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Council Conservative Group LGBCE Consultation Response – Warding Arrangements

The group is supportive of the proposals that have been submitted by Cherwell District Council, following consideration of the work done by the council’s Boundary Review Group. These boundaries will achieve effective and convenient local government, while respecting community ties and providing clear and identifiable boundaries. It is our hope that the LGBCE will adopt these proposals in full. Council Size and Seat Allocation We support the reduction of Councillors from 50 to 48 and the retention of elections by thirds. We agree with the LGBCE that a uniform pattern of three member wards should be used across the District. The creation of a small number of exception wards, with a lower number of Councillors, would inevitably lead to resentment from some electors that they are unable to participate in elections as often as electors from other parts of the District. We would not support proposals that split Parishes between wards, except where the parish is of too great a size to be placed within a single ward. We therefore are happy for , and to be split. The Council assigned wards to five warding areas; Banbury Town, Greater Bicester, Greater Kidlington, Northern Rural and Southern Rural. We believe that these warding areas respect local ties and will help foster good local government. Banbury Town – We are pleased that the Council has not sought to include rural parishes with the town. Banbury is large enough to be divided into five wards and therefore it is unnecessary for this warding area to extend beyond the Town Council boundary. Greater Bicester – The parishes that have been added to Bicester have strong transport links to the town and planned developments mean that there will be a great deal of co-operation between the parishes and the town in the near future. We believe that four seats is the correct allocation for this warding area. Greater Kidlington – , , and have been grouped with Kidlington to form the Greater Kidlington warding area, which will have two wards. These parishes, located to the north of , are similar in nature and closely identify with one another. Northern Rural/Southern Rural– We believe that the number of seats allocated to each of these warding areas is correct and support the use of the Cherwell Valley in the centre of the District as a boundary between the two areas. The , and Cherwell Valley Railway Line all act as clear and obvious boundaries between parishes on the border of the warding groups and would act as logical ward boundaries. Proposed Wards BANBURY TOWN WARDING AREA Banbury Cross and Castle The existing ward and division boundaries in the centre of Banbury are a constant source of confusion for electors and are not conducive to good local government. The town centre is a melting pot and electors are not clustered into communities according to geographical area. We believe that the town centre should be contained within a single ward and not arbitrarily split between several as it is currently – we would not support proposals that sought to split the town centre. We consider the A4260 (the inner relief road) to be a clear boundary, which separates the eastern section of the town centre from the suburbs of and Hightown, neither of which have anything in common with the town centre. The inclusion of Bath Road, Queens Road, Kings Road and a section of Park Road is a sensible proposal as the electors in this area have more in common with the town centre than the Bretch Hill estate. Banbury Easington Each of the suburban areas contained within this ward are located in the south of the town and have strong ties to one another. The junction of Bankside and Hightown Road serves as a natural boundary between the northern section of the ward (Cherwell Heights) and the neighbouring proposed ward of Grimsbury and Hightown. There are community facilities located in Cherwell Heights that are used by residents of the Timms Estate, and students from Cherwell Heights and Poets Corner attend schools in Easington. Suburban south Banbury has a distinct feel and these areas fit together naturally. Banbury Grimsbury and Hightown Grimsbury and Hightown are suburban communities in the east of the town, connected via the A4260 which divides the town centre from the suburbs. The railway station located in Grimsbury has strong historical ties to Hightown, with many station users living there. Banbury Hardwick The existing Hardwick ward comprises communities that readily identify with one another, therefore the existing ward was a natural starting point to use when addressing the northern part of the town. Planned houses to the north of Noral Way have been moved into the ward as these will utilise services at Hanwell Fields; and both sides of the Warwick Road have been included in the south in order to improve electoral equality. Banbury This ward places great emphasis on respecting the community ties between the current and former social housing of the Bretch Hill estate and housing constructed in the same era around Woodgreen Avenue. Residents in the area look to facilities located at the junction of Woodgreen Avenue and The Fairway, which include a library, leisure centre, swimming pool, local shops and a pub. GREATER BICESTER WARDING AREA Bicester East The centre and north east of the town are combined to form this ward. This ward utilises the Buckingham Road, Road and railway as clear identifiable boundaries. Bicester North This ward is identical to the existing Bicester North County Council Division, with the exception of the properties to the south of the railway line. The Buckingham Road serves as a clear and identifiable boundary between this ward and Bicester East. The inclusion of the parishes of Bucknell and will help improve local governance, given the need for the town to co-operate with the parishes during the development of the Eco- Town. Bicester South This ward, comprising of Langford Village in Bicester, and Chesterton parishes, would incorporate the Kingsmere and Graven Hill developments. There are strong transport and community links between the rural parishes and Bicester. Bicester West This ward uses the railway, Road and the B4100/Queens Avenue/Kings End as a clear and identifiable boundary. GREATER KIDLINGTON WARDING AREA Kidlington East The eastern section of Kidlington has been paired with the neighbouring parish of Gosford and Water Eaton. Residents of the parish regularly use services in Kidlington and without knowledge of the boundary many would assume that the parish is indeed part of Kidlington itself. Given the parishes intrinsic link to Kidlington we feel it would be inappropriate to link it with the more rural parishes to the north. Kidlington West The parishes to the south west of Kidlington have been paired with the western section of the town, to which these parishes have strong transport links and community ties. NORTHERN RURAL WARDING AREA , Astons and There are strong community links between the parishes located in this proposed ward, the majority of which sit on the main road between Oxford and Banbury. Based on these proposals the ward would be outside of the 10% tolerance advised by the LGBCE, however we have been unable to find an alternate pattern to improve electoral equality that respects the links between communities in this area. We are concerned that the commission might seek to include in this ward given its location, however this parish has little in common with Deddington and has strong affiliation to a number of parishes including Ardley and Somerton. We hope that the LGBCE will allow this variance in order to facilitate the strong and longstanding community ties that Souldern has to other parishes. , and Bloxham and have a very close relationship and therefore both parishes should be included in the same ward. Bodicote and Bloxham are currently located in the same ward and face similar challenges as rural communities on the southern fringe of Banbury, both are resisting “urbanisation” and we agree that they should be kept separate from the town. Hook Norton and Wigginton look toward in West , rather than Banbury, however there are strong transport links between them and the other parishes in the ward. , and This proposed ward has been constructed from the three existing single member rural wards in the most northern part of the District. There are strong transport links between the parishes and many of the parish councils co-operate together in order to tackle local issues. SOUTHERN RURAL WARDING AREA Heyfords, and This ward comprises the rural communities to the north of Bicester, and Kirtlington. Considerable joint working has taken place between the parishes of Ardley, and Souldern on a wide range of issues and therefore we thought it important to place these parishes in the same ward. We believe that Upper Heyford and Somerton should be located in the same ward due to developments planned along the border between the parishes, in order to help foster effective and convenient local government. Launton and Otmoor This ward comprises the rural communities to the south of Bicester, and Launton. There are community ties between most of these parishes, especially those that surround Otmoor itself. , Blackthorn, Launton and Piddington are very similar communities and thus we have included all the parishes in this cluster in the same ward.