Starkie, Emily From: reviews Sent: 31 October 2016 08:52 To: Starkie, Emily Subject: FW: Electoral Review of Torridge: Draft Recommendations ‐‐ Jonathan Ashby Review Assistant LGBCE 0330 500 1252 From: Sent: 31 October 2016 00:59 To: reviews <[email protected]> Subject: Electoral Review of Torridge: Draft Recommendations FAO: Emily Starkie, Review Officer (Torridge) Dear Ms Starkie, Thank you for your consultation request dated 6th September 2016 with respect to proposals for ward changes within the Torridge District. Currently Holsworthy Hamlets parish is in a ward with Holsworthy town & Sutcombe parish. Under the proposals, in an attempt to create new wards with roughly equivalent numbers of registered electors, the Boundary Commission proposal would sever Holsworthy Hamlets parish from Holsworthy town& place it in a new ward called “Milton & Tamarside”. The total number of district councillors across Torridge would remain unchanged at 36. The proposed Milton & Tamarside ward would comprise the nine parishes of Bradford, Bridgerule, Cookbury, Hollacombe, Holsworthy Hamlets, Milton Damerel, Pancrasweek, Pyworthy& Thornbury. The Boundary Commission proposals were discussed in detail at the recent meeting of Holsworthy Hamlets Parish Council. It was felt that the proposed nine parish ward, although useful in making a ward containing close to the target number of registered electors, is not practical in a rural, sparsely populated community like this one because of the vast geographical area that it would create to be covered by the district councillors in attending all the parish council meetings. It was felt that the likely outcome would be a disconnection of the electorate from their district councillors. Furthermore it was considered very detrimental to sever Holsworthy Hamlets parish from a ward with Holsworthy town. Considerable effort over several years has been put into fostering links between Holsworthy Hamlets Parish Council & Holsworthy Town Council. There are multiple joint initiatives between the councils including the Market & Coastal Towns Initiative group (MCTI), the Holsworthy Area Advisory Group (HAAG) & the Tri-Council (Holsworthy Hamlets Parish Council, Holsworthy Town Council & Pyworthy Parish Council). The reason that these initiatives have been formed & developed is due to the fact that there are many issues which jointly affect Holsworthy Hamlets Parish Council& Holsworthy Town Council & hence it is totally illogical to separate the two into different wards. Not least of concern is the geography of the two since Holsworthy Hamlets parish borders virtually the entirety of Holsworthy town making it impossible to traverse the whole of Holsworthy Hamlets parish without crossing Holsworthy town. The school catchment area of the Holsworthy town primary & secondary schools extends firmly into Holsworthy Hamlets parish further increasing the natural links between the two. Holsworthy is the major agricultural market centre for this strongly farming orientated area& the newly constructed cattle market (a major employer & commercial centre for this region) resides in Holsworthy Hamlets parish further reinforcing the argument to keep the two within the same ward & with the same district councillors. It was noted that Torridge District Council has made a counter-proposal to the Boundary Commission which would see Holsworthy Hamlets parish paired in a ward with Bradworthy parish. Although this proposal doesn’t create a ward with 1 the same vast geographical area as the proposed “Milton & Tamarside” ward, it does still separate Holsworthy Hamlets parish from Holsworthy town. In summary the links between Holsworthy Hamlets parish & Holsworthy town are huge & it is totally illogical& counter- productive to separate the two into different wards with different district councillors & Holsworthy Hamlets Parish Council believes that the two should be placed in the same ward under any future boundary changes. Yours sincerely, Dr Julia Foster Parish Clerk Holsworthy Hamlets Parish Council 2.