7.3 The Forest of Dean District Area Number of Proposed Divisions: 8 Total Electorate for District in 2010: 65,837 Forecast Electorate for District in 2016: 68,150 Forecast District Average Number of Electors per 8,581 Councillor in 2016: Forecast County Average Number of Electors per 9,220 Councillor in 2016: % Co-terminosity with District Wards 0% Rationale The proposal for the Forest of Dean achieves zero coterminosity with district wards. The Working Group did consider an alternative arrangement which achieved higher coterminosity but this was at the expense of creating divisions with strong community identity. This proposal has been developed around four well established market town communities: Coleford, Cinderford, Lydney and Newent. The key objective of the division proposals for the Forest of Dean was to ensure that each of the market towns was covered by a single division. The remainder of the district is mainly rural with an area of ancient woodland in the centre and large areas of farmland to the north and south. Starting in the north a division can be created around Newent. In the south a division can be formed of the rural area up to but not including Coleford and Lydney. These towns have divisions centred on them. Moving north there is another rural area of Bream, Blakeney and Newnham created around the town of Cinderford. Above Coleford and Cinderford is a natural community along one of the major arterial roads in the Forest of Dean and bordered by the River Wye. That leaves Mitcheldean and Hartpury to form the remaining division. Whilst not ideal, the settlement is too large to be considered alongside its neighbouring community of Drybrook. Member Support The proposals for the Forest of Dean district area are supported by councillors from all political groups. 1 2 Electorate Figures for 2010 and Forecast Figures for 2016 Division Name 2010 2016 Forecast Forecast Electorate Electorate electoral electoral variance in variance in 2016 (based 2016 (based on District on County average) average) FO1 7,923 8,336 -3% -10% FO2 8,865 8,995 5% -2% FO3 7,814 7,856 -8% -15% FO4 8,154 8,974 5% -3% FO5 7,984 8,430 -2% -9% FO6 8,981 9,011 5% -2% FO7 8,763 8,808 3% -4% FO8 7,353 8,240 -4% -11% Total 65,837 68,650 Electorate for Forest of Dean District 3 Forest of Dean Division FO 1 The proposed new division is created around the town of Newent. Newent is an established market town with a strong local identity. Polling Polling District District Ward 2010 2016 District Name Electorate Electorate OSB Newent South Tibberton 323 409 West PE Staunton Redmarley 631 672 OZ Redmarley Redmarley 615 627 OY Pauntley Redmarley 274 282 OX Oxenhall Oxenhall and Newent 193 197 North East OSA Newent North Oxenhall and Newent 916 1,018 East North East NX Gorsley and Kilcot Oxenhall and Newent 226 229 North East OS Newent Central Newent Central 2,894 3,020 PN Upleadon Hartbury 247 250 OF Kempley Bromsberrow and 251 255 Dymock NQ Dymock Bromsberrow and 999 1,017 Dymock NF Bromsberrow Bromsberrow and 354 360 Dymock Total 7,923 8,336 4 5 Forest of Dean Division FO 2 The proposed division extends from Mitcheldean in the west to close to Gloucester in the east. The largest settlement is Mitcheldean. Much of the area is farmland with small village communities such as Longhope, Blaisdon, Westbury-on-Severn, Huntley, Tibberton and Hartpury. Polling Polling District District Ward 2010 2016 District Name Electorate Electorate PI Tibberton Tibberton 519 518 PHA Tayton Tibberton 374 376 PB Rudford and Tibberton 244 245 Highleadon PO Westbury on Newnham and 1,506 1,513 Severn Westbury OR Mitcheldean Mitcheldean and 2,213 2,271 Drybrook OA Hartbury Hartbury 654 676 NK Corse Hartbury 469 490 OE Huntley Churcham and 873 892 Huntley NH Churcham Churcham and 524 525 Huntley OI Longhope Blaisdon and 1,273 1,271 Longhope NE Blaisdon Blaisdon and 216 218 Longhope Total 8,865 8,995 6 7 Forest of Dean Division FO 3 The proposed new division is created around Lydbrook and its surrounds. The new division is constrained by the River Wye to the west and links the rural communities of English Bicknor, Lydbrook, Ruardean and Drybrook. Polling Polling District District Ward 2010 2016 District Name Electorate Electorate NM Drybrook (village) Mitcheldean and 1,421 1,420 Drybrook PAX Ruardean Lydbrook and 143 143 Ruardean PA Ruardean Lydbrook and 1,057 1,043 Ruardean OL Lydbrook Lydbrook and 723 731 Ruardean OK Lydbrook Lydbrook and 1,087 1,090 Ruardean NO Drybrook Mitcheldean and 507 519 (Ruardean Hill) Drybrook NN Drybrook Mitcheldean and 520 531 (Ruardean Hill) Drybrook PSA West Dean Christchurch and 729 741 Christchurch English Bicknor NY English Bicknor Christchurch and 346 348 English Bicknor PS West Dean Berry Berry Hill 1,281 1,290 Hill Total 7,814 7,856 8 9 Forest of Dean Division FO 4 The proposed new division is created around the market town of Cinderford and retains the polling districts of the existing division but expands its boundary to include the polling district area of PBX Ruspridge Div 1. Cinderford is a well established market town and therefore any proposal which split Cinderford between different divisions would not reflect community identity. The proposed division of Cinderford comprises the following polling districts: Polling Polling District District Ward 2010 2016 District Name Electorate Electorate PBX Ruspidge Div 1 Littledean and 1,604 1,639 Ruspridge NIY Cinderford West Cinderford West 235 330 NIXC Cinderford West Cinderford West 1,445 1,590 NIXA Cinderford West Cinderford West 825 945 NIX Cinderford West Cinderford West 1,306 1,446 NIZ Cinderford East Cinderford East 1,641 1,795 NIXB Cinderford East Cinderford East 1,098 1,229 Total 8,154 8,974 10 11 Forest of Dean Division FO 5 The proposed new division is created around the market town of Coleford and its surrounds. The new division retains the existing polling districts of the Coleford divisions and expands its boundary to include the polling districts of PQ West Dean, Ellwood and Sling and PD Staunton. Coleford is a well established market town and therefore it is important that the new division does not divide a local community with a strong identity. Polling Polling District District Ward 2010 2016 District Name Electorate Electorate PQ West Dean, Newland and St 910 921 Ellwood and Briavels Sling NJB Coleford East Coleford East 1,736 1,872 NJA Coleford East Coleford East 2,525 2,675 NJ Coleford Coleford Central 2,564 2,714 Central PD Staunton Christchurch and 249 248 English Bicknor Total 7,984 8,430 12 13 Forest of Dean Division FO 6 The proposed new division is created around Newnham and Blakeney and is a largely rural area. The new division borders the River Severn to the east and extends into the ancient woodland area to the west. The ancient woodland area includes former mining communities such as Bream, Whitecroft, Parkend and Yorkley. Polling Polling District District Ward 2010 2016 District Name Electorate Electorate PW West Dean Pillowell 1,084 1,068 PV West Dean Pillowell 481 482 PUA West Dean Pillowell 593 591 PU West Dean Pillowell 312 317 OV Newnham Newnham and 1,109 1,127 Westbury PBY Ruspidge Div 2 Littledean and 414 481 Ruspidge OG Littledean Littledean and 1,018 1,004 Ruspidge PP West Dean Bream 2,550 2,556 Bream NCA Awre Div 2 Pillowell and 188 185 Littledean NC Awre Div 1 Pillowell and 1,232 1,200 Littledean Total 8,981 9,011 14 15 Division FO 7 The proposed new division is constrained by the River Wye to the west and the River Severn to the east. The largest population centre, Sedbury and Tutshill, is in the south near Chepstow with smaller villages such as Woolaston, Alvington, Aylburton,St Briavels, Clearwell and Newland further north. Polling Polling District Ward 2010 2016 District District Electorate Electorate Name PY Woolaston Hewelsfield and Woolaston 1,029 1,029 PK Tidenham Tidenham 1,808 1,823 Div 2 PJ Tidenham 2,516 2,529 Div 1 Tidenham PG St Briavels 104 110 Div 2 Newland and St Briavels PF St Briavels 978 981 Div 1 Newland and St Briavels OC Hewelsfield Hewelsfield and Woolaston 416 415 ND Aylburton Alvington, Aylburton and West 603 603 Lydney NA Alvington Alvington, Aylburton and West 468 468 Lydney OT Newland Newland and St Briavels 530 535 Div 1 OU Newland Newland and St Briavels 311 315 Div 2 Total 8,763 8,808 16 17 Forest of Dean Division FO 8 The proposed new division is created around Lydney and it surrounds. The new division retains the existing polling districts of the Lydney division and expands its boundary to include the polling districts of PX Pillowell. Lydney is an established market town and therefore it is important that the new division does not divide a local community with a strong identity. Polling Polling District District Ward 2010 2016 District Name Electorate Electorate PX West Dean Pillowell 389 392 ON Lydney East Lydney East 3,987 4,258 OM Lydney North Lyndey North 1,517 1,823 OO Lydney West Alvington, Aylburton 1,460 1,767 and West Lydney Total 7,353 8,240 18 19 .