Agenda item

To give consideration to the recommendations coming from the Task Group for the Boundary Review of the Borough.

RECOMMENDED:  Cabinet agreed to endorse and recommend the proposals for a new pattern of electoral wards from the Task Group, as set out in Appendix 1, together with the revisions put forward at today’s meeting which could be accommodated, and recommended them to Council for approval as the Borough Council submission to the LGBC.

Reason for Decision

To ensure that the Council is able to submit a credible and evidence based proposal for a new pattern of electoral wards in accordance with the LGBC timetable, which meets the Commissions three statutory criteria.

In presenting the report, the Chief Executive reminded Members that Council submitted to the Local Government Boundary Commission (LGBC) recommending that the number of Members be reduce to 54 at its meeting on 11 May 2017.  On 27 June the LGBC wrote to the Council confirming that the Commission is minded to recommend this to Parliament.  The Commission also invited proposals from the Council, interested parties and members of the public on a pattern of electoral wards to accommodation this number of Councillors.  The deadline for the submission for such proposals was 4 September 2017.

The Cross Party Electoral Review Cabinet Task Group had subsequently held three further meetings to guide officers in the preparation of a draft pattern of electoral wards for the Borough.

The Chief Executive outlined the criteria set out in 1.3 of the report and explained that the Task Group proposals were therefore designed, as far as was practically possible to meet all three criteria.  In addition, the Task Group, in accordance, in accordance with the wishes of Council sought to maximise the number of single member wards.  Parish Council boundaries had been used as the building blocks for the proposed wards in the parished areas of the Borough, in the unparished areas (King’s Lynn) every attempt had been made to build on natural communities.

The Chief Executive advised Cabinet that earlier that day Councillor Chenery had pointed out an error regarding parish boundaries which would affect a maximum of 20 houses and that this minor tweak would be corrected as it was a simple process to do so.

The Chief Executive also informed Cabinet that that there had been a couple of changes identified by the Task Group.

The Leader, Councillor Long explained that Councillor Blunt had advised that the proposal had inadvertently chopped the parish of Walpoles (St Andrew and St Peter) had been divided up but were in fact one parish.  Councillor Blunt provided an overview of the effect of Walpole St Andrew being added to Terrington and Walpole St Andrew/Walpole St Peter and highlighted that there was no need to split the Wapoles parish.  The Leader, Councillor Long commented that it was important to keep the parish together.  The Chief Executive advised that this amendment could be made with little knock on effect.

The Leader, Councillor Long explained that at the Special Council meeting, Members would be advised that anomalies on the GIS work was still progressing and that the Borough Council were fortunate to have employees to undertake the required work.

Under Standing Order 34, Councillor Mrs Fraser addressed Cabinet.  Councillor Fraser explained that the parishes of Grimston, Pott Row and Roydon form a well established natural rural community. The addition of Congham to the Ward would make sense and would resolve the current issue of one side of Low Road being in Grimston Ward and the opposite side being in Valley Ward. It would also make for a more cohesive community. Having being able to check the numbers given for today's Cabinet meeting, Councillor Fraser suggested that if Hillington were to be added to the current Grimston Ward along with Congham then the population number of the Ward would be 2,600 whereas the proposed Grimston, Leziate and Bawsey Ward was said to have a population of approximately 2,800. On behalf of all parishes involved, Councillor Fraser stated she would be grateful if this change could be considered.  The Leader and Chief Executive undertook to look at the suggestion put forward by Councillor Fraser.

Under Standing Order 34, Councillor Pope explained that there were two houses currently in the Denver Ward on the river bank that would be better placed in the Downham West Ward.  The Leader, Councillor Long invited Councillor Pope to provide the location details to Democratic Services to determine if they could be included in the Downham West Ward.

Councillor Pope commented that it was impossible to draw any conclusions from the maps published on the ipad. 

Councillor Mrs Mellish commented that she appreciated that maps were difficult to read on the ipad, but reminded those present that hard copies of the maps had been available to view in the King’s Court Offices and that she would be voting in favour of the proposed submission to the LGBC.

Councillor Pope questioned why Welney had been placed with Marshland St James.  He also questioned why Outwell and Emneth had not been considered as two single wards.  He also added that Nordelph was a natural fit with Outwell to become a single member ward.  In response, the Leader, Councillor Long explained that where possible the Council sought to maximise the number of single member wards.  The Leader undertook to look at the suggestion for Outwell and Emneth.

In response to the general points made by Councillor Pope on wards being spread out across the Borough, the quality of the maps, Member involvement, three statutory criteria and the risk management implications, the Leader, Councillor Long advised that the Council had done its best to put forward a proposal to the LGBC within the criteria set out and that Councillors had received Pre Council Briefings, training sessions and that any Member could attend the Task Group meetings under Standing Order 34.

The Chief Executive advised that the Electoral Registration Team would write up the rationale in accordance with the three statutory criteria and would be attached to the Agenda for the Special Council meeting on 31 August 2017.

Councillor Devereux commented that the three criteria had been adhered to and the officers had done well to balance the required numbers and was therefore a good enough basis to proceed to submit the proposals to the Local Government Boundary Commission.

The Chief Executive undertook to look at the suggestions made and see the knock on effect of those suggestions and circulate the information to all Councillors.

RECOMMENDED:  Cabinet agreed to endorse and recommend the proposals for a new pattern of electoral wards from the Task Group, as set out in Appendix 1, together with the revisions put forward at today’s meeting which could be accommodated, and recommended them to Council for approval as the Borough Council submission to the LGBC.

Reason for Decision

To ensure that the Council is able to submit a credible and evidence based proposal for a new pattern of electoral wards in accordance with the LGBC timetable, which meets the Commissions three statutory criteria.