Agenda item

The Civic Affairs Committee RECOMMENDED to Council that the warding proposal as set out in Appendix 1 of the report, developed by the Member Champion in consultation with all Members, be submitted to the Local Government Boundary Commission for England as a Council response to the first phase of the review.

Council APPROVED the warding proposal as set out in Appendix 1 of the report, developed by the Member Champion in consultation with all Members, for submission to the to the Local Government Boundary Commission for England as a Council response to the first phase of the review.

Councillor Alex Riley, Boundary Review Member Champion, presented a report which provided the Council with an opportunity to approve the submission of a Council response to the Local Government Boundary Commission for England’s first phase of consultation on new warding patterns for South Cambridgeshire.  He put forward the proposed submission, as appended to the report, and reminded Members that the Boundary Commission had already decided upon a Council size of 45 for South Cambridgeshire District Council, a reduction in 20% of current Members.  He referred to the Civic Affairs Committee which had agreed the following two principles with regard to the Boundary Review:

-       electoral wards to be single-Member wards, where possible and practical;

-       small parishes not to form part of an electoral ward with large parishes, where possible and practical.

Councillor Riley reminded Council that extensive consultation with Members of all political groups had been undertaken over the best warding arrangements and, since circulating the proposed warding pattern in November 2015, confirmed that he had not received any alternative proposals. 

Councillor Douglas de Lacey seconded the proposal.

The following comments were made in debating the proposed warding pattern:

·         it was very difficult to produce a warding pattern that would work to the satisfaction of all parishes, based on a Council size of 45;

·         Members would be expected to be responsible for more parishes over a much wider geographical area than with the current Council size and warding pattern;

·         some areas, such as Waterbeach, were high growth areas which would make the proposed warding pattern unworkable in that Members would be unable to provide residents with the same service that they currently do;

·         5 of the ward proposals exceeded the Boundary Commission’s 10% variance in respect of electors per Member.

Councillor Riley responded and understood why some Members were unhappy with the proposed warding pattern, but emphasised the point that the reduction in Council size from 57 to 45 meant that, unfortunately, it would not be possible to put a warding pattern in place that satisfied everyone.  The review was based on the projected electorate for 2021, as per the Boundary Commission’s criteria, so they were the figures that had to be used.  Councillor Riley confirmed that it would not be possible to make every ward below the 10% variance, even if three Member wards were introduced, and the proposal that he had put forward was what he considered to be the best fit for the District.  He invited any Member to put forward an alternative proposal.

A number of Members thanked Councillor Riley for the work he had done in producing a warding proposal, acknowledging the complexity of the task and the time he had taken to develop it.  Councillor Van de Weyer was also thanked for his time and contributions in working with Councillor Riley on the proposal.

Voting on the proposal, with 37 votes in favour, 1 against and 9 abstentions, Council APPROVED the warding proposal as set out in Appendix 1 of the report, developed by the Member Champion in consultation with all Members, for submission to the to the Local Government Boundary Commission for England as a Council response to the first phase of the review.

Enough Members as prescribed by Council Standing Orders requested a recorded vote.  Votes were therefore cast as follows:

In favour

Councillors David Bard, Val Barrett, Brian Burling, Tom Bygott, Grenville Chamberlain, Graham Cone, Simon Crocker, Christopher Cross, Kevin Cuffley, Neil Davies, Simon Edwards, Sue Ellington, Andrew Fraser, Roger Hall, Lynda Harford, Roger Hickford, Mark Howell, Caroline Hunt, Douglas de Lacey, Ray Manning, Mick Martin, Raymond Matthews, David McCraith, Charles Nightingale, Des O’Brien, Tony Orgee, Alex Riley, Tim Scott, Ben Shelton, Hazel Smith, Edd Stonham, Peter Topping, Richard Turner, Robert Turner, Bunty Waters, Tim Wotherspoon and Nick Wright.

Against

Councillor Peter Johnson.

Abstention

Councillors Henry Batchelor, Anna Bradnam, Jose Hales, Sebastian Kindersley, Janet Lockwood, Cicely Murfitt, Bridget Smith, Aidan Van de Weyer and John Williams.

NOTE – Councillor Francis Burkitt was not present at the meeting for this vote.