Electoral review November 2012 Draft recommendations on the new electoral arrangements for Summary South Oxfordshire District Council Who we are: Council size Electoral arrangements The Local Government The Commission recommends Our draft recommendations Boundary Commission for that South Oxfordshire District propose that South Oxfordshire England is an independent Council should be represented by District Council’s 36 councillors 36 councillors in future: 12 fewer body which conducts should represent eight single- than under the current member, eight two-member and electoral reviews of local arrangements. four three-member wards. authority areas. We consider that a council size of The Commission believes its draft 36 members will ensure the recommendations meet its council can discharge its roles obligations - which are set out in Electoral reviews: and responsibilities effectively law - to: and will provide for a pattern of The purpose of an electoral ■ Deliver electoral equality for review is to decide on the wards that reflects community identities across South voters. appropriate electoral Oxfordshire. ■ Reflect local community arrangements – the number interests and identities. of councillors, the names, ■ Promote effective and number and boundaries of convenient local government. wards – for a local authority. The Commission welcomes proposals for alternative boundaries that better reflect the Why South Oxfordshire? three criteria above. The Commission carries out some electoral reviews at the request of local authorities. To view the proposals in detail, visit: consultation.lgbce.org.uk You can view the full report and maps at: www.lgbce.org.uk South Oxfordshire District Council approached the Commission to conduct a Stage starts Description review to consider the total 27 March 2012 Public consultation on council size number of councillors who Invitation to submit proposals for new represent the district. 20 June 2012 warding arrangements Commission’s analysis of responses and 29 August 2012 formulation of draft recommendations Publication of draft recommendations and 13 November 2012 consultation on them Analysis of submissions received and 8 January 2013 formulation of final recommendations Submissions received are via Didcot. representations made by parish councils in this area and, as such, Prior to drawing up these draft As a result of our proposal to we recommend a two-member recommendations, the include the Hagbournes with a Woodcote & Rotherfield ward Commission received 24 Didcot ward, we are proposing comprising the parishes of submissions in the previous changes to council’s scheme for Woodcote, Ipsden, Nuffield, Stoke consultation on warding patterns the Cholsey area. As such, our Row, Checkendon, Rotherfield for South Oxfordshire. draft recommendations are for a Peppard, Rotherfield Greys, two-member Cholsey ward All representations received can Highmoor, Nettlebed and Bix with comprising the parishes of be viewed at www.lgbce.org.uk. Assendon. Cholsey, Moulsford, Brightwell- North of the district cum-Sotwell, North Moreton, For Henley, we note the We propose a three-member South Moreton, Aston Tirrold, and representation made by the Thame ward to cover the whole of Aston Upthorpe. Henley-on-Thames Town Council the parish which would avoid and, as such, we are In Wallingford, we propose a two- splitting the community. recommending a three-member member Wallingford ward to Henley-on-Thames ward. In Chinnor, we propose a two- cover the whole town. The member Chinnor ward which recommendation is in line with the In the Sonning Common part of would include the parishes of representation received from the district, we propose a two- Sydenham, Towersey, Aston Wallingford Town Council. member Sonning Common ward Rowant and Crowell. comprising the parishes of The Commission also proposes a Sonning Common, Eye & In the north east of the district, we two-member Benson ward which Dunsden, Binfield Heath, propose a two-member Wheatley would amalgamate the council’s Shiplake and Harpsden. ward which brings together the original proposal for a Benson parishes of Wheatley, Village & Warborough ward and Finally, the Commission proposes Woodeaton, Elsfield, Beckley and Crowmarsh ward. However, we to adopt the council’s submission Stowood, Stanton St. John, propose that the parish of Nuffield relating to Kidmore End and Forest Hill with Shotover, Holton, should be included Woodcote & Goring. As such, we recommend Waterperry with Thomley, Rotherfield ward described below. a single-member Kidmore End & Waterstock and Tiddington with Whitchurch ward would contain The Commission’s draft Albury. the parishes of Kidmore End, recommendations propose to Goring Heath, Mapledurham and The Commission proposes to adopt the council’s single- Whitchurch-on-Thames. adopt the council’s proposals in member Berinsfield ward as well the Garsington, Horspath and as its single-member Chalgrove The proposed single-member Haseley Brook part of the district. ward. However, we propose to Goring ward would contain the First, we propose a Garsington & include Cuxham with Easington parishes of Goring and South Horspath ward including the parish in Chalgrove ward to Stoke. improve internal access. parishes of Garsington, Horspath What happens next? and Cuddesdon. We propose to adopt the council’s There will now be an eight-week The second proposed ward is proposal for a single-member consultation period on the draft Haseley Brook comprising the Sandford & the Wittenhams ward recommendations. The parishes of Stadhampton, Little comprising the parishes of consultation closes on 7 January Milton, Great Milton, Great Sandford-on-Thames, Toot 2013. Baldon, Marsh Baldon, Nuneham Haseley, Tetsworth, Wheatfield, Write to us: Adwell, and Lewknor. Courtenay, Culham, Clifton Hampden, Long Wittenham and Review Officer (South Oxfordshire) West of the district Little Wittenham. LGBCE For the Didcot area, the Layden House South east of the district Commission proposes a two- 76–86 Turnmill Street Our draft recommendations member Didcot West ward and London EC1M 5LG two three-member wards called propose a single-member Or email: Didcot North-East and Didcot Watlington ward encompassing [email protected] South. the parishes of Pishill with Stonor, Watlington, Britwell Salome, The full report and interactive The Commission proposes that Shiburn, Stoke Talmage, maps are available to view at: ‘the Hagbournes’ should form part Swyncombe and Pyrton. consultation.lgbce.org.uk of the Didcot South ward as their The Commission notes the and www.lgbce.org.uk only road links within the district.