Great Boughton Parish Council

-----Original Message----- From: [email protected] [mailto:[email protected]] Sent: 31 July 2009 11:04 To: Reviews@ Subject: EC website: Online submission

Form summary:

Name : Barrow Parish Council

Postal address : 11 Grosvenor Road Tarvin Chester CH3 8EH

Email address :

Area your submission refers to : Cheshire West and Chester

Organisation you belong to : parish/town council

Your feedback : Barrow Parish Council would like to be in a ward that includes Tarvin and Ashton Hayes; there are existing strong links to the neighbouring village of Tarvin by means of the bus service and the doctors practice. In addition, since the village shop in Barrow closed, residents of Barrow use the Post Office service at Tarvin. Barrow would like to be in a ward with these other villages as it is believed that the residents are 'like minded' people who enjoy both the benefits of living in a rural village and also face similar challenges; this would mean that generally all residents are working toward the same goals.

Barrow Parish Council would support a multi member ward (2 or 3) as it is felt this gives a greater opportunity for fair representation.

Finally Barrow Parish would support the CWaC proposal that it be placed in the Gowy ward.

Attachment : No file uploaded

Form Information

Site Name : Electoral Commission Site Id : 42 Page Standard Name : Consultations and current reviews Page Standard Id : 42911 Page Custom Form Name : Online submissions Page Custom Form Id : 55756 Url : http://www.electoralcommission.org.uk/boundary- reviews/open-consultations/online-submissions Submission Id : 79 ission

Walnut Tree House. Beeston Parish Council Wood Lane. Tattenhall. (In the Borough of Cheshire West and Chester) Chester. CH3 9AD 2nd August 2009

Dear Sir or Madam.

Beeston Parish Council at their recent meeting, were asked to make representation by 4th August to your national body with their views on the matter of Boundary review. It was noted that The CWAC Boundary Committee, (not to be confused with the national body), were recommending to their council a proposal that would move Beeston from the existing Broxton Ward to the Eddisbury Ward of CWAC. a). Beeston Parish Council agreed that, mindful of the need to adjust the areas to meet the changing populations, they were happy to support the proposal to be part of a ward called Eddisbury in the proposals of CWAC, but, b), They feel that particularly within our rural area, while accepting the need for proportionate representation, Wards should be more “local” and to achieve this, single member wards should be the accepted rule rather than three member wards as is currently the case, and is proposed by CWAC to be the basis into the future. This Beeston Parish Council view, would allow for example, a single member ward within and adjacent to Tarporley of; Tarporley (part 1), 910. Tarporley (part 2), 1255 Beeston, 161. Tiverton, 335. Tilstone Fearnall, 93. Huxley, 205. Iddenshall, 30. Utkinton, 363. Rushton. 375. Total. (2008 figures, 3,727 electors.

This ward would have an estimated 2008 electorate of 3,727, which is slightly larger than the optimum, but does represent parishes with close relationships. However, this proposal represents a principle. You are able to vary the overall totals if so required. For example, if Huxley were taken out, of this grouping the numbers would be almost exactly at the optimum level, (and we do not know the views of that village Parish Council!). The advantages are obvious. ALL of these villages are close to or adjacent to the Tarporley village. Sandiway, Delemere, Cuddington, other large villages within this proposed Eddisbury area, are in reality almost a different world to residents in this above area. At the very least, representation should and could be local. Local government representation would be truly local. A member from this area would reasonably be expected to know, and know well, all of the villages of such an area.

In support of this view, even CWAC,In the covering correspondence, (10.1. Bullet point three), say; . that electoral arrangements should reflect community identity. Our above proposal would achieve just that. c), Finally, there was a view that representation by any individual would be far more achievable through such a process. This would allow Independent as well as Political Party representatives a reasonable chance of success. Local government representation would be truly local and open to a far wider range of individuals.

It is appreciated that these above views do not directly line up with those of some of our neighbours. However, in the main we believe that the principle is similar but different parishes are suggesting different groupings. We feel that our suggestion meets the needs but we are mindful that some flexibility is needed, and equally, the rest of this area, (i.e the Eddisbury Ward of the CWAC proposals would also need to be addressed. We are obviously not in a position to speak on their behalf. Thanking you in anticipation, Regards,

Doug Haynes. Clerk. Beeston Parish Council.

After much discussion the Parish Council of Darnhall would like to remain linked with the current area known as Eddisbury for the following reasons.

Having studied the boundary map of the Parish it becomes clear that as a parish it is along the Wettenhall Brook and Ash Brook which meet and flow into the Winsford Flashes, which form part of the boundary. The longest boundary of the Parish is with East Cheshire (Wettenhall, Lea Green and Church Minshull) all of which are agriculture/rural areas. Only a very small part of the boundary is with Winsford and that boundary is mainly agricultural/rural. The remaining boundary within Cheshire West and Chester is with Little Budworth and Rushton/Eaton and once again this is an agricultural/rural area. The main employers in the parish are farms together with approximately three other businesses the biggest of these is John Bownes Ltd which supplies agricultural machinery and factors both locally and nationally.

There are two main areas of housing one a new development adjoining the Winsford boundary and the other approximately one mile away along a country lane near the recently refurbished Village Hall. There have been cottages in this area for two hundreds years and the small holding adjoining one of the cottages is the home of a the farrier who shoes anything from small ponies to shires horses both on and off site.

The Cheshire Hunt turn out in this area regularly cubing in the woodlands, and riding on from Little Budworth, Wettenhall and Church Minshull. . The Cheshire Constabulary use the woodlands in the area approaching and around the Darnhall Telescope for the training of dog and their handlers.

A large portion of the property and land in the parish is owned by the Verdin Estate and joins onto their lands in Wettenhall.

A good number of the residents also use the educational and medical facilities in Tarporley, Bunbury, Eaton and Calveley.

An area of land in Darnhall marks the centre of Cheshire.

The councillors feel that the best interests of the residents of the parish would be served by continuing to be in a rural cluster. The problems of urban areas are in many ways different from those where there is no rural transport and very few services, and a rural based cluster would have a better comprehension of our problems.

C:\Documents and Settings\jmetheringham\Local Settings\Temporary Internet Files\OLK33\Parish of Darnhall Boundaries.doc -----Original Message----- From: [email protected] [mailto:[email protected]] Sent: 03 August 2009 16:39 To: Reviews@ Subject: EC website: Online submission

Form summary:

Name : Delamere Parish Council

Postal address : 11 Grosvenor Road Tarvin Chester CH3 8EH

Email address :

Area your submission refers to : Cheshire West and Chester

Organisation you belong to : parish/town council

Your feedback : Delamere Parish Council would like to remain in the Eddisbury ward that currently includes Tarporley and the neighbouring parishes of Oakmere and Utkinton. There are few facilities in Delamere and most are accessed in Tarporley.

It would also make sense that Willington be included in this ward as part of the area is within the Delamere parish.

Delamere PC has no strong preferences on single/multi member wards.

Attachment : No file uploaded

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-----Original Message----- From: [email protected] [mailto:[email protected]] Sent: 27 July 2009 19:56 To: Reviews@ Subject: EC website: Online submission

Form summary:

Name : Farndon Parish Council

Postal address : 11 Grosvenor Road Tarvin Chester CH3 8EH

Email address :

Area your submission refers to : Cheshire West and Chester

Organisation you belong to : parish/town council

Your feedback : Farndon Parish Council would like to express a preference for multi member wards; this is supported by the opinion that 2 or 3 members would be able to add strength to any campaigns and would hopefully mean that there would always be a Councillor available when needed.

With regard to the ward that Farndon would be best placed in; Farndon Parish Council would like to remain in the current Broxton ward.

Attachment : No file uploaded

Form Information

From: [email protected] [mailto:[email protected]] Sent: 03 August 2009 21:43 To: Jessica Metheringham Subject: Cheshire West and Chester wards: Guilden Sutton

To: J Metheringham, Boundary Committee From: D Norbury, Clerk, Guilden Sutton Parish Council Re: Warding arrangements in Cheshire West and Chester.

Dear Jessica

(i) My Council has carefully considered the issues surrounding single or multi member wards and the geographic consequences which flow from that.

(ii) Single member/multi member wards. The Council is aware of the argument that in a single member ward, the member is more accountable than might otherwise be the case and perhaps better able to engage with the electorate. Against this, Guilden Sutton parish is fairly typical in that since 1974 the parish has been served by three principal authority members, two being elected representatives of the district council and one of the county council. The Council has generally enjoyed good relationships with the elected members of the principal authorities throughout this period and does not believe that a change to a single member ward would deliver any significant improvement on the multi member situation which has prevailed. Members are unable to point to any evidence which would suggest there have been any substantial problems either with accountability or engagement due to there being more than one representative of the principal authorities. Conversely, it has very recent direct experience of a principal authority member gaining an important and time consuming role and the extent to which that substantially diminishes his/her ability to represent constituents and raise parish issues as he/she may wish. Multi member wards have the capacity to deal with that issue.

The Council therefore strongly supports multi member wards rather than single member wards.

(iii) Similarly, the Council is aware of the arguments that warding arrangements should give roughly equal value to a vote wherever it may be cast across the borough while ensuring that geographic areas which may be considered to achieve this reflect established communities of interest. The Chester Villages proposal put forward by Cheshire West and Chester Borough Council would retain Guilden Sutton's long established links with other parts of the former Chester City Council Christleton ward. Bringing in the immediately adjoining Mickle Trafford and District brings welcome links with a neighbouring civil parish and also a neighbouring ecclesiastical parish with whom the incumbent is shared. There is a close community of interest in that both villages are set in a particularly fragile part of the North Cheshire Green Belt, both were developed in the 1970s and both are on Chester's urban fringe with shared concerns about issues ranging from traffic to litter which arise from that. It is reasonable to conclude that the interests of constituents in both are similar and that the proposed Chester Villages ward would quickly and naturally achieve enduring cohesion.

Guilden Sutton Parish Council therefore strongly supports the proposed Chester Villages ward with two members and commends it to the Boundary Committee.

David Norbury Clerk to the Council 3 August 2009

Great Boughton Parish Council

63, Canadian Avenue, Hoole, Chester. CH2 3HQ. Mrs Carol A Clark – Clerk to the Council Tel/Fax: 01244 342778 Jessica Metheringham Review Officer Boundary Reviews The Electoral Commission Trevelyan House Great Peter Street London SW1P 2HW 27th July 2009.

Dear Ms Metheringham,

ELECTORAL REVIEW

Great Boughton Parish Council would like to make the following observations on the geography and community links in our area: –

Gt. Boughton Parish comprises two distinct wards, North and South separated by the Shropshire Union Canal. The only crossing point between North and South wards within the parish is on the A41 dual-carriageway along which the footpath is unlit. There are approximately 3,800 electors in the North Ward and 3,000 in the South. It is hoped that at a suitable time the parish could be separated into two individual parishes, Vicars Cross and Boughton Heath based closely on the existing North and South wards. There is limited interaction between the two wards and no public transport links between them although a cyclepath does run from Whitchurch Road to Vicars Cross. Each ward is served by its own local primary school and there is a local church in each ward.

The North ward covers the area known as Vicars Cross which lies between the Shropshire Union Canal to the South and the Chester to Helsby railway line to the North. To the North East, Hare Lane is the boundary though there are some exceptions with small parts of Hare Lane at either end being in Guilden Sutton parish and one or two properties in Littleton, but the bulk of Hare Lane, Pipers Ash is within Gt. Boughton. Parts of the former City Council Vicars Cross ward included unparished dwellings in Melrose Park and the Filkins Lane area (Polling Districts DU3 and DU1). These do not come within Gt. Boughton Parish. Filkins Lane is also quite separate to Vicars Cross, being across the Shropshire Union Canal and Chester- Crewe railway line. Melrose Park comprises newer housing from the 1980s and the 'interesting' division of a block of sheltered apartments at Tweedsmuir on Melrose Park where some residents in the same block are 'in' the parish and some are 'out'. The Pearl Lane area is separated from the main part of Vicars Cross by the busy Vicars Cross Road. There are also some dwellings in Broadmead (off Marbury Road in Pearl Lane area) which are in Gt. Boughton whilst a small number of others in the same road are in Littleton Parish, following historic boundaries of former estates. Apart from these very small areas, in the main, Vicars Cross can be clearly defined. Vicars Cross is a fairly compact area with its own local bus route from the city centre - the 21 Queens Road route, and longer distance services using the A51 ( Vicars Cross Road/Tarvin Road) also stop and pick-up in Vicars Cross. The centre of Vicars Cross on Green Lane has a local church (United Reformed) library, shops, including pharmacy, dentist, and Oldfield Primary School. The Vicars Cross URC has a number of clubs and groups including a popular youth group, and has recently extended its kitchen facilities so that it can provide more community activities. There is a pub close to the centre on Oldfield Drive. Children living in the Pearl Lane area (bounded by the canal, A41 and Vicars Cross Road) are in Cherry Grove Primary School catchment area with the remainder and majority of Vicars Cross children feeding into Oldfield. Some children from Pearl Lane area apply for places at Oldfield but space is not always available. Roman Catholic families feed into St Werburgh's and St Columba's in Hoole and the Catholic High School in Handbridge. Most 11-18 year old pupils in Vicars Cross attend Christleton High School. At Thackeray Drive there is a youth centre, scout headquarters, football pitches and play area. Other play facilities are provided at Queens Road and there is a small open space at Dulverton Avenue. There is a small parade of shops at Queens road and on Vicars Cross road as well as a service station. There are several older people's sheltered apartments at Tweedsmuir, Vicars Cross Court, Marlborough Court, The Pearlings and Arkle Court. There is a community- run pre-school at Oldfield Primary There are various organisations active in Vicars Cross including WI, Townswomens Guild, Scouts, Guides, and Vicars Cross Dynamos Youth Footballers.

The South ward combines the areas around Dee Banks, Whitchurch Road and Becketts Lane with newer development along Caldy Valley Road. A few dwellings across the A41 in Tollbar Rd and on Whitchurch Road before the Ramada Hotel are also in the parish though others in that area are in Christleton. The links from most of that small detached area of the parish are much stronger with Christleton than with Gt. Boughton. The A55 provides in part the boundary to the East with the Caldy Brook to the South. The Caldy Valley Nature Park follows the brook between Gt. Boughton and Huntington parishes. Dee Banks School, Boughton Heath Primary School and Bishops Bluecoat C of E High School lie within the South ward. As a C of E school, Bishops offers places to pupils from a wide catchment area across Cheshire West but priority is given to those living nearest, and, as a Special School, Dee Banks serves pupils from Chester and Ellesmere Port. Sainsbury's supermarket, a petrol station, retail outlets, a pub and a small hotel are located on Caldy Valley Road along with the Caldy Valley Neighbourhood Church & Centre which also serves a wide catchment area and has a wide range of activities and organisations including a local gardening club, and popular youth club. There are parish council play facilities at Caldy Valley Road and Vaughans Lane and in addition just outside the parish boundary and operated by Cheshire West and Chester is the Sandy Lane play area and public slipway. The parish was also involved in the provision of a public open space at the Old Laundry Corner. Christmas Carol-singing and Summer Maypole dancing take place there. There is also a local community association at Bishop's Bluecoat High School, known as Gt Boughton and District Community Association which provides mainly out of school hours sports facilities on the Bishops site. In reality, most of the usage is from South Ward residents. There is also a joint-use library open for limited times in the week. There are allotments on the A41 alongside the canal which divides North and South wards and also on Whitchurch Road both operated by Cheshire West and Chester Council.The South ward is served by the Number 5 bus-route which travels from the city-centre via Huntington and Whitchurch Road, and the 25 Belgrave Road route, although this services has been at risk through lack of use. Longer distance routes along the A41 also travel out of the city along Whitchurch Road. The Boughton Heath Park and Ride is located in the South ward. There is a GP surgery at Heath Lane on the edge of the parish. The Red House gastro-pub is also in the parish on the banks of the river. There is older people's accommodation at Cedar Court on Caldy Valley Road and at Kingslea House and Heather Court on Heath Lane. There is a private pre-school nursery at Vaughans Lane on the Bishops High School site.

So each parish ward has all the basics a community needs- school, church, pre- school, sheltered apartments, shops, play space, and local bus route. Each ward functions quite separately and is united only by the fact that together they currently comprise Gt. Boughton Parish Council.

The proposal from Cheshire West and Chester is that for electoral purposes Gt. Boughton should be included in the same multi-member ward as Huntington, and with a number of other parishes across the River Dee. i.e. Eaton & Eccleston, Poulton & Pulford and Dodleston& Lower Kinnerton on the Welsh border. There are no community links between these parishes and Gt. Boughton whatsoever. Gt. Boughton is predominantly urban whilst the parishes across the river are very much rural. Dodleston and Eccleston each have their own primary school and there are Anglican churches in Dodleson, Pulford and Eccleston. The River Dee divides Gt. Boughton from any links with these areas and there is no common boundary. The only means of connection is by crossing the Grosvenor Bridge or Old Dee Bridge in Handbridge having travelled through the city centre or by the A55 dual carriageway. There is no common sense of identity, or shared community facilities or groups that link these rural parishes to the South and West of the city with Gt. Boughton Parish which lies to the East.

Yours sincerely,

Carol Clark Clerk to the Council