Local resident submissions to the London Borough of Croydon electoral review This PDF document contains submissions from residents in Croydon. The submissions from have been collated into one document. They have been sorted alphabetically, by surname. (T-Z) Starkie, Emily From: Sent: 25 April 2017 17:03 To: reviews Subject: Boundary change consultation in Croydon Follow Up Flag: Follow up Flag Status: Flagged Dear Sirs, I wish to respond to the consultation regarding the proposed boundary changes in Croydon. I am a long‐standing resident, having lived in Park Hill for many years, and am a member of a number of local organisations. I am very concerned that it is proposed to amalgamate Park Hill with an area very different in character and needs, namely the estates on the north side of Addiscombe Road. Park Hill has little in common with the parts of Croydon to its north. I and my family seldom have need to use the shopping facilities on Lower Addiscombe Road, findings that our needs are met well enough closer at hand and in the town centre. Nor are we drawn in that direction in terms of cultural or entertainment pursuits. And we in Park Hill have our own church and schools. As a consequence the identities of the two areas are really quite distinct. I believe a better alternative would be to keep Addiscombe Road as the northern boundary and to enlarge the Park Hill ward in an easterly direction, taking in the Whitgift Estate and Upper Shirley Road and Shirley Avenue. A similar amalgamation of the two areas just north of Addiscombe Road would clearly make much more sense. Many thanks, Romney Tansley Sent from my Nexus 9 1 Starkie, Emily From: Alexis Taylor Sent: 03 May 2017 11:20 To: reviews Subject: Proposed boundary changes to Addiscombe, Croydon. Follow Up Flag: Follow up Flag Status: Flagged Dear Sirs Re: Proposed boundary changes to Addiscombe, Croydon. I wish to object to the Commission’s draft recommendations for my area, as the boundaries proposed fail to reflect the local interests and identities of Addiscombe. I believe a better alternative exists, which more closely reflects local identities while meeting the Commission’s requirements for electoral equality, and effective and convenient local government. The boundaries proposed for the two Addiscombe wards extend well beyond the Addiscombe neighbourhood. Park Hill and the Whitgift Estate aren’t in Addiscombe and never have been, they do not identify with our area and properties sold in those areas aren’t advertised as being part of Addiscombe. The community boundary, as with the electoral boundary, has always ended at Addiscombe Road. We have entirely independent facilities for shopping, educating children and practicing religions, consequently the interests and identities of our two separate areas do not overlap. Bundling the two areas together ignores their very different housing types and consequently the differing needs we have for representation on the council. The voice on the council of both areas will be diminished by the draft proposals. I believe our community would be better represented by having the electoral boundaries overlap with community boundaries. This could be accommodated through one two‐member ward and one three‐member ward, with the southern boundary remaining at its historic location of Addiscombe Road and taking in the Tollgate Estate to the north, the entrance to which is located on the Addiscombe‐side of the signs advertising that drivers are entering Addiscombe. This would recognise that all the major road, tram and bus routes run through the area, preserve Ashburton Park as a historic part of the community and avoid splitting up the ASPRA residents’ association. A new two‐member ward could then be formed of Park Hill, the Whitgift Estate and the other low density housing around the parks, ensuring the common interests of that community are represented on the council. I would appreciate my objections being considered during the process of reviewing the boundaries and I would appreciate being further consulted if any other proposals are made. Yours faithfully Alexis Taylor 1 Starkie, Emily From: J Thomas Sent: 15 April 2017 10:44 To: reviews Subject: bc “I have lived in Selsdon Vale for 27 years and I believe the split that has been proposed by the Boundary commission for the Selsdon Area is the right one. The main reasons I agree with the suggested split for Selsdon Vale and Forestdale is that the two areas share the same bus route, the 433, and community centre – the Forestdale Forum. The two areas were built within the same period and there is no specific dividing line apart from a rumble strip of bricks on the roads that joins the two estates. Most people have no idea why this strip of bricks is even there. The guide hut that girls from both Forestdale and Selsdon Vale use is also on the joint border right where the rumble strip is situated. For residents of Selsdon Vale, the roads off Old Farleigh Road and on Forestdale their natural district centre is Selsdon. There are a few shops on the edge of Forestdale and whilst well used they are not sufficient to be the main shopping area for these places and are an addition rather than a replacement. I would also comment that Monks Hill, which has a South Croydon postcode (CR2 8QU) the same as Selsdon, has always been viewed as part of Selsdon so including that in the Selsdon and Addington Village ward is very sensible as the residents there recognise Selsdon as their district centre. The age of the buildings is also similar to those of the northern side of Selsdon eg, Foxearth Road etc. I hope the proposed boundaries remain as the LGBCE has suggested. “ Jill Thomas 1 Starkie, Emily From: Sally Thorpe Sent: 08 May 2017 23:10 To: reviews Subject: Objection to proposed Croydon's boundary changes Dear Sir/Madam I wish to object to several proposed boundaries within the Commission’s draft recommendations for Croydon and to suggest improvements. These would meet the aims of electoral equality, reflect the identities and interests of local communities, and help provide effective and convenient local government. I have lived in Croydon for over 26 years, now in Addiscombe and previously Shirley and am a trustee for a local community and youth centre. Addiscombe/ Park Hill and the Whitgift Estate The boundaries proposed for the Addiscombe seats do not take into account the different needs and characteristics of these areas, between the lower density housing surrounding the parks and higher density housing in Addiscombe and Shirley. Park Hill and the Whitgift Estate are not located within Addiscombe and every past review has recognised Addiscombe Road Addiscombe’s definitive southern boundary since at least 1922. Addiscombe would be better represented by recognising Addiscombe Road as the community’s southern limit and reincorporating the Tollgate Estate to create one two-member ward and one three-member ward. Then a new ward could be formed to the south of similar housing types around the parks. this new ward could take in Park Hill and the Whitgift Estate, which identify strongly with one another, and the isolated, lower density housing around Shirley Avenue. To make up numbers the area could then include similarly low density properties along Upper Shirley Road, the South Park Hill area delineated by the main railway line and the old Selsdon railway line, or the area west of there to Conduit Lane between Coombe Road and Croham Road, which was incorporated in the past. These proposals would enable the Commission’s argument around ‘Places’ and Croydon’s clear natural boundaries to be applied consistently across the borough and meet the Commission’s three goals. Yours faithfully Sally Thorpe 1 Dear Sirs I wish to object to the Commission’s draft recommendations for my area, as the boundaries proposed fail to reflect the local interests and identities of Addiscombe. I believe a better alternative exists, which more closely reflects local identities while meeting the Commission’s requirements for electoral equality, and effective and convenient local government. The boundaries proposed for the two Addiscombe wards extend well beyond the Addiscombe neighbourhood. Park Hill and the Whitgift Estate aren’t in Addiscombe and never have been, they do not identify with our area and properties sold in those areas aren’t advertised as being part of Addiscombe. The community boundary, as with the electoral boundary, has always ended at Addiscombe Road. We have entirely independent facilities for shopping, educating children and practicing religions, consequently the interests and identities of our two separate areas do not overlap. Bundling the two areas together ignores their very different housing types and consequently the differing needs we have for representation on the council. The voice on the council of both areas will be diminished by the draft proposals. I believe our community would be better represented by having the electoral boundaries overlap with community boundaries. This could be accommodated through one two-member ward and one three-member ward, with the southern boundary remaining at its historic location of Addiscombe Road and taking in the Tollgate Estate to the north, the entrance to which is located on the Addiscombe-side of the signs advertising that drivers are entering Addiscombe. This would recognise that all the major road, tram and bus routes run through the area, preserve Ashburton Park as a historic part of the community and avoid splitting up the ASPRA residents’ association. A new two-member ward could then be formed of Park Hill, the Whitgift Estate and the other low density housing around the parks, ensuring the common interests of that community are represented on the council.