Response to the Draft Recommendations of the Electoral review for Hambleton District Council Suggested Changes to the Proposed Stokesley Ward I have been the County Councillor for the Stokesley Ward for nearly 24 years. In this time the ward boundaries have changed, for twelve years my Division consisted of Stokesley, Seamer, Newby, Hutton Rudby, Crathorne, Picton, Potto, Middleton on Leven, Sexhow and Skutterskelfe. The Parishes in the ward were all very different but Hutton Rudby was always a very distinct community. Hutton Rudby deserves to be a ward of its own and not put in with Stokesley. It would be possible to put Seamer in with Hutton Rudby, one of your main objections to this solution in your report was the separation of the 2 communities and the poor road links. However, the road network between Seamer and Hutton Rudby is not as described. Tame Bridge, part of the Seamer Parish, is situated some distance from Seamer and borders the main road between Stokesley and Hutton Rudby. This boundary is shared with the parish of Skutterskelfe, part of the Rudby Combined Parish Council. Tame Bridge Farm is the last house in Skutterskelfe Parish and is nearer to Stokesley than Tame Bridge houses. Transport links are good and the main village can get to Hutton Rudby along 2 different routes as well as via Tame Bridge. By putting Seamer in a ward with Hutton Rudby this would allow the numbers to be acceptable. Stokesley is a distinct community but I understand the need to have the correct numbers and therefore Kirkby and Great Broughton would fit with Stokeslye. They do look towards Stokesley for their shopping much more than Hutton Rudby and its surrounding villages. Although I am concerned primarily with the Stokesley proposal in general I believe that 3 member wards are too large in a rural area there are many very diverse communities. This makes it very hard to represent these communities especially on District issues such as planning. Good local knowledge is essential if the communities views are to be represented effectively at District Council level. As a County Councillor it is exceedingly difficult to attend all the Parish Council or Parish Meetings and in the suggested 3 member wards this would be even more difficult as there would be even more Parish Councils than in my current County Division. It also makes it is very difficult for non party councillors to be elected and also for people from smaller communities to be elected in very large wards. All Hambleton District wards should be either 1 or 2 seater wards .