received

Contact us Email,

A new custom form submission has been received. The details of the form submission are as follows:

Submission Information

Custom Form: Contact us (#212)

Form URL: http://www.lgbce.org.uk/about-us/contact-us Submission ID: 1680 Time of Submission: Jan 10th 2013 at 3:23pm

Form Answers

I am: a member of the public Comment/enquiry relating to a current review type: Comments: dear sir. i sent a reply yesterday regarding three rivers proposals.speaking to many of my neighbours.they are not happy.firstly carpenders park removed from the postcode some years ago and substituted now it seems some people want it removed and substituted with possibly .carpenders park was there in the 1930,s south oxhey 1947 to accomadate the london overspill.prices have always a lot cheaper in south oxheyfor properties and the property in carpender park will drop to council house prices. yours faithfully

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1

Carpenders Park resident Member of the public 12/01/2013 10:36 "I would like to inform you that I am completely against the proposal to destroy Carpenders Park by merging it with South Oxhey and Oxhey Hall. If I had wanted to live in South Oxhey I would have bought a property there. South Oxhey is well known as a council estate. I chose to move to Carpenders Park because I saw it as a nice area with a nice name and as a hard working family man saw the move (which I have made through a lot of hard work and personal sacrifice) as an upgrade to my families lifestyle and future. How shocked and dismayed was I to be informed that now after being a resident for 7 years to all intense and purpose I will now be living on a council estate. How you could even consider this ridiculous proposal is beyond me. As a Journalist working on a National Newspaper I feel that this has the entire making for a strong media campaign and I will do anything in my power to quash this absurd proposal! I have not spoken to one resident that would give this their support. Property prices would be severely affected by this."

Dunkeyson, Nicholas

From: Reviews@ Sent: 10 January 2013 21:04 To: Reviews@ Subject: Custom Form Submission Received

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Custom Form Submission Received

Review Editor,

A new custom form submission has been received. The details of the form submission are as follows:

Submission Information

Custom Form: Online submissions form (#183)

Form URL: http://www.lgbce.org.uk/current-consultations/online-submissions-form Submission ID: 1684 Time of Submission: Jan 10th 2013 at 9:04pm

Form Answers

Name: ann archer

Area your submission Three Rivers refers to: Organisation you member of the public belong to: Your feedback: carpenders park is an distinct area with a strong community across ALL age ranges. It has boundaries which are clear : natural, old and established roads and a major railway of many mainline and local tracks; these boundaries "reflect the interests and identities of the local" residents. hence to change them would be contrary to the stated aims of the review !!!! File upload:

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1

14/01/2013

RESPONSE TO WARD BOUNDARY CHANGE PROPOSALS IN THREE RIVERS DISTRICT COUNCIL.

KEY FACTORS:

● The Three Rivers District Council electorate for Carpenders Park is substantially incorrect, according to the LGBCE the 2012 figure is 4142.

● No consultation has taken place with Carpenders Park residents, or the Carpenders Park Residents’ Association.

● A reduction in the number of Councillors to 30 and/or single elections rather than in thirds makes more sense than a figure of 39 with elections in thirds.

● Carpenders Park is a vibrant, cohesive, entity with its own identity. It has local shops, medical, dental, social and primary school facilities. It has good vehicle and pedestrian links with South Oxhey, so that additional shopping and social amenities are within easy reach.

● Carpenders Park should not be split, as it has no such links with Oxhey Hall.

● A more practical approach may be to “partner” it with Ashridge DCG to provide a suitable electorate size.

CONCLUSION:

We are totally opposed to Three Rivers District Council’s proposal, and protest most strongly at their ill prepared submission which contains significant numerical errors and has provided no consultation opportunity. TRDC’s scheme is in direct conflict with the intention that “the new ward boundaries should reflect the interests and identities of local communities“.

Mr & Mrs H R Blatch Dunkeyson, Nicholas

From: Reviews@ Sent: 12 January 2013 14:10 To: Reviews@ Subject: Custom Form Submission Received

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Custom Form Submission Received

Review Editor,

A new custom form submission has been received. The details of the form submission are as follows:

Submission Information

Custom Form: Online submissions form (#183)

Form URL: http://www.lgbce.org.uk/current-consultations/online-submissions-form Submission ID: 1688 Time of Submission: Jan 12th 2013 at 2:10pm

Form Answers

Name: M A & H Bunce

Area your submission Three Rivers refers to: Organisation you member of the public belong to: Your feedback: The proposed boundary changes suggested by the Lib Dem dominated council do not make any sense,to divide Carpenders Park in two and put one half into South Oxhey is pointless we do not share any link with Oxhey we are two completely separate communities. There are not even any common streets that join the two area's in fact you have to drive across the railway bridge over the midland rail line which separates us. The only reason for this move can be to ensure that any political opposition is trodden down, if we as a community are moved to Ashridge ward we would cease to have any local representation, other than that of the much larger ward into which we will be swallowed up, which not unsurprisingly is Lib Dem dominated. It has also been formulated with a sense of urgency which this council is not usually known for,any one with objections has been given six days to reply two

1 of the days being a weekend. I ask the commission to kick this particular plan out and let Carpenders Park remain what it has always been a thriving joined community in its own right.

File upload:

This communication is from LGBCE (http://www.lgbce.org.uk) - Sent to Review Editor

2 Dunkeyson, Nicholas

From: Reviews@ Sent: 13 January 2013 17:15 To: Reviews@ Subject: Custom Form Submission Received

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Custom Form Submission Received

Review Editor,

A new custom form submission has been received. The details of the form submission are as follows:

Submission Information

Custom Form: Online submissions form (#183)

Form URL: http://www.lgbce.org.uk/current-consultations/online-submissions-form Submission ID: 1692 Time of Submission: Jan 13th 2013 at 5:15pm

Form Answers

Name: Michael Castro

Area your submission Three Rivers refers to: Organisation you member of the public belong to: Your feedback: Sunday Jan 13th

I wish to protest about Three Rivers District Councils Lib Dem proposals regarding boundary changes to the Oxhey Hall and Carpenters Park districts. 1 There has been no notification of these changes to any residents in the Oxhey Hall area

2 The time limit of one week to make submissions is quite simply appalling being just after the New Year. This has only just come to my notice. The deadline for comment is ridiculously short - i.e. tomorrow, Monday 14th.

3

1 There were no prior committee discussions on the papers that went to the District Council's Extraordinary meeting last Tuesday. Papers only put in the public domain the week before, i.e. the first week after the New Year.

4 To split Carpenters Park into two sections and join one with Oxhey Hall is quite simply madness, there are not geographically linked ( the London mainline railway line makes a very convincing boundary in itself ) and the two areas are totally different, both in the local appearance and layout. No single road which join the two areas directly and entails a journey of at least 1.5 miles to get from one to another.

5 The proposal put forward by opposing parties is to join Oxhey Hall with Moor Park and Eastbury districts, although not perfect is a better "fit".

6 The TRDC Lib Dem idea is to save money, well they could do that by following idea of running elections in tandem with others, i.e. local, district and when required general elections.

7 There has been no consultation with Parish Councillors or Residents' Associations or County Councillors. I personally went to the meeting at TRDC last year and I am surprised that they choose to misinform and quite simply mislead the public in this way. We have had no update on any ideas or proposals.

In summary I feel that the TRDC council members have deliberately ignored the residents of these areas and simply ploughed head for their own political motives. The whole process is totally undemocratic and inspired by members trying to "pull the wool over resident’s eyes".

Oxhey hall is a totally self-contained community with very well defined boundaries. Changing Oxhey Hall and Carpenters Park boundaries would be like having the south side of Piccadilly London run by Westminster Council and the north side by Camden Council, totally unworkable

I oppose this politically motivated proposal until such ideas are firmly relayed by sensible local council to the population of the areas concerned. File upload:

This communication is from LGBCE (http://www.lgbce.org.uk) - Sent to Review Editor

2 Dunkeyson, Nicholas

From: John Connell Sent: 10 January 2013 11:11 To: Reviews@ Subject: Carpenders Park - boundary review

Dear Sir, I have just become aware that in the course of the Boundary Commission’s electoral review of Three Rivers District Council, to deliver electoral equality for voters in local elections, there is a suggestion that the local community of Carapenders Park should be split between South Oxhey and Oxhey Hall in an attempt to equalise the value of our local votes across the councillors that represent us. Whilst, on the face of it, this seems to make sense, it nevertheless appears to disregard the value of community representation. This is simply wrong, and if the Commission were to canvass the community itself through its residents association and parish councils this would have become abundantly clear. Of course every sensible voter wants equal representation but this laudable goal should be tempered by the effects that boundary change may have on the fabric of the community and the quality of the representation. Carpenders Park has been in existence since the 1930s, and although the community has grown, it retains a very strong community identity, valued by residents of all age groups. Our community is remarkably self‐contained; one primary school, one doctor’s surgery, one dentist, one Community Hall, one Residents’ Association and a small parade of shops, including one public house. They serve the whole community and are patronized by the whole community. An endearing feature of Carpenders Park is the fact that people move within it as their families grow and later fall. It is very unlikely that they would do so if they did not greatly value the community spirit here. It does not make any sense whatsoever to split this genuine community apart electorally simply to satisfy outside interests or bureaucratic goals. Such ideas fly in the face of the value of ‘community’ and is in direct conflict with the governments very publically stated intentions in this area and the Boundary Commission’s wish that wards should reflect the interests and identities of local communities. I would therefore like to register my very strong opposition to this proposal and hope that when the final decision is made, the strong value that the residents of Carpenders Park place on their community are taken fully into account and given the weight it deserves.

Yours faithfully John Connell

1 Chris Dowling

Member of the public 11/01/2013 22:25 Carpenders park need to stay seperate. we do not border South Ohxey and therefore do not hold the same values or needs. This community is serviced by one doctor surgery, its own shops and post office, the train Station is even called Carpenders Park as it was here long before South Oxhey. If you dilute this ward you will loose a vital peace of history. The housing is compeltely different and therefore the community and its demographic are different, the problems are different, its needs are different. South Oxhey do not stand side by side with us with our ongoing fights with development, lose of green belt, deforestation of local areas. they have no interst in Carpenders park and yet you wish there problems and issues be ours. this can not or will not work, we are poles apart. Leave us to stand alone as Carpenders Park Ward.

Nicholas Dunkeyson Review Officer Local Government Boundary Commission 3rd Floor Layden House 76-78 Tummil Street London EC1M 5LG 14 January 2013

Dear Mr Dunkeyson

Electoral Review of Three Rivers

I refer to my telephone conversation with you last Friday afternoon concerning the above.

Firstly, let me thank you for agreeing to a slight extension to the timescale responding to the Commission. As I said on the telephone, the first time that I was aware of any proposals for local boundary changes was when I was looking through the internet and, by chance, saw the Council’s report presented to a Special Executive Meeting.

When I telephoned the Council to see what consultation had been undertaken, I was clearly told that Members saw no reason to consult with interested parties including Residents’ Associations. This is an age of localism, I find incredible.

Furthermore, when I wished to point out an error on the report, I was told that there could be no discussion as this was a confidential report and not for the public to consider - this I was told was under the Local Government Act 1972.

The error that I was endeavouring to point out to the Officer was that the electorate for Carpenders Park was shown to be 2648 for 2012. Looking at the returns for the local elections held on 3 May 2012 shows very clearly that the electorate for Carpenders Park is 4100 (this can be viewed on the Council’s own website). However, the Officer was not prepared to discuss this as the report was confidential.

If this report was confidential, then why was it (and still is) on the Council’s website.

Having said all that, I am amazed that a political party of a local authority can prepare such a document without consultation with the other political parties on the Council, have no consultation with its Officers, let alone the public, Residents’ Associations and Community Groups. I thought that we were in an era of localism!

I would also add that there has been no consultation with the local Parish Council.

Carpenders Park has a clear identity of its own and has, indeed been shown on television as a distinct and excellent area of community cohesion. The original area was built in the 1930’s when there was a small railway station – Carpenders Park – to serve the local people and those that had travelled from London to play golf! I would mention here that the well-established Carpenders Park Residents’ Association was established a few years later – however, obviously not deemed worthy of being consulted on this issue by the local authority.

Building in the area of South Oxhey commenced in 1947, a fact I actually remember as my parents, my sister and myself were in the first 100 families to be housed there. It was clear back then and still today that the boundary between Carpenders Park and South Oxhey was the railway line. Attempts in the 1950’s and early 1960’s to build a road connecting the two estates were actually resisted by the local authorities at the time. The only connection back then was a bridge over the railway from which I used to watch steam trains going by. Some years later, the bridge was replaced by a tunnel which the public could walk through. The only road to link with South Oxhey is some two miles away and obviously even further if Oxhey Hall was considered.

Carpenders Park is a community where people look after each other. It has its own school, church, community hall, public house, doctors, dentist and chemist. The boundaries are well established by the railway and two main roads (Oxhey Lane and Little Oxhey Lane). So you can see there is no direct link with either South Oxhey or Oxhey Hall.

Three Rivers District Council and the former Council (and prior to that) have always regarded the railway line as a clear boundary. Indeed, Three Rivers District Council agreed to the use of this established boundary in the recent Parliamentary Boundary Review whereby Carpenders Park and South Oxhey should be clearly separated with Carpenders Park having the MP for Hertsmere and South Oxhey the MP for Watford.

Should you wish to increase the size of the electorate for the Carpenders Park area, I feel that you could consider taking in the Carpenders Meadows area in the Ashridge Ward (DCG) which comprises a number of newly built dwellings which have no particular loyalty to South Oxhey and could fit in nicely with Carpenders Park.

I feel that the Council has handled this matter in a disgraceful manner, no consultation with anyone other than the political party in control. There are clear inaccuracies in the report, refusing to listen to observations of the public let alone Residents’ Associations who look after the residents’ interests. With the break up of the area, there would be no ward councillors to deal with directly on issues such as planning applications etc.

There is a very strong sense of feeling amongst local residents that Carpenders Park should remain as it is. Furthermore, residents are appalled at the lack of consultation from the local authority on this issue. Residents have only just been informed this weekend through local shopkeepers and therefore have had no time to respond, other than to sign a petition.

To sum up, I would like to see Carpenders Park remain as one entity and would reiterate that the Council have handled this issue in an appalling manner.

Finally, I would add that I do not belong to any political party. I hope that these comments are useful to you in your deliberations. Should you wish to raise any issue in this letter with me, please feel free to contact me.

Yours sincerely

Mike Egan

Elizabeth Elgar

Member of the public

11/01/2013 17:53 I strongly object to the ward of Carpenders Park being split. Carpenders Park is a self- contained community and estate that dates back to the 1930s, almost two decades before South Oxhey was built. The exapansion of Carpenders Park in the 1950s and 1960s with further residential properties cemented a strong community identity, manifestly valued by residents of all age groups. Serving the whole community of Carpenders Park is one primary school, one doctor’s surgery, one dentist, one Community Hall, one Residents’ Association, one church and a small parade of shops, including one post office and one public house. As well as the pride demonstrated by residents in the area, who strive to keep it well-presented and maintained, Carpenders Park owes its strong sense of community to a low level of mobility, as the majority of Carpenders Park residents stay in the area or move only within the area as their families grow and later fall. Cllr Pam Hames has argued that the neighbouring area of South Oxhey should not be split due to its "unusually strong community identity and unique history" however as explained above, an unusually strong community identity and unique history is by no means unique to South Oxhey. I would indeed argue that the community identity in South Oxhey is not as strong as in Carpenders Park, given that South Oxhey appears to have a higher rate of mobility of residents moving in and out of the area than Carpenders Park. South Oxhey also has its community split over several hubs, with more than one shopping parade and numerous public houses and primary schools. The distinct community and character of Carpenders Park, to which residents affectionately refer as "the estate", must not be placed under threat by splitting it as per these proposals and I, along with many other residents of Carpenders Park, intend to oppose these plans at every stage.

Dunkeyson, Nicholas

From: Reviews@ Sent: 14 January 2013 19:37 To: Reviews@ Subject: Custom Form Submission Received

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Custom Form Submission Received

Review Editor,

A new custom form submission has been received. The details of the form submission are as follows:

Submission Information

Custom Form: Online submissions form (#183) Form URL: http://www.lgbce.org.uk/current-consultations/online-submissions-form Submission ID: 1701 Time of Submission: Jan 14th 2013 at 7:36pm

Form Answers

Name: Georgina Ford

Area your submission Three Rivers refers to: Organisation you resident/community organisation belong to: Your feedback: I write in connection with the proposal put forward by Three Rivers District Council to split Carpenders Park between the Ashridge Ward in South Oxhey and Oxhey Hall. I regret that although a member of the Carpenders Park Residents Association I was not made aware of these proposals until reading an article in the local newspaper. The Association had been informed of the proposed parliamentary constituency boundary change but not that of the district boundary change,. Carpenders Park is now to be totally separated from the rest of the District in the Parliamentary elections I would wish that we were not similarly isolated in the District. The Carpenders Park Ward has an electorate of 4100 according to the figures from Three Rivers District Council return of the May 2012. The figure of 4100 is just under 20% of that required for Carpenders Park to remain a ward under the new arrangements, being 900 short of the desired figure.

1 The proposal as put forward by the District Council seeks to split the ward in two, and I have the following comments in respect of their suggested union of part of Carpenders Park with Oxhey Hall. The District Council has correctly stated that Carpenders Park is separated from the rest of the District by the main West Coast Railway Line. There are two road crossings, Little Oxhey Lane and Watford Heath. Both road crossings mean a 1 - 2 mile road journey between Carpenders Park and Oxhey Hall. There is a footpath which crosses the railway but this is unpaved (being a dirt track) unlite and not recommended for travel after dark being a path through woodland alongside the railway. Until these proposals were put forward I was unaware of any of the facilities in Oxhey Hall, I state this to demonstrate no link between Carpenders Park and this ward whatsoever. A resident of Carpenders Park of over 30 years I seldom drive through Oxhey Hall and never visit as there is nothing there that would encourage me to do so. If the Commission were to accept the District Council’s recommendation to link part of Carpenders Park with Oxhey Hall it would be disregarding the requirement of some ‘community link’. The District Council has argued that we share a County Councilor with Oxhey Hall but that role is different from that of a District Councilor and should be disregarded, our County Councilor also represents Moor Park but I see no recommendation that either Carpenders Park or Oxhey Hall should be united with that ward. I note the District Council is keen to preserve the “as far as possible separate representation for South Oxhey, in view of the distinctive history and community indentity of the area� but that should not be to the detriment of other electors, I do not see why my representation should be adversely affected to protect others, surely we all are equal. Carpenders Park has the right to have its community represented. Joining a small part of the Ashridge Ward to Carpenders Park achieves the Districts aim of creating a ward of the requisite size, if the part of Ashridge Ward known as Carpenders Meadows together with a small number of other South Oxhey properties, the desired arithmetical ratio would be created. Joining Oxhey Hall to part of South Oxhey makes geographical sense, Prestwick Road runs between the two. I would leave it to the Commission to determine the numbers as I do not have access to the necessary information. I also note that in previous consultations the Commission has sought to ensure community identity over pure arithmetical representation, this approach should be repeated here as any other would result in the splitting of a cohesive community and joining us with people we have no connectionwith. Residents of Carpenders Park do visit South Oxhey, there are shops and the County library is in South Oxhey as well as other services such as the chiropodist. The small parade of shops in Little Oxhey Lane attracts visitors from Carpenders Park. Everyone who lives in Carpenders Park would say either that they live in Carpenders Park or that they live just south of Watford. We have had a residents association for over 70 years, we have our own primary school, our own shopping precinct comprising a small supermarket, our own dentist and doctors surgery. To split the community in two is unjustifiable and would result in a diminution of our democratic representation, as the residents of Carpenders Park would be a minority constituent in both suggested wards. File upload:

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2

suzanne green

Member of the public

11/01/2013 05:13 We do not want to see Carpenders park broken up, Carpenders park must stay toether we are one community Dunkeyson, Nicholas

From: Simon Hargrave Sent: 09 January 2013 19:23 To: Reviews@ Subject: Three Rivers boundary change review

Hello

I have been reading the documents that have been submitted and I have heard some reports of what TRDC has been considering. I wish to record my views on the proposals and the review process.

Firstly, I believe it is important that Carpenders Park be considered as a community in its own right. It is geographically divided from other local communities, such as South Oxhey and Oxhey Hall, and has developed a separate character. It has its own facilities, such as shops, a GP surgery, a community hall, a bus service and so on. It has a set of common needs and requirements that need to be represented to local authorities and to central bodies.

Historically, it has been represented by councillors at district level who only represent Carpenders Park and I feel this should continue. This level of distinction seems only to exist at district level and should not be lost.

There have, I believe, been suggestions that Carpenders Park should be combined with other wards that do not share this character. This is not what is required or desired by local residents (the majority of whom, I suspect, are simply unaware that any changes are being considered).

I note with some concern that the only publicity of these potential changes has been via local district councillors, who, whilst they do their best, cannot be expected to pass on all the relevant information to all the local residents. Why has there been no communication with the only people who are directly affected?

Yours Simon Hargrave Carpenders Park resident.

1 Dunkeyson, Nicholas

From: Reviews@ Sent: 09 January 2013 23:53 To: Reviews@ Subject: Custom Form Submission Received

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Custom Form Submission Received

Review Editor,

A new custom form submission has been received. The details of the form submission are as follows:

Submission Information

Custom Form: Online submissions form (#183)

Form URL: http://www.lgbce.org.uk/current-consultations/online-submissions-form Submission ID: 1676 Time of Submission: Jan 9th 2013 at 11:52pm

Form Answers

Name: Anthony Harris

Area your submission Three Rivers refers to: Organisation you member of the public belong to: Your feedback: I would like to register my opposition to the proposed boundary changes concerning Carpenders Park. Having lived in Carpenders Park for the last 27 years I would not support any division of this community.

Mr A M Harris File upload:

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1

Dunkeyson, Nicholas

From: Reviews@ Sent: 10 January 2013 00:19 To: Reviews@ Subject: Custom Form Submission Received

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Custom Form Submission Received

Review Editor,

A new custom form submission has been received. The details of the form submission are as follows:

Submission Information

Custom Form: Online submissions form (#183)

Form URL: http://www.lgbce.org.uk/current-consultations/online-submissions-form Submission ID: 1677 Time of Submission: Jan 10th 2013 at 12:19am

Form Answers

Name: Carolyn Harris

Area your submission Three Rivers refers to: Organisation you member of the public belong to: Your feedback: I would like to register my opposition to the proposed division of Carpenders Park. I am concerned that there has been no consultation with the residents of Carpenders Park and disappointed that the views and opinions of the residents have not been sought or considered by the people paid and elected by us to democratically represent us. I strongly feel that Carpenders Park has a strong evolving community spirit and should be allowed to develop as a united community.

Mrs C E Harris File upload:

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1 Dunkeyson, Nicholas

From: Jen Hutchinson Sent: 14 January 2013 12:03 To: Reviews@; Subject: Three Rivers Boundary Proposal

For inclusion in the Borough Ward Boundary review for Three Rivers District Dear Sirs Your online form does not work this morning. This is my view about Three Rivers Boundary proposals for your consideration. Carpenders Park and South Oxhey are both of 20th century origin but are completely separate in both geography and concept. The proposed merging of Carpenders Park with Oxhey Hall and South Oxhey would not meet the major requirement of boundary changes to reflect local community interests. The mainline railway marks the western boundary of Carpenders Park and road connections are almost two miles apart; there is a pedestrian tunnel between the two at the railway station. Carpenders Park has its own shops, GP surgery, chemist, Post Office and its own clubs and social organisations. Residents of Carpenders Park set great store by its distinct tradition. Councillors with responsibilities outside the village could not properly represent the interests of Carpenders Park. Yours faithfully Mrs J C Hutchinson,

1 Trevor Jenkins

Member of the public

10/01/2013 16:08 While I agree we reducing the number of councillors ,I moved I into Carpenders Park because I liked the com unite for it's closeness and would not like the through of losing all this.Carpenders Park was here long before South Oxley . That's why we have always had the railway line separating both party' s. Therefore I say leave us as we are and do what firms do and get the councillor s to cover more area's after. Reducing the councillors Dunkeyson, Nicholas

From: Reviews@ Sent: 10 January 2013 19:54 To: Reviews@ Subject: Custom Form Submission Received

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Custom Form Submission Received

Review Editor,

A new custom form submission has been received. The details of the form submission are as follows:

Submission Information

Custom Form: Online submissions form (#183)

Form URL: http://www.lgbce.org.uk/current-consultations/online-submissions-form Submission ID: 1683 Time of Submission: Jan 10th 2013 at 7:53pm

Form Answers

Name: D C JONES

Area your submission Three Rivers refers to: Organisation you resident/community organisation belong to: Your feedback: Carpenders Park is, and has always been, a self-contained estate, clearly defined and bounded by 2 roads (Oxhey Lane and Little Oxhey Lane)and a railway line. It is physically separated from the neighbouring areas of South Oxhey and Oxhey Hall by these features. It has its own shops, pub, school, play areas, scout hall and community hall. The estate is served by a long-established Residents Association, whose Newsletter clearly reflects the very real sense of community that exists here - many groups regularly report on their local activities. It is inevitable that the district council's proposal to split up Carpenders Park and to attach the two parts of it to the neighbouring wards would severly disrupt this sense of community, which would clearly be totally contrary to the stated objective of looking after the interests and identities of the local (Carpenders Park) community. I strongly object to this proposal, and also to the manner in which it has been dealt with by Three Rivers District Council in springing it on the local

1 community just a few days before the expiry of the consultation period, without any attempt to seek local input. File upload:

This communication is from LGBCE (http://www.lgbce.org.uk) - Sent to Review Editor

2 katerina knowler

Member of the public

10/01/2013 14:05 why on earth should we change the boundaries now. I live in crapenders park not in south Oxhey , this is a vote for no change

Dunkeyson, Nicholas

From: Reviews@ Sent: 14 January 2013 19:27 To: Reviews@ Subject: Custom Form Submission Received

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Custom Form Submission Received

Review Editor,

A new custom form submission has been received. The details of the form submission are as follows:

Submission Information

Custom Form: Online submissions form (#183) Form URL: http://www.lgbce.org.uk/current-consultations/online-submissions-form Submission ID: 1700 Time of Submission: Jan 14th 2013 at 7:27pm

Form Answers

Name: Graham Lloyd

Area your submission Three Rivers refers to: Organisation you resident/community organisation belong to: Your feedback: Dear Sir,

I wish to object to the decision of the Liberal Democrat and Labour Councillors on Three Rivers District Council (TRDC) on 8th January 2013 to recommend to the Local Government Commission For (LGBCE) that in the ward boundary review Carpenders Park should be split with one part joining South Oxhey and the other part joining Oxhey Hall. Very many Carpenders Park residents like me are seething (a) about the proposal to split Carpenders Park and (b) the total lack of consultation with our community.

(a) Why Carpenders Park should not be split I have lived in Carpenders Park since June 1963 and since then I have had four different homes here. I came here as a teenager with my late parents and we all greatly valued the semi-rural friendly atmosphere of the area that had begun in

1 the 1930s. Since coming here I have had three more homes here. Like many older residents I have married and raised a family here. In the last 50 years Carpenders Park has grown a lot both terms of the number of homes and population but despite its growth it still retains a unique community spirit, helped in no small part by its geography. Physically it is a closed community, bounded by green belt land on three sides and the main railway line on the fourth side.

Since our sole Primary School was opened in 1951 generations of local children have passed through it. Parents today from all over Carpenders Park still greatly value the school and not only parents but grandparents socialise at the school gate delivering or collecting children. Countless friendships in the community have been forged over the decades through connection with the school that remain strong today.

Indicative of a small closely knit community, in Carpenders Park we only have one doctors’ surgery, one dental surgery, quite a small parade of shops, a well supported Community Hall, only one public house and one Residents’ Association. All of these serve the whole community regardless of where people live in Carpenders Park. This all helps to give residents the sense of living in a community of shared values. It also helps to explain why many residents move within Carpenders Park (as I have done in 50 years) as they get married, start a family and then when their children grow up need smaller homes.

Residents are seething at the very suggestion of splitting up the community and in the process robbing them of District Councillors who would serve the whole community and not just parts of it.

(b) The total lack of consultation with our community In the Autumn/Winter 2012 edition of TRDC’s 16 page Three Rivers Times that was delivered to all homes in Carpenders Park last November or early December there was not a single word about this ward boundary review and that any submissions had to be sent to the Commission by 14th January 2013. In fact the proposal that was considered at an Extraordinary Meeting of the Council on 8th January only became known to residents the next day and the revelation has caused consternation in the community. People feel they have been treated with contempt and strongly resent not being consulted. An impromptu Petition was raised and I believe it is being submitted today to the Commission. If greater notice of the closing date for submissions had been given I am sure far more residents views would have been sought for the Petition.

(c) Cost savings from ward boundary changes All Councils including TRDC need to save money and the amount TRDC will save merely by reducing the number of Councillors from 48 to 39 is trivial. It could have saved far more if it moved away from electing Councillors in thirds and opted for electing all Councillors once every four years as happens with County Council and Watford Rural Parish Council. Moving away from electing in thirds would not have meant having a number of Councillors divisible by three and that could have avoided the need to split up Carpenders Park with an electorate of 4,142. If, in a new ward boundary structure our ward’s 4,142 electors was deemed too small to remain a single ward, rather than artificially split it why not retain it but add the top part of Ashridge ward’s 1,255 electors as they are our nearest neighbours?

2 I sincerely hope you will reject the Liberal Democrat and Labour Councillors’ daft proposal for Carpenders Park when you publish your draft recommendations in April on which people can comment before your final recommendations in October to be implemented for the District Council elections in 2014.

Yours faithfully,

Graham M. Lloyd

PS I do NOT want my email address published because of trying to avoid receipt of junk mail and the risk of being sent computer viruses.

File upload:

This communication is from LGBCE (http://www.lgbce.org.uk) - Sent to Review Editor

3

alison meale

Member of the public

09/01/2013 22:48

Carpenders park is a community in its own right and I strongly object to its interests being diminished by splitting it up. We have one school one doctors surgery shops and church. Over the years carpenders park has suffered under investment whilst the council diverts funds to south oxhey we need a councillor to represent cp interests and sustain the strong community. Dunkeyson, Nicholas

From: Sent: 11 January 2013 16:05 To: Reviews@ Subject: Proposed Bounday changes within Three Rivers District Council

We live in Carpenders Park and do not wish for our community to be split between Oxhey Hall and South Oxhey. Can we please stay as we are, i.e. a united Carpenders Park. This has worked well for the 8 years we have lived in Carpenders Park so why change it!! I do not believe for one minute that there will be any advantages whatsoever in splitting Carpenders Park.

We hope you will take our comments on board (which we believe are shared by the majority of residents in Carpenders Park) and not push through these ill thought out changes.

Danny O'Mahony Christine O'Mahony

1 Reg Paton

Member of the public

10/01/2013 12:11

I believe that the Carpenders Park Ward should remain in its current form. The estate was formed in 1930 and has a unique identity, even with the expansion that has taken place over the years. It has a natural boundary with the ajoining wards, the West Coast railway line. The ward is effectively served by its current councillors and any change would appear for change sake. Natasha Payne

Member of the public

10/01/2013 09:20

"Carpenders Park has a very strong community which is why we moved there two years ago to bring up our family. Our elderly neighbours have lived in the same house for over forty years as have many other residents in the area, proving that the area is a nice place to live mainly due to the community feel. We know almost all of our neighbours which is unprecedented compared to most people. Combining Carpenders Park with other areas will undoubtedly go towards losing this strong community. People pay a higher premium for their properties in CP compared to some of the other local areas. If we are 'paired' up with other areas, will our services start to be combined too? Doctors, dentist and school? The CP community is constantly under treat, if not from plans to build housing on the area near to the station to then comply to having a gypsy site built on Little Oxhey Lane to plans to build on Sandpit Woods to now having plans to combine with South Oxhey and other areas! Again, the CP community has to pull together to show its united front that it doesn't want housing developments on its surrounding areas and it doesn't want to be paired up with other areas with the risk to losing its small village like feel. CP is a clean, tidy and safe area, it's residents take care of the area - the same can't be said for some of the other local areas which we are being asked to be paired with. We understand that councils are being challenged to make cuts but it seems as though CP is constantly under treat. We hope that councils listen to our voice and keep Carpenders Park within its own community. " jeanette roberts

Member of the public

11/01/2013 21:09 Carpenders park is a community in its own right. I have lived here 42 years and it is the community that has kept me here. The ward is quite different from that of south oxhey and the needs of the community also are different. I feel there would be a conflict in interests between residents in carpenders park and that of south oxhey. Carpenders park is all owned properties where as south oxhey still has many council remnants. South oxhey should be one ward not seperated into several. Carpenders park is a unique community that needs to remain as its own ward, we would loose our identity. This change should not take place as it could also affect house prices in carpenders park.

Susan Rose

Member of the public 24/10/2012 15:36

As residents of Maple Cross and Mill End Ward we cannot see any reason at present to change the boundaries of this Ward, but will wait to comment further when your draft proposals are published. Richard Shepheard

Member of the public 07/01/2013 16:30

"I write as a resident of the current Penn ward within Three Rivers District council and my comments relate to this particular part of the district.Currently we are a two Councillor ward,so having read the remit of the commission it would seem probable that our ward will be combined with another. I would like to strongly suggest that we are put together with either Rickmansworth or Rickmansworth west.My reasoning is that we are strongly connected with the Rickmansworth area for shopping,community,transport and other events.I do NOT wish to be put into the Mill End/Maple cross ward as we have no connection or affinity with that part of the district.I believe the boundary should still run down the centre of church lane as this provides a natural division between the two communities. I believe this would provide effective representation from the councillors. Thanking you for your time Richard Shepheard.

" Page 1 of 1

Dunkeyson, Nicholas

From: Yvonne Stirling Sent: 03 November 2012 12:28 To: Re views@ Subject: boundary commission Re Three Rivers Electoral Review

Thank you for your letter.

My personal opinion is that the boundaries fo Rickmanswoth area should as they are so as to not give unfair advantage to any one party. The distribution of Councillors should be as follows:-

Moor Park 2

Eastbury 4

Mill End 4

Maple Cross/West Hyde 4

Heronsgate 1

Total 15 in Rickmansworth/ Chorleywood

There is a great deal of work to be done in those with four councillors and little in Heronsgate and Moor Park

05/11/2012

Robert Tunwell

Member of the public

09/01/2013 21:03 "I feel strongly that Carpenders Park should retain its current ward councillors as it is a very distinct area being separated from the other wards by the natural separation of the raiolway line. There is no direct road coonection between the other wards on the other sides of the railway track with residents having to drive into the or Watford. As such it has its own particular community. Carpenders Park began in the 1930s, long before South Oxhey was built. Carpenders Park has grown a lot since it began but it retains a strong community identity, valued by residents of all age groups. We only have one primary school, one doctor’s surgery, one dentist, one Community Hall, one Residents’ Association and a small parade of shops, including one public house. They serve the whole community. An endearing feature of Carpenders Park is the fact that people move within it as their families grow and later fall. It is very unlikely that they would do so if they did not greatly value the community spirit here. By removing our ward councillors and joining up with other wards which has been proposed by Three Rivers District Council will fragment the community. It has already been proposed that Carpenders Park will have a different MP to the other neighbouring wards. We share a Parish Council but the majority of residents do no feel they are represented fully on this d would like to leave it!

I strongly resent Three Rivers District Council holding an extrodinary meeting on 8th January to discuss these proposals and not informing the general puplic or making them aware that these changes were even due take place. I feel it was undemocratic and a way of hiding the information from the general public untill it was too late.

" Dunkeyson, Nicholas

From: Reviews@ Sent: 10 January 2013 16:06 To: Reviews@ Subject: Custom Form Submission Received

R

m m

Custom Form Submission Received

Review Editor,

A new custom form submission has been received. The details of the form submission are as follows:

Submission Information

Custom Form: Online submissions form (#183)

Form URL: http://www.lgbce.org.uk/current-consultations/online-submissions-form Submission ID: 1681 Time of Submission: Jan 10th 2013 at 4:06pm

Form Answers

Name: Mr P Tyler

Area your submission Three Rivers refers to: Organisation you member of the public belong to: Your feedback: I have heard about the proposal to change the name of Carpenders Park to South Oxhey. I am appalled by this proposal and sincerely hope that this will not happen. Why were the people living in Carpenders Park not informed of this proposal? I am totally against this proposal and if it ever becomes a voting point I will vote against it.I look forward to your comments. File upload:

This communication is from LGBCE (http://www.lgbce.org.uk) - Sent to Review Editor

1 Dunkeyson, Nicholas

From: Ann Wales Sent: 12 January 2013 15:32 To: Reviews@ Subject: Ward changes in three rivers

I am totally opposed to the proposed ward changes for Carpenders Park. To consider joining our present ward with either South Oxhey and Oxhey Hall without consulting us, the residents, is undemocratic at the very least. This estate is separate from the other areas mentioned and has its own community. We have local shops, a pub, a community hall, community church and a local school. We are divided from both South Oxhey and Oxhey Hall by a railway line and do not feel part of these other communities. We, at the least, should have a right to be consulted and if necessary a vote on changes to be considered, instead of the council trying to push this through by the back door

Sent from my iPhone

1 Peter Woodruff

Member of the public

09/01/2013 20:32 "I do not believe that the current Carpenders Park Ward should be split up as has been proposed at the recent extraordinary meeting of the district council. Carpenders Park is clearly and physically bounded by the railway to the west and oxhey lane to the east, it is centered around the common facilities of doctors, dentist, pub and school shared by all carpenders park residents and therefore constitutes an entirely logical grouping as it is currently defined. The currently fragmented wards of Hayling, Nortwick and Ashridge could be joined to form the logical group of South Oxhey with its on clear sense of community identity. I firmly beleive the 2 groupings I have described above would best allow the views of the local residents to be effectively represented by 2 councillors without those councillors facing unreconsilable conflicts of interest. I do not have any information as to the relative sizes that these proposed wards would represent however the clear, individual and seperate senses of community which Carpenders Park and South Oxhey independently hold would be eroded and marginalised by any blurring of these entirely logical boundaries. Whilst I agree that some resizing in an attempt to equalize the number of voters is sensible this must not be at the expense of creating wards that do not faithfully reflect the interest and identities of the local community."