Local Government Boundary Commission For England Report No. 135 LOCAL GOVBRNJMT BOUNDARY COMMISSION FOR ENGLAND REPORT NO. LOCAL GOVERNMENT BOUNDARY COMMISSION FOR ENGLAND CHAIRMAN Sir Edmund Compton, GCB,KB£. DEPUTY CHAIRMAN Mr J M Raukin.QC. MEMBERS The Countess Of Albe.rarle, DBE. Mr T C Benfield. Professor Michael Sir Andrew Wheatley, Mr P B Young, CB£. To the Rt Han Roy Jenkins, MP Secretary of State for the Home Department PROPOSALS SUR FUTURE ELECTORAL ARRANGEMENTS FOR THE BASSETLAW DISTRICT. IN THE COUNT* OF NOTTINGHAMSHIRE 1* We, the Local Government Boundary Commission for England, having carried out our initial review of the electoral arrangements for the Bassetlaw district, 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 district. 2, In accordance with the procedure laid down in section 60(l) and (2) of the 1972 Act, Notice was given on 13 May 1974 that we were to undertake this review* This was Incorporated in a consultation letter addressed to the Bassetlaw District Council, copies of which were circulated to the Nottinghamshire County Council, parish councils and parish meetings in Bassetlaw district, the Member of Parliament for the constituency concerned and the headquarters of the main political parties. Copies were also sent to the editors of the local newspapers circulating in the area and of the local government press. Notices inserted in the local press announced the start of the review and invited comments from members of the public and from interested bodies* 3. The Bassetlaw District Council were invited to prepare a draft scheme of representation for our consideration. When doing so, they were asked to observe the rules laid down In Schedule 11 to the Local Government Act 1972, and the guide- lines which we set out in our Report No 6 about the proposed size of the council and the proposed number of councillors for each ward* They were also asked tc take Into account any views expressed to them following their consultation with local Interests, We therefore asked that they should publish details of their provisional proposals about a month before they submitted their draft scheme to us, thus allowing an opportunity for local comment. 4* The Council have passed a resolution under section 7(4)ft>) of the Local Government Act 1972 requesting the Secretary of State to provide for a system of elections by thirds. 5. On 1 October 1974 the Bassetlaw District Council presented their draft scheme of -\ representation. They proposed to divide the area of the district into 25 wards, « each returning from 1 to 3 members to give a total council of 49* 6. We considered the draft scheme submitted by the Council together with the comments we had received about it and two alternative schemes which had been submitted. We noted that the Council's draft scheme had caused some local dissatisfaction, particularly with regard to their proposals for the rural area. We decided therefore to adopt the District Council's draft scheme for the urban area but to propose an alternative grouping of parishes in the rural area to accord more nearly with local wishes. We formulated our draft proposals accordingly. 7* On 13 November 1974, we issued our draft proposals and these were sent to all whoihad received our consultation letter and to those who had made comments. The Council were asked to make these draft proposals, and the accompaying maps which defined the proposed ward boundaries, available for inspection at their main offices* Representations on our draft proposals were invited from those to whom they were circulated and, by public notices, from members of the public and interested bodies. We asked that any comments should reach us by 10 January 1975. 8. We received comments in favour of our draft proposals but there was opposition . to our proposals for certain wards and a cumber of modifications were suggested. We considered that we needed further information to enable us to reach a conclusion. Therefore, in accordance with section 65(2) of the 1972 Act and at our; request, you appointed Mr J N Mans on as an Assistant Commissioner to hold a local meeting and report to us* 9. The Assistant Commissioner held the meeting at Worksop on 23 October 1975 and thereafter visited the areas which were the subject of dispute* A copy of his report to us is attached at Schedule 1 to this report. 10* The Assistant Commissioner formed the opinion that our draft proposals should be approved subject to the following modifications: (1) That Barnby Moor Parish be transferred from the Elkealey Ward to the Sutton Ward; (2) That 2 councillors be allocated to the Hodsock Ward, with retirements in "Years 1 and 2", thus producing a council of 50; (3) That the area of District No 9 in Polling District "F" in the present South-West Ward of Worksop be transferred from the proposed North-West Ward to the proposed South Ward; U) That the area enclosed by Lincoln St»part of Pelham St,part of Netherton Hd, Low Town St and part of Cheapside be transferred from the South Ward to the South-East Ward of Worksop; (5) That the boundary between the South-East Ward of Worksop and Welbeck Ward be changed so as to follow a line from the roundabout junction of the A.57, A.I. and A.614 roads thence south-westwards along the A,57 road to its junction with the road to Clumber Park, thence southwards along the said road to (but not through) the entrance gates of Clumber Park, thence south-westwards along the public road to its junction with Clumber Road near Trumans Lodge, thence north-westwards along the said road to its junction with Ollerton Road and that the areas south of this line which are enclosed by this line and the boundary lines proposed by the Commission be added to the Welbeck Ward. 11. We considered again our draft proposals in the light of the comments which we had received and of the Assistant Commissioner's report. We noted that the modifications in boundaries which the Assistant Commissioner had recommended were based on his assessment of the adjustments needed to conform with the communications and local ties. On this basis, we concluded that we should accept the modifications which the Assistant Commissioner had recommended. Subject to these modifications, therefore, we hereby confirm our draft proposals as our final proposals. 12. Details of these final proposals are set out in Schedules 2 and 3 to this report and on the attached maps. Schedule 2 gives the names of the wards and the number of councillors to be returned by each. Schedule 5 shows the order of retirements of councillors. The boundaries of the new wards are defined on the attached maps. PUBLICATION 13. In accordance with Section 60(5)(b) of the Local Government Act 1972 a copy of this report and a copy of the maps are being sent to Bassetlaw District Council and will be available for public inspection at the Council offices at Worksop, Nottinghamshire. Copies of this report are also being sent to those who 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 4 to this report. L.S. Signed EDMUND COMPTON (Chairman) JOHN M RANKIN (Deputy Chairman) DIANA ALBO1ARLE T C BENFIEU) MICHAEL CHISHOLM ANDREW WHEATLEY F B YOUNG DAVID R SMITH (Secretary) 27 November 1975 SCHEDULE 1 LOCAL GOVERNMENT BOUNDARY COMMISSION PC-H ENGLAND REPORT OF A MEETING to consider THE DRAFT PROPOSALS FOR THE ELECTORAL ARRANGEMENTS in THE DISTRICT OF BASSETLAW JOHN N. HANSON, Assistant Commissioner, The Warren, Hertingfordbury, HERTFORD, 6th November, 1975 Herts. To: THE SECRETARY, LOCAL GOVERNMENT BOUNDARY COMMISSION FOR ENGLAND. REVIEW OF ELECTORAL ARRANGEMENTS FOR THE DISTRICT OP BASSETLAW Pursuant to my appointment by the Secretary of State as Assistant Commissioner to hold a local enquiry or carry out any consultation or investigation with respect to the review "by the Local Government Boundary Commission for England of the electoral arrangements for the District of Bassetlaw, I conducted a local meeting at the Town Hall, Worksop, on Thursday the 23rd Octoher, 1975- Attendance The following persons attended the meeting:- NAME REPRESENTING or STATUS N. Broadhead Solicitor, Baseetlaw District Council H. Rahhitt Councillor and Leader, Bassetlaw District Council G.S. Firth Deputy Director of Administration, Notts. C.C. A.J. Goulden Notts. C.C. F. Rudder Councillor, Notts. C.C. P. Wright Councillor, Notts. C.C. W.J. Rickards Chairman - Northern Area Committee of Notts. Association of Local Councils F. Wright Independent Group of Bassetlaw District Councillors. North-East Area Committee of Notts. Association of Local Councils Mrs. A. Lees Barnby Moor Parish Council A. Hornsby Barnby Moor Parish Council J. Thompson "Barnby Moor Parish Council Mrs. S. Jackson Langold Labour Party. Chairman Hodsock Parish Council J .H. Lacey Vice-Chairman, Carlton-in-Lindrick Parish Council. Councillor Bassetlaw District Council -2- B. Simcox Leader of Conservative Group and Councillor Bassetlaw District Council G.B. Tew Conservative Group and Councillor Bassetlaw District Council (Sutton Ward) L. Tandy Conservative Group and Councillor Bassetlaw District Council (Worksop South-West Ward) C.B. Ostick Conservative Group and Councillor Bassetlaw District Council (Retford North Ward) A. Taylor Bassetlaw Liberal Association. Vice- Chairman East Erayton Parish Council M.W. Horrocks Councillor Bassetlaw District Council (Non-party) (Elkesley Ward). Chairman Elkesley Parish Council A.M. Baird Bassetlaw Constituency Labour Party T. Miller Notts.