Area 1 – Colehill and Holt Parishes (Petition for New Parish of Furzehill)

Appendix '1'

Area 1 – Colehill and Holt Parishes (Petition for new Parish of Furzehill)

Parish of Furzehill Document

Presentation made to Full Council

East Dorset Community Governance Review 2017

Response to Draft Recommendations

Sirs

As Holt Parish Council has stated that it does not wish to be grouped with the proposed Parish of Furzehill, it is therefore requested that East Dorset District Council recommends the alternative arrangement.

Namely, that an Extended Parish of Holt includes those dwellings, from the Parish of Colehill, that had been requested to form part of the proposed Parish of Furzehill.

This would result in one council administering exactly the same area as that proposed by the well supported petition.

Ann James (formerly Poole)

Dogdean Farm

Smugglers Lane

Furzehill

Wimborne

BH21 4HB As Holt Parish Council has stated that it does not wish to be grouped with the proposed Parish of Furzehill, it is therefore requested that East Dorset District Council recommends the following alternative arrangement.

Namely, that an Extended Parish of Holt includes those dwellings, from the Parish of Colehill, that had been requested to form part of the proposed Parish of Furzehill.

This would result in one Council administering exactly the same area as that proposed by the very well supported petition.

Bill and Julie Sharpe Forest Edge Furzehill

Members of the Furzehill Residents Association As Holt Parish Council has stated that it does not wish to be grouped with the proposed Parish of Furzehill, it is therefore requested that East Dorset District Council recommends the following alternative arrangement.

Namely, that an Extended Parish of Holt includes those dwellings, from the Parish of Colehill, that had been requested to form part of the proposed Parish of Furzehill. This would result in one council administering exactly the same area as that proposed by the very well supported petition.

From Mr and Mrs M.E. Foster Residents of Furzehill and signatories to previous petition I understand that Holt Parish Council has stated that it does not wish to be grouped with the proposed Parish of Furzehill, so East Dorset District Council can recommend the following alternative arrangement:-

That an EXTENDED PARISH OF HOLT includes those dwellings from the Parish of Colehill that have been previously been requested to form part of the proposed Parish of Furzehill.

Such a change would result in one Council administering exactly the same Area as that proposed by the very well supported Petition.

I hope you will consider the above favourably.

Thank you

John and Julie Bridle

Robinswood

Furzehill I would like to make the following comments regarding the proposal to change the Parish Council covering Furzehill.

I did not sign the petition to create a Parish of Furzehill as I did not think it would be viable. However, I do support, along with the majority of residents in the Furzehill area, that Furzehill should become part of Holt Parish. The reason for this is that Holt and Furzehill share a rural nature and similar values. Furzehill has long been an outpost of Colehill and I speak from experience having been a member of Colehill PC and indeed its Chairman. The Boundary between Colehill and Holt runs along Smugglers Lane and Grange which effectively splits the Furzehill community.

The Furzehill area residents have created an enthusiastic community under the Furzehill Residents Association which covers Furzehill, Smugglers Lane, Dogdean, Grange and Bothenwood. The residents needs would be far better served if it became part of one Parish.

It would be a great shame if the wishes of the majority of residents were not heeded.

Best wishes

Keith Baker

Greengates

Furzehill EAST DORSET CGR 2017 – Response to Draft Recommendations

On behalf of the Furzehill Resident’s Association

The Furzehill Resident’s Association covers an area, which closely corresponds to the area that was defined in the petition for a Parish of Furzehill.

There was very strong support for the petition across the whole of the defined area by the electors and therefore by the members of the Furzehill Resident’s Association. Over 70% of the electorate signed the petition and most of the rest were not available when signatures were being sought.

The petition asked for a Parish of Furzehill, which was to be grouped with the Parish of Holt. The practical result of such an arrangement would have been one council that administered not just the current Parish of Holt, but also 99 dwellings specified in the petition that are currently within the Parish of Colehill.

A similar result can be achieved by extending the Parish of Holt to include those 99 dwellings, without the creation of a Parish of Furzehill.

The area of land that would be detached from the Parish of Colehill to extend the Parish of Holt has a common border with the Parish of Holt that is about 3 times longer than the border with the Parish of Colehill. So this is a sensible geographical change. It would mean that the properties on both sides of Grange and Smuggler’s Lane would be under the same parish council, as would both the Stock’s Inn and the Furzehill stores with Post Office. The electoral areas of Furzehill and Grange that are currently split between parishes would be under the same parish council. All of the Furzehill Village Envelope would also be under the same Parish Council. Consequently this is a sensible change for the local community.

Namely, that an Extended Parish of Holt includes those dwellings, from the Parish of Colehill, that had been requested to form part of the proposed Parish of Furzehill.

This would result in one council administering exactly the same area as that proposed by the very well supported petition. COLEHILL PARISH COUNCIL’S RESPONSE TO THE CONSULTATION PAPER ON THE COMMUNITY GOVERNANCE REVIEW 2017/2018

The recommendations of the East Dorset Community Governance Working Party, submitted to the Scrutiny and Policy Committee on 23rd January 2018, made it clear that in its view a separate Parish of Furzehill was not a viable option.

Previously Colehill Parish Council in its initial submission to the East Dorset Governance Review in December 2017 had also taken the view that Furzehill as a parish was not an option but that there might be a case for looking at Furzehill as a separate ward within Colehill Parish itself.

However, on further consideration the Colehill Parish Council concluded that there would not be parity in the number of electors vis-a-vis other wards. There might be evidence of a community in Furzehill but the creation of Furzehill as a separate parish would, in all respects, be neither efficient nor convenient administratively and could actually be detrimental.

Colehill Parish Council is fully supportive of the recommendations contained in the EDDC CGR Report for Consultation and in the circumstances would not seek to have any changes made to the parish ward names or boundaries.

It is the hope of the Colehill Parish Council that the residents of Furzehill will take an active role with the council to ensure that the concerns and needs of that part of the Colehill West ward are highlighted. In the past there has been representation on the Parish Council from Furzehill and one member was the Chairman of the Council just a few years ago.

Colehill Parish Council has been very supportive of the efforts of the residents of Furzehill regarding issues concerning the woodland and pathways of the area. With development changes likely in the near future, the Parish Council will engage to ensure the security of those valuable areas of Furzehill and anticipates the active cooperation of the residents to achieve this. Legal and Democratic Services Civic Offices Bridge Street Christchurch Dorset BH23 1AZ

Date: 8 June 2018 To: Contact: Richard Jones Colehill Parish Council Our Ref: EDDC/CGR/2017 Holt Parish Council Your Ref: Phone: 01202 795078 Email: [email protected]

Dear Clerk to the Parish Council

Community Governance Review – Furzehill

As you are aware we are currently undertaking a Community Governance Review in East Dorset and the area that affects you directly is the proposal for a Furzehill Parish.

The draft recommendations recommended that:

(a) A new Parish of Furzehill should not be established; (b) No changes to be made to the existing parishes of Colehill and Holt with regards to the area or electoral arrangements; (c) In the absence of any changes to the existing arrangements, a Reorganisation of Community Governance Order is not required for this area under review.

The deadline for submissions on the consultation was Midnight on 31 May 2018. At the close of the consultation we received 10 responses requesting, as the proposal for a grouping of Furzehill parish with Holt was not supported, the parish of Holt is extended to include the properties from Furzehill which are currently within the Colehill parish as shown on the attached map.

We are now writing to you to invite you to submit to us any comments you wish to make on the revised proposal of the Holt parish being extended. When considering this option please take into account the following:

The Council is required to ensure that community governance within the area under review will be reflective of the identities and interests of the community in that area; and is effective and convenient. In doing so the community governance review is required to take into account:-  The impact of community governance arrangements on community cohesion; and  The size, population and boundaries of a local community or parish.

www.dorsetforyou.com @cb_edd_councils The aim of the review is to consider and bring about improved community engagement, better local democracy and efficient, more effective and convenient delivery of local services and ensure electors will be treated equitably and fairly.

The current electoral arrangements for Colehill and Holt are shown below. When undertaking a Community Governance Review we are required to look at the projected electorate in five years.

Baseline August 2017 Projected 5 year Forecast Number of Number of Variance from Councillors Electors per parish/council Parish / Parish Properties Electorate Properties Electorate councillor average Ward Colehill Colehill East * 2,071 3,996 2,086 4,025 10 403 + 2.0% Colehill Hayes * 546 1,007 582 1,073 3 358 - 9.4% Colehill West * 591 1,154 628 1,226 3 409 + 3.5% Totals 3208 6157 3296 6324 16 395 Holt Holt 536 1,080 545 1,098 9 122 0%

Due to the current Parliamentary and County and District boundaries, should the Holt parish be extended to include the Colehill area of Furzehill this would need to be warded as Colehill and Holt are in different constituencies and wards. This could lead to additional polling stations being required at the time of an election.

The projected number of electors that would be moved from Colehill to Holt is 244. Please see the table below showing proposed electorate and councillor numbers.

Baseline August 2017 Projected 5 year Forecast Number of Number of Variance from Councillors Electors per parish/council Parish / Parish Properties Electorate Properties Electorate councillor average Ward Colehill Colehill East * 2,071 3,996 2,086 4,025 11 365 + 2.2% Colehill Hayes 546 1,007 582 1,073 3 358 +0.2% * Colehill West * 591 1,154 606 982 3 327 -8.4% Totals 3208 6157 3296 6080 17 357 Holt Holt 536 1,080 545 1,098 9 122 0% Holt Furzehill 124 244 2 122 0%

In order to achieve electoral equality this would lead to an increase of 1 councillor in Colehill East ward and an additional 2 councillors for Holt parish within the newly created Holt Furzehill parish ward.

Due to the tight deadlines within the Community Governance Review timetable could we please ask that you respond to this letter as soon as possible and by 3 July 2018 at the latest, with your views regarding the extension of Holt parish being extended to include those properties in Furzehill currently within the Colehill parish. If you require any further information or assistance please call Richard Jones on 01202 795171.

Yours faithfully

Richard Jones Partnership Legal and Democratic Services Manager Proposed Furzehill Parish

Scale: 1:30000 @ A3 Date: 29 September 2017 Creator: Democratic Services

This map is produced from Ordnance Survey material with the permission of Ordnance Survey on behalf of the Controller of Her Majesty's Stationery Office (c) Crown Copyright. Unauthorised reproduction infringes Crown copyright and may lead to prosecution or civil proceedings.

Christchurch Borough Council. Licence: 100024379. 2017 East Dorset District Council. Licence: 100024319. 2017 COLEHILL PARISH COUNCIL'S RESPONSE TO THE CONSULTATION PAPER ON THE COMMUNITYGOVERNANCE REVIEW 2017 /2018

SECOND SUBMISSION

This second submission to the Community Governance Review should be read in conjunction with the first submission dated 30th May 2018, attached.

The draft recommendations of the East Dorset Community Governance Working Party, published on 8th March 2018 made it clear that a separate Parish of Furzehill was not a viable option. Colehill Parish Council reiterated that it did not wish to see any changes to its parish wards or boundaries, and fully supported the draft recommendations.

Colehill Parish Council has now been informed that the residents of the Furzehill area have submitted their response to the consultation and asked that the boundary of Holt Parish be moved to include those parts of Furzehill that are currently in the Parish of Colehill. It is understood that their principal argument is that Furzehill is "rural" whereas Colehill is "urban". There is ample evidence that parts of Colehill such as Long Lane, Colehill Lane, Northleigh Lane and Beaucroft are more rural than the main settlements of Furzehill (road) and Dogdean.

If Furzehill were to be included in Holt Parish a large number of anomalies would arise.

• Theyare in two differentparliamentary constituencies • They are in two different county divisions • Although one cannot forecast the outcome of the ongoing unitary council boundary review the LBR draft recommendation places them in two differentareas (Wimborne& Colehi/1 West and Badbury & Allen Vale). Theoutcome could be affected. • At present they are in two differentdistrict wards

This is not efficient and administratively convenient electorally and could be highly detrimental. The tax base of Colehill Parish would be reduced, and the many public services and buildings, such as the Voluntary Library, the Youth and Community Centre, and Memorial Hall will still have to be maintained. All of these facilities are available to the residents of Furze hill.

Colehill Parish Council maintains that it has been very supportive of the residents of Furzehill regarding Woodleaze Copse and intends to negotiate a Community Asset Transfer with EDDC. It has supported localfootpaths and has proposed "Quiet Lanes" status for Dogdean.

Holt Parish Council will make its own response, but attention is drawn to its initial comments in the draftrecommendations, paragraph 1.7 (d).

Colehill Parish Council does not want its parish boundarychanged with regard to Holt Parish and asks the Community Governance Review to reject the submission by Furzehill for such a change. COLEHILL PARISH COUNCIL'S RESPONSE TO THE CONSULTATION PAPER ON THE COMMUNITYGOVERNANCE REVIEW 2017 /2018

FIRST SUBMISSION

However, on further consideration the Colehill Parish Council concluded that there would not be parity in the number of electors vis a-vis other wards. There might be evidence of a community in Furzehill but the creation of Furzehill as a separate parish would, in all respects, be neither efficient nor convenient administratively and could actually be detrimental.

It is the hope of the Colehill Parish Council that the residents of Furzehill will take an active role with the council to ensure that the concerns and needs of that part of the Cole hill West ward are highlighted. In the past there has been representation on the Parish Council from Furzehill and one member was the Chairman of the Council just a few years ago.

_ .. Holt Parish_ Council Stone Cottage, Hinton Martell, Wimborne, Dorset. BH21 7HE Clerk to the Council: Mrs Lisa Goodwin 01258 840935 E-Mail: [email protected] www. holtparishcouncil. btck.co.uk

28th June 2018

Richard Jones Legal & Democratic Services East Dorset District Council Civic Offices Bridge Street Christchurch BH231AZ

CommunityGovernance Review - Furzehill

Dear Richard,

In response to your letter of 8 June, Holt Parish Council has considered the proposal to extend Holt Parish to include the 50 dwellings currently within Colehill Parish.

Members do not support this proposal and wish there to be no change to the Parish boundary for Holt and our comments remain as per our letter of November 2017.

Yours sincerely, Redacted - Personal data

Mrs Lisa Goodwin Clerk to Holt Parish Council _ ... Holt Parish_ Council Stone Cottage, Hinton Martell,Wimborne, Dorset. BH21 7HE Clerk to the Council: Mrs Lisa Goodwin 01258 840935 E-Mail: [email protected] www.holtparishcouncil.btck.co.uk

27th November 2017

Electoral Services East Dorset District Council Civic Offices Bridge Street Christchurch BH231AZ

East Dorset CommunityGovernance Review 2017 - Initial Submission Area 1 - Colehill & Holt (possible creation of a new parish of Furzehill).

Dear Sirs,

Holt Parish Council has resolved unanimously to object to the proposal to separate 50 dwellings from Holt Parish to form Furzehill East Ward. Members wish there to be no change to the Parish boundary.

Residents of the area identified formpart of the community of Holt. Residents make use of the facilities in Holt including two Pubs, three Village Halls, St James's First School, St James' Cottage Nursery, a number of Community Groups and have the option to be buried as Parishioners in Holt Cemetery.

We would also question the viability of the proposed parish of Furzehill and how it will be administered. Holt does not wish to become a grouped Parish and take responsibility for its administration and governance. The proposed parish will also requireappropriate representation and in our experience we have not received applications to fill vacancies on Holt Parish from residents in this area.

Yours sincerely,

Redacted - Personal data

Mrs Lisa Goodwin Clerk to Holt Parish Council Area 2 – Three Legged Cross (Parish Boundaries of Verwood, Horton, Holt and West Moors) Dear Richard,

I am writing to advise that Knowlton Parish Council has NO OBJECTION to the draft recommendations for AREA 2 & AREA 3 in the CGR 2017

With Kind Regards, Lisa Goodwin Clerk to Knowlton Parish Council 01258 840935

Area 3 – Witchampton (Parish boundaries of Witchampton, Chalbury, Crichel and Hinton) Dear Richard,

I am writing to advise that Knowlton Parish Council has NO OBJECTION to the draft recommendations for AREA 2 & AREA 3 in the CGR 2017

With Kind Regards, Lisa Goodwin Clerk to Knowlton Parish Council 01258 840935 Dear Richard

Re: Ward Boundary change at Witchampton Mill

The Parish Council has discussed the proposed boundary changes in the Witchampton Mill area.

The Parish Council is in favour of the change and resolved to support the proposal.

Regards Krystyna Vale of Allen Parish Council