Local Government Boundary Commission For England Report No. 39 LOCAL GOVEHNfiffiHT BOUNDARY COMMISSION FOR ENGLAND REPORT NO. LOCAL GOVERNMENT BOUNDARY COMMISSION FOR ENGLAND CHAIRMAN Sir Edmund Compton, GCB.KBE. DEPUTY CHAIRMAN Mr J M Rankin.QC. - . MEMBERS The Countess Of Albemarle, DBE. Mr T C Benfield. Professor Michael Chisholm. Sir Andrew Wheatley,CBE. Mr P B Young, CBE. To The Rt Hon Hoy Jenkins, MP Secretary of State for the Home Department PROPOSALS FO'v REVISED ELECTORAL AaMGEMHiTS KJ!C THE BOROUGH OF Fi'LDE IN THL COUNTY OF LANCASHIRE 1. We, the Local Government Boundary Commission for England, having carried out our initial review of the electoral arrangements for the borough of Fylde in accordance with the requirements of section 63 of, and Schedule 9 to, the Local Government Act 1972, present our proposals for the future electoral arrangements for that borough. 2. In accordance with the procedure laid down in section 60 (1) and (2) of the 1972 Act, notice was given on 13 May 1974- that we were to undertake this review. This wc.s incorporated in a consultation letter addressed to the EyUi® Borough Council, copies of which were circulated to the Lancashire County Council, Parish Councils in the district, the Member of Parliament for the constituency concerned and the headquarters of the main political parties. Copies viere aXso sent to the editors of the local newspapers circulating in the area n.nd to the local government press. Notices inserted in the local prsss announced the start of the review and invitod comments from members of the public and fror. any interested bodies. 3. I'Vlde Borough Council were invited to prep;ire a draft scheme of representation for our consideration. In doing so, they were asked to observe the rules 1'iid down in Schedule 11 to the Local Government Act 1972 and the guidelines -jhich v/e set out in our He-port No 6 about the proposed aize of the council an:! the proposed number of councillors for each ward. They were asked also to t;x.!:c into account any views expressed to them following their consultation \dtli Local intercut:;, '-''j therefore a;jJ:e-d that they ;:;hou.lu publish uutailn of their provisional proposals about a iionth before they I'jubjjdttod their drai'.'t r;chcme to ua, thus allowing an opportunity for local coim^nt. 4* 'Jn 27 September 1974 the A'lde Eorourh Council presented their draft scheme of representation. The Council had exercised an option in accordance with section V(4.) of the Local Government ;xt 1972 which provided for a system of whole council elections. 5. The Council proposed to divide the area into ^'1 wards each returning .1, '•! 3, or A members to form a council of /f.9, 4 more than at present. 6. Before we considered the draft scheme in detail we pointed out to the Borough Council that, save only in the most exceptional circumstances, our guidelines, as set out in our ueport No 6, did not permit district wards returning more than 3 members. 'The Borough Council thereupon agreed, pursu;.ait to section 50(4) or the Local Government Act 1972, to conduct a review of tho electoral arrangements for the successor parish of Kirkhaia which it had been proposed should form a single district ward returning lf members. In due course they informed us that they had made an appropriate order to establish two parish wards which would serve also as district wards, each returning two councillors. 7. We received proposals from a local political party for an alternative scheme of wards in the Lytham tit ^Jines area. These alternative proposals were supported by four local councillors. C. We considered the'draft scheme together with the alternative scheme. We concluded that the alternative wards offered leas satisfactory doctoral arranr^cnentr; than those in the draft schorl submitted by the Council. 9. We considered a suggestion made to the r;orou£h Council for rji alternative name for one of the wards, which the Council to-.d decided not to accept. .:e also considered the names of four of the wards wliich included in each case, the names of the two parishes comprising tho:?e uarus, and decided, bec.mne they were rather lon,rj and cluincy, to abbreviate tlie v/ard n:\ino to the nctric of the parish with the lo.rjjp.st electorate in each of the groups. .10. Vie noted that the Uorough Council's draft scheme, as niuaii'icd in respect of the parish of Kirkham, complied with the rules in Schedule 11 to the Local Government .-tct 197- '-'.nd with our own £uicclines. Subject to the shortened ward names mentioned above, we decided that this draft schene provided a reasonable basi;3 for the future electoral arrangements for the iboraush'- and we formulated our draft proposals accordingly. •11. On 10 Lhrch 1975'we issued our draft proposals and these were sent to all who hod received our consultation letter or had commented on the Council's dro.ft scheme. The Council were asked to make these draft proposals, and the accompanying nips which defined the proposed ward boundaries, available for inspection at their main offices. Representations on our dr.-.Tt proposals were invited from those to whom they were circulated and, by public notices, iroir. other members of the public and interest bodies. We asked that any comi/ients should reach us by 16 May 1975. 12. Pylue Borough Council responded, recording their support for the draft proposals. However, they objected to the names of the four wards which we had altered and suggested alternative names which include:! the name of pfirt at least of each of the constituent parishes. Similar proposals were nnde by a local association and alternative ward names were pronosetl by four parish councils, and a fifth approved the ward name for their area which we -h-v.d proposed in our draft proposals. 13. -.re reconsidered our proposed ward names and decided to -accept the alternative names suf,<'ested by the Borough Council. 14. The local political party which had previously made representations to us pressed Cor thoir alternative scheme to be reconsidered. They sun^csteu the appointment of ;m .xssistunt Commissioner to hold r. local meetir.f.1.. 15. A private individual also wrote to say that a number of the proposed wards were unsatisfactory. " - 16. There was no new evidence in support of the :ilternative scheme and having considered the matter again, we concluded that on the grounds of equality of representation, our previous decision should not be altered. 17. Subject to adopting the modified ward names mentioned in pura 13 above, we decided to confirm our draft proposals as our final proposals. 13. Details of these final proposals are set out in Schedule 1 to this report and on the attached maps. Schedule 1 giver, the naraes of the wards and the number of councillors to be returned by each ward. The boundaries of the new wards are defined on the maps, PUBLICATION 19. In accordance with Section 6o(5)(b) of the Local Government Act 197'--, a copy of this -report and a copy of the maps are being sent to Pylde Borough Council and will be available for public inspection at the Council's main offices. Copies of this report (without the nr.ps) are also being sent to those vho received the consultation letter and to those who made comments. A detailed description of the boundaries of the proposed wards as defined on the maps is set out in Schedule 2 to this report. I..S. Signed EDilUKU COi-iPTL'N (CH/aiii-iaN) JOHri M RANKIM (DiirDTY OF a July 1975 F U KJUUG f R Sril'i'II (Secretary) 4? 1 BOKuUGu OF FILDE : ilAMES OF FIvJPGGiiD VUitDS AKD «Ui-iB]U<£ OF COUNCILLORS IJ.U-IL OF ;-JAKD IIP OF GOUKCILLOm AN3DELL ' 3 ASHTON 3 BKYl'TING-V/TTH-wVucTuN 2 GEMT:',AL 3 CLIFTOK 3 ELSWIGK AMi) LITTLli ECCLESTOH ' 1 FAIiUJAVH-I 3 FHiLClO£riX)H EAST 2 FRliGKLETCN WEST • - 2 •UYHUUSKS • . 3 KILHHOU3E 3 KI'KKIiU-i KOHTH 2 .u'1 SOUTH 2 iTH-viEaj^i-i 2 KEWTOH AND TRuLIiS 2 PAHK 3 PJBBY-UITH-UikA 1 ST JOffl^S 3 ST LLON/iRD's 3 SIHGL^TOH tUiD G:X SCHEDULE 2 BOROUGH OF FYLDE : DESCRIPTION OF PROPOSED WARD BOUNDARIES ST LEONARD'S WARD Commencing at a point where St Leonard's Road East meets Headroomgate. Road, thence westwards and following said St Leonard's Road East, St Leonard's Road West and Sandgate and continuing southwestwards in a straight line to the western boundary of the District, thence generally northwards along said boundary, and northeastwards and following the northern boundary of the District to Nat Grid reference SD 32292312**^ anc* continuing southeastv/ards in a prolongation of the said District boundary to the unnamed road from Common Edge Road to Blackpool Road North, thence southwestwards and southeastwards along said road, crossing the runway, and continuing southeastwards along Blackpool Road North, Leach Lane and Headroomgate Koad to the point of commencement. ASHTON WARD Commencing at a point where St Anne's Road East meet Church Road, thence southwestwards along said St Anne's Road East, St Anne's Road West, and St Anne's Pier and in prolongation southwestwards thereof to the western boundary of the District, thence northwestwards and following said boundary to the southeastern boundary of St Leonard's Ward, thence northeastwards and eastwards along said boundary to Headrooragate Road, thence southwards along said road to Church Hoad, thence southeastwards along said road to the point of commencement.