2017 Kingston-Upon-Hull Local Government Boundary Review Conservative and Unionist Group Response Conservative and Unionist Group Submission March 2017 INTRODUCTION The Conservative Group welcomes the opportunity to comment on the Local Government Boundary Commission’s (LGBCE hereafter) proposals. We may also spend some time commenting on other proposals put forward by other political groups, but feel the main thrust of our remarks on the consultation should be around the LGBCE proposals. Our commentary, like our initial proposals, is based around adherence to the three main tenets of the LGBCE as highlighted on their website:- “The aim of the electoral review is to recommend ward boundaries that mean each councillor represents approximately the same number of voters. We also aim to ensure that the pattern of wards reflects the interests and identities of local communities as well as promoting effective local government.”1 To further highlight the key criteria for drawing up wards which we will refer back to throughout this submission document, they are to: 1 ensure each councillor represents approximately the same number of voters 2 ensure that the pattern of wards reflects the interests and identities of local communities 3 promote effective local government We have also adhered, as far as possible, to our belief that railway lines and dual carriageways are major constraints on identifying a community. Traditionally, canals and rivers are also seen as natural barriers and we feel we need to turn a little to the subject of the river – a topic that greatly exercises the minds of Hullensians. In cities such as York, Dublin, Belfast, and London the rivers are substantial and although the Ouse and Thames are crossed frequently by major bridges it is still a considerable barrier to traverse. On rivers such as the Tyne, also exuberantly spanned by several iconic bridges, they have even been a barrier in that neither Newcastle nor Gateshead as communities actually span the River Tyne. However in Hull, the River Humber is wide enough that Hull never expanded southwards but, for all the cultural identification amongst sports fans who follow Rugby League, and for other cultural reasons, there is a clear mental divide in the City between the community west of the River Hull and the community east of it. However, even at its widest point in the estuary, the now heavily silted up River Hull still traversed by many bridges2 has been of negligible an obstruction to the development of the City. The City has continued, by organic growth or absorption, to expand in a semi-circle with the loosely vertical axis of the River Hull not shewing a marked difference of development either side. We recognise that the LGBCE, the Liberal Democrats, and ourselves in our initial submission have all said they regard the River Hull as a barrier but read with interest the Labour Party’s contrary opinion, and of course recognise that the Parliamentary Boundary Commission (BC) at the last 1 From the Local Government Boundary Commission. Accessed from https://www.lgbce.org.uk/current- reviews/yorkshire-and-the-humber/kingston-upon-hull/kingston-upon-hull on 4th March 2017 at 11.04am 2 There are sixteen bridges in total that cross there River Hull, three of which are in Beverley, and a further one of which is no longer in use. 1 | P a g e Conservative and Unionist Group Submission March 2017 reorganisation3 included wards east of the River as part of the Hull North seat. The Labour Party’s suggestion of high car ownership in the north of the proposed Beverley and Sculcoates Ward is of course incontrovertible but nobody would suggest a car would be a tool to merely cross a dual carriageway. We did, on reflection however, consider that developments on the outskirts of Hull posed a serious challenge to the traditional assumptions. Building a large residential community on the outskirts of a City, some five miles away from the City Centre4, and making sure the community has a large retail park with upmarket retailers,5 school, and café facilities all to hand, is tantamount to building a town adjacent to that City. When the new development is built next to a middle-class residential community such as is at the northern end of Beverley Ward and both communities are united by housing tenure, economic activity and reliance on the car, then they are also going to be united by the retail offer. From Mizzen Road, in the top end of Beverley ward, it is 1.8 miles to the Marks and Spencer at Kingswood where there is free parking and a range of retail offer available; or from the same place to Marks and Spencer on Whitefriargate in the City Centre it is 3.9 miles with no adjacent car parking, no free car parking, and a retail offer that cannot be held to be indubitably better, if undoubtedly a bit wider. It is not unreasonable for us to say that, in cases like this, and where the River Hull really is very narrow, there is a community of interest. Indeed 21,000 vehicle movements a day6 would suggest that the river was not seen as an impediment in this area although, were both communities of Kingswood and northern Beverley Ward to be of low car-ownership this idea would have no traction at all as there are some fields between the two communities7 which would inhibit the casual “have a cuppa”8 test. In circumstances such as this we note that the river, at its narrowest point, with a purpose built residential/amenity/retail/employment offer immediately adjacent to a pre-existing community of stakeholders reflecting a similar demographic and much nearer than the similar offer in the City Centre cannot surely be held to be a major obstacle? We note that the Liberal Democrats say it is,9 in defiance of the last Boundary Commission settlement for the Parliamentary Constituency but are a little askance to read the Liberal Democrats have a different view when it comes to Parliamentary proposals this time round. Whilst we understand the Boundary Commission and LGBCE are doing separate reviews, and are empowered to do so, it does seem strange that Dave McCobb10 should say to the Boundary Commission, 3 “The Fifth Periodic Review of Westminster constituencies” 2007 4 4.9 miles from The Pines at Kingswood to Ferensway in the City Centre 5 Whilst the Kingswood retail park has no formal website, please see their entry on “Completely Retail”, accessed from https://completelyretail.co.uk/portfolio/LegalAndGeneral/scheme/Kingswood-Retail-Park-Hull on 5th March 2017. 6 According to statistics from the Department for Transport’s count data from the A1033 Ennerdale bridge. 7 Largely unused and widely believed to be waiting for the next residential expansion of Hull. 8 Loosely: the idea that someone will randomly step outside their property and go to another friend, not knowing if they are in or not, but living so close it is not a major impediment or inconvenience to an unplanned act. 9 From the Liberal Democrat submission to the LGBCE’s 2016/17 review, accessed from https://www.lgbce.org.uk/__data/assets/pdf_file/0004/31297/LibDems-PG-Hull-2016-10-28_combined- files.pdf on 1st March 2017. 10 City Councillor for the existing Beverley ward and the main instigator of their 2016/17 submissions to the LGBCE 2 | P a g e Conservative and Unionist Group Submission March 2017 “….It [the proposed Hull Central Constituency] also brings together the City Centre in one constituency by putting Drypool and Myton wards into one constituency. Parts of Drypool ward are recognised as being parts of the City Centre.”11 So, at the widest part of the River it is not seen, by Liberal Democrats, as a community cohesion barrier, in a part of the city where car ownership and population are low and the greatest part of the car owning population to the east of the river in Drypool is in the Victoria Dock village south of the A63; but it is a barrier in two similar demographics at the narrowest part of the river? Furthermore the phrase, “Parts of Drypool ward are recognised as being parts of the City Centre.” is disingenuous in the extreme. As a glance at the map reference12 shews it is hard to escape the conclusion that political considerations are leading to a duality of message on this point from one Party. The statement of Kevin Morton13, a significant employee of Diana Johnson MP, on this topic is also interesting. “The Commission [the Parliamentary one] is arguing because of one new river crossing in the City Centre this somehow overcomes physically the divide. That is contentious to say the least. I do not think there has been in the City Centre any greater feeling of oneness between the East and West banks of the River Hull in the city, than there was, say, ten years ago. …although we would argue that as the river flows away from tributary with the Humber it becomes thinner and arguably less important.”14 However this may well be a debate for the future and, because of the LGBCE proposals around Kingswood we are not inclined to adumbrate such an argument in this submission. We also reaffirm our commitment to the concept of four yearly elections and single member Wards of around 3,000 each. We note with pleasure that only one Group is now resolutely opposed to promoting effective local government by ensuring electors can categorically reject an Administration and ensuring a sensible time-frame to allow policy development.