Agenda, decisions and minutes

Apologies for absence were received from Councillor NJ Scarr (Councillor MJ Mason substituting) and Councillor JF Williams. 

To elect a chairman for the 2008 - 2009 municipal year.

Nominated by Councillor RM Matthews, seconded by Councillor Mrs BE Waters and there being no further nominations, Electoral Arrangements Committee RESOLVED  to elect Councillor RJ Turner Chairman for the 2008 – 2009 municipal year.

To appoint a vice-chairman for the 2008 – 09 municipal year.

Nominated by Councillor RM Matthews, seconded by Councillor Mrs BE Waters and there being no further nominations, Electoral Arrangements Committee RESOLVED  to appoint Councillor NCF Bolitho Vice-chairman for the 2008 – 2009 municipal year. 

The Chairman, Councillor RJ Turner declared personal interests in agenda item 6; Proposal for Review of the Boundary between South Cambridgeshire District Council and Cambridge City Council, as:

i)        County Councillor for Fulbourn Ward and

ii)      a property owner in the parishes of Fulbourn and Teversham.

To authorise the Chairman to sign the Minutes of the meeting held on 16 April 2008, as a correct record.

The Chairman was authorised to sign, as a correct record, the minutes of the meeting of Electoral Arrangements Committee held on 16 April 2008, subject to the inclusion of:

Minute 10 - Declarations of Interest

Councillor RJ Turner declared personal interests in item 4 of the agenda; Boundary Review as the County Councillor for Fulbourn Ward and a property owner in the parishes of Fulbourn and Teversham.

Minute 12 - South Cambridgeshire District / Cambridge City Boundary Review

Teversham

Councillor Mrs CA Hunt stated that the proposed boundary change would reduce the population of Teversham by two thirds and should not be considered without the prior approval of affected residents.

To consider the joint report of the Chief Executive and Principal Solicitor.

The Electoral Arrangements Committee RECOMMENDED TO COUNCIL:

1)         That the submission of a request for a review of the administrative boundary

between Cambridge City Council and South Cambridgeshire District Council

be agreed in principle, on the basis of the proposals outlined previously and

shown on the attached plan, subject to definitive assurances from central

government that the housing targets fixed in the Regional Spatial Strategy will

be readjusted to take account of the numbers of planned new housing going

to the City as a result of a boundary review.

2)         That delegated authority be granted to the Leader and Cabinet to determine

the adequacy of any assurances that may be forthcoming and consequently

the decision as to whether or not to submit the request.

The report and appendices considered by the Committee are available to view using

the following link to the Council's website (www.scambs.gov.uk) - Agenda item 6

refers. Appendix 1 to the report is attached to this decision as the proposal

recommended by the Committee for agreement (see above).

The Principal Solicitor reported to Members on the outcome of the consultation with Parish Councils following the resolution of the Electoral Arrangements Committee on 16^th April 2008.  The report updated Members on the latest information about the impact of a change in the District/City boundary on the housing targets for South Cambridgeshire District, and advised Members of the likely timetable for a boundary review as indicated by the Boundary Committee. 

The report confirmed that Cambridge City Council had recently resolved to make submission of the review to the Boundary Committee without amendment. 

Members considered the report and the received responses from Parish Councils on the Boundary Review.  Two representations from Fulbourn and Milton Parish Councils were reported verbally to Committee as they had not been received in time to be contained within the report. 

Fulbourn Parish Council were meeting the following evening to consider a full response to the survey results concerning the possible transfer of the Beechwoods Estate into the City of Cambridge.  Fulbourn were deeply concerned that there was no assurance from central government that the housing targets fixed in the Regional Spatial Strategy would be readjusted to take account of the numbers of planned new housing going to the City as a result of the proposed boundary review.  Fulbourn Parish Council counselled that no recommendation be agreed until a guarantee on this had been received from the Government Office for the East of England.

Milton Parish Council noted that the report of the Boundary Committee in April 2002 acknowledged that the anomaly of Milton Detached might best be solved by either inclusion within Cambridge City or a parish review to create a separate Parish Meeting.  Milton suggested that the proposal that both the Science Park and Chesterton Fen be incorporated within the City was in agreement with former conclusions of the Boundary Committee and that officer comment within the report reflected the District Authority’s concern about its image rather that the needs and views of residents.

Councillor MJ Mason doubted that there was any prospect of the Government ever returning an element of the business rate to the District Council and expressed concern that South Cambridgeshire District Council might need to increase its allocation of Traveller’s Sites if Milton Detached were incorporated within the City.  He asserted that element within the proposals that united affected parishes was the question of housing allocation.

The Chairman invited comments from attending Ward Members and Parish Representatives.

Councillor RMA Manning cautioned using the M11 and A14 as boundaries.  He suggested that their use might produce a simple solution, but would be in the interests of geography rather than governance.  He also believed there was a real possibility that a portion of the Business Rate might be restored to district Councils and that the residents of South Cambridgeshire would be severely critical if this did occur and the Science Park had recently been merged into the City.

Councillor Mrs CA Hunt thanked the committee on behalf of Teversham Parish, adding that  ...  view the full minutes text for item 6.

To consider a report of the Principal Solicitor.

Electoral Arrangements Committee RECOMMENDED TO COUNCIL that;

i)          A reorganisation order be made creating a new parish at Arbury Park with

a Council thus amending the parish boundaries of Impington Parish and

Milton Parish, by reference to the attached plan of the proposed changes;

ii)         The Parish created be called Orchard Park and the council created be

styled Orchard Park Community Council;

iii)         Consultation take place on the following electoral arrangements for the

new parish council for subsequent confirmation by South Cambridgeshire

District Council:

• The Parish created should not be warded.

• The council created should consist of 9 councillors, to be elected

as soon as is practicable.

• No changes are required to the electoral arrangements of

Impington Parish and Milton Parish.

The report and appendices considered by the Committee are available to view using

the following link to the Council's website (www.scambs.gov.uk) - Agenda item 7

refers. The document entitled ‘Parish Review – Arbury leaflet’ is attached to this

decision as it contains the proposal recommended by the Committee for agreement

(see above).

The Principal Solicitor presented a report that asked Electoral Arrangements Committee to consider making a recommendation to July Council that a new parish be created for the Arbury Park area.

The local member Councillor MJ Mason, thanked officers for the work done and had no hesitation in supporting the recommendation that a new parish be created for the Arbury Park area.  He hoped that the Parish could be established and its council elected as soon as practicable and was more than happy to leave the name of the parish and the style of the parish council to residents.

The Principal Solicitor cautioned that Electoral Arrangements Committee could not pre-empt the decision of Council, however, should Council see fit to approve a Reorganisation Order at their meeting on the 17 July 2007, the matter could be moved on quickly with the co-operation of Impington Parish and Milton Parish as to consultation on their respective, amended electoral arrangements.

Mr Denis Payne, chairman of Impington Parish Council gave wholehearted support on behalf of his authority to the formation of the new parish, adding that the proposals were correct for the residents of the Arbury Park area and for the residents of Impington Parish.  He further advised Committee that his parish council had ‘ring-fenced’ the proportion of the Impington Parish precept for Arbury Park and that this would be made available to the new parish council.

Mr Nick Warren, Impington Parish Councillor and Arbury Park resident thanked the District Council and Impington Parish Council for their support for the residents of Arbury Park.  He advised that in the recent consultation residents had overwhelmingly expressed a desire for the parish to be called Orchard Park and the authority to be styled Orchard Park Community Council.

The Principal Solicitor advised that the guidance spoke of geographic and historic influence in the naming of a new authority.  Councillor RMA Manning assisted committee by informing that the Arbury Park area had indeed previously been an area of fruit orchards so the style Orchard Park was eminently suitable.

Electoral Arrangements Committee RECOMMENDED TO COUNCIL that;

i)             A Reorganisation Order be made creating a new parish at Arbury Park with a Council thus amending the parish boundaries of Impington Parish and Milton Parish, by reference to a plan of the proposed changes attached to the report;

ii)            The Parish created be called Orchard Park and the council created be

styled Orchard Park Community Council;

iii)            Consultation take place on the following electoral arrangements for the new parish council for subsequent confirmation by South Cambridgeshire District Council:

                                                               i.      The Parish created should not be warded.

                                                             ii.      The council created should consist of 9 councillors, to be elected as soon as is practicable.

                                                            iii.      No changes are required to the electoral arrangements of

Impington Parish and Milton Parish.