Croydon London Borough Personal Details: Name: Elizabeth Agyepong E-mail: Postcode: Organisation Name: Comment text: I am aware that the ward boundaries in Croydon need to change in order to be equipped for current issues and the challenges of the future, taking into account community facilities, major roads, rail and tram infrastructure, green spaces, town and district centres, residents associations and community groups. I am also aware that issues such as the rapid change taking place through the major regeneration and developments in Croydon that would result in approximately 7,000 new homes being built by 2022, the increasing and transient population, the increase in devolved powers to the Council, the changing role of the Council, the decision to devolve more powers to local ward councillors in consultation with local communities through a new area forum model which builds on the success of community ward budgets, the awareness that the severe financial pressures and increased demand for services would lead to an increase in councillor workloads over the next six years, the need to maintain current electoral registration rates and address areas and groups where electoral registration has traditionally been low has resulted in this second stage submission of the Council’s warding proposals in response to the LGBCE consultation. As a resident of Grasmere Road, in the Purley ward, I am concerned about the warding proposal that has just been submitted as I do not identify with many of the proposals. After analyzing the proposals, I was grateful to see that almost the whole of Purley had been included in the proposed two wards and those parts of Kenley which were/are undeniably Purley, are now unified with Purley. The proposal has also taken on board residents views and has shown some respect for Purley and Woodcote residents association’ territory by reuniting Purley with Woodcote. The town centre will also have a well-defined and logical voice. Despite these positives, the proposal leaves Purley town centre on the edge of the ward instead of making it the heart of the ward. Also, a big part of Purley is now located in Kenley ward and the Sanderstead ward is expanded to encroach more on Purley. This is unacceptable as people who see themselves and have always viewed themselves as residents of Purley do not affiliate or indeed define themselves as Kenley residents. I am sure this will be the case for those Sanderstead residents who will now be forced to see themselves as Purley residents. This is because although these neighbourhoods seem to have similar characteristics in that they are suburban and some fall within the green belt, they are very disparate. Also, the residents in each ward/neighbourhood made a conscious decision to move to that particular ward and so we associate ourselves with that ward and we know and love that ward, despite its idiosyncrasies. To be forced into a new ward that you cannot identify with or associate with is abominable, irrespective of the justification. This must not be allowed. As a concerned Purley and Croydon Council resident, I believe a ward should be created for the residents of Purley Oaks and Riddlesdown as they do not seem to belong anywhere. My sister lives in Florence Road, CR2 and she, like her neighbours, tell everyone that they live in Purley Oaks (or Sanderstead, at a push). However, the current proposal puts her road in South Croydon albeit it was previously Purley! I know for sure that she never says she lives in South Croydon and she is fuming at the current proposal! And can anyone blame her? After all, her house is less than three minutes walk from Purley Oaks train station (this station is now included in South Croydon ward despite the residents in the area seeing it as Purley) and five minutes from Sanderstead train station. Her house is over 15 minutes to South Croydon train station and she can never walk there, unlike the other two stations. I believe having a Riddlesdown and Purley Oaks ward rather than the proposed Sanderstead and Riddlesdown ward will match Croydon council’s place making strategy. It is terrible that the proposal splits the area into three wards and maintains the current irrationality of the current wards. Also, it does not respect the place of Purley. A Riddlesdown and Purley Oaks ward will not only show respect to the turf of Riddlesdown residents association, marry all of Riddlesdown as a Purley oriented ward and give it a cohesive voice in its own right on the council but it will also marry the areas of eastern Purley within Purley Oaks. In relation to the proposed Council’s made up wards, having a Coombe ward is illogical as nobody identifies with Coombe as a place. The ward does not only not have a district centre or heart but it includes Park Hill and the Whitgift Estate which should be in Addiscombe and the area to the west of Lloyd Park which is definitely in South Croydon. In terms of the council's place making strategy, this does not exist With regards Croham Hurst, only a few roads around Croham Hurst identify with that as a location but the rest do not. The hilly geography means the rest of the ward has no relationship with Croham Hurst. Related to that, the ward is named after a feature on the opposite side of the valley and the very edge of the ward! It takes in a huge part of the area that clearly associates with Sanderstead including Sanderstead Hill, Sanderstead Road, Sanderstead Plantation and Sanderstead Station. In terms of the council's place making strategy, this does not exist Uploaded Documents: None Uploaded CROYDON – Local Government Boundary Review Submission by Graham Bass re PURLEY I write as a long-time resident of Purley – childhood on the Coulsdon/Purley boundary, the last 50 years in Purley proper, bringing up four children, & recently standing down after 20 years as one of its councillors. I continue to be actively involved with many of its organisations including its Residents’ Association, the PWRA I support a future local ward structure based on the “Place” of Purley, as identified in the current Croydon Local Plan – for the following reasons: 1. Purley is a recognisable Community of residents who are proud to call themselves 'Purleyites', who have 'Purley' addresses, live in roads identified as Purley in the Electoral Register, have a thriving Town Centre & community facilities, such as Hospital, Fire Station, Leisure Centre/Pool. 2. This is precisely why it was designated as one of Croydon’s 16 Places. 3. It spans an area that includes Woodcote/ West Purley, the Town Centre, the Brighton Road from the point at which it leaves Coulsdon at Stoats Nest Road up to South Croydon past Purley Oaks. Eastwards it embraces Riddlesdown. For clear evidence, look to Google, to estate agents’ adverts, &c. & observe common usage 4. This is despite the fact that for well over a decade, as a result of earlier boundary reviews, large chunks of Purley, reaching right up to the very centre of town, have administratively been deemed to be parts of Kenley & Coulsdon. This was resented at the time & has never been accepted by residents. Those who have thus been cut off feel to an extent disenfranchised, to have lost a significant degree of contact & influence over local affairs that matter to them. This has also from time to time got in the way of developing a coherent & consistent voice, of articulating clear views on planning matters &c.- & will become more of an issue in the event of any further devolution of local powers/budgets 5. It has an active & influential residents association, the Purley & Woodcote Residents Association (PWRA) 6. It corresponds to the several Purley Parishes, Christchurch, St Mark's (overlaps Surrey), St Swithin's, St James's, St Barnabas (overlaps Kenley). 7. It has excellent transport links binding together its whole area 8. Clearly this 'Greater Purley', as we often call it, would on a fair shares basis need more than three councillors - presumably five. So it will need to comprise two wards – let us say ‘Purley West’ & ‘Purley East’. (not that names are that important – there’s scope to include familiar old names such as Woodcote & Riddlesdown as ingredients within Purley). The two wards would inevitably co-operate as a sort of super-Branch. Purley West, the larger ward, should include the Town Centre, Woodcote & both sides of Brighton Road to the south. East Purley should embrace Riddlesdown, Brighton Road to the north & Purley Oaks I am very much opposed to the proposal being put forward by Croydon Council, because 1. It doesn’t observe the community’s natural boundaries. It excludes pretty much the whole of south-east Purley, it continues to have Kenley reaching right up into the town centre. It also ignores the historical fact that Riddlesdown is part of Purley. Residents of these areas consider themselves Purleyites. Purley town centre is where they shop, where they swim, where they look to for urgent health care, &c. It’s their community centre. 2. It splits the community. After so many years of fragmentation, a rare opportunity would be missed to put Purley properly back together again, with potentially unfortunate ramifications for future parliamentary boundary reviews 3. It leaves out a sizeable part of the area covered by the PWRA. 4. It claims to align itself with the ”Place”, whereas in fact by a wide margin it doesn’t Graham Bass 31 Nov 2016 Croydon London Borough Personal Details: Name: Michael Bevington E-mail: Postcode: Organisation Name: Comment text: Please put Coulsdon back into Surrey!!!! Uploaded Documents: None Uploaded Croydon London Borough Personal Details: Name: Margaret Bird E-mail: Postcode: Organisation Name: Comment text: I am very supportive of aligning wards to actual places which electorate can relate to.