From: Simon Brown Sent: 21 July :05 To: James Ansell Subject: Electoral representation in Cheshire West

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4 From: Simon Brown Sent: 21 July :05 To: James Ansell Subject: Electoral representation in Cheshire West As an elector in Cheshire West Council area I believe that the best quality representation of the neighbourhood in which I live would be through a single Councillor covering a relatively small and homogeneous area and one that is manageable for an elected individual to know intimately. In these days of growing disengagement from politics any mechanism that can make representation more local and immediate is bound to assist with the process of keeping politics alive and meaningful. In larger multi-councillor Wards it will never be clear who one should go to for any local issue and will diffuse any connection of an approach with an issue and the person that pursues an outcome (whatever that may be). Simon Brown

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6 -----Original Message----- From: Sent: 21 July :05 To: Subject: EC website: Online submission Form summary: Name : Simon Brown Postal address : address : Area your submission refers to : Cheshire West and Chester Organisation you belong to : member of the public Your feedback : As an elector in Cheshire West Council area I believe that the best quality representation of the neighbourhood in which I live would be through a single Councillor covering a relatively small and homogeneous area and one that is manageable for an individual to know intimately. In these days of growing disengagement from politics any mechanism that can make representation more local and immediate is bound to assist with the process of keeping politics alive and meaningful. In larger multi-councillor Wards it will never be clear who one should go to for any local issue and will diffuse any connection of an approach with an issue and the person that pursues an outcome (whatever that may be). Attachment : No file uploaded Form Information Site Name : Electoral Commission Site Id : 42 Page Standard Name : Consultations and current reviews Page Standard Id : Page Custom Form Name : Online submissions Page Custom Form Id : Url : Submission Id : ission : 21 Jul :04 pm Submission IP Address :

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10 Boundary Committee for England Great Peter Street London SW1 2HW 29 July 2009 Dear Sirs, Cheshire West & Chester: Proposals for re-warding I wish to support the proposals for single-member wards in the Cheshire West & Chester District. I was a County Council member for Sealand & College Division for ten years and for City Division upon re-warding in 2001 until April In addition, I live in the Overleigh Division so can claim a reasonably wide knowledge of the issues involved. The City Division I represented from 2001 to 2009 was a hotch-potch of communities, some with contiguous interests, some with little connection with other parts of the ward. The Boughton part of the Division was separated from the rest by the City Centre and had little joint interest in the problems caused, for instance, by the rapid growth of student numbers at the university which were concentrated in College Ward. Even though very little happened in Chester City itself without it impinging on the interests of every other ward in the District, the parking problems and housing buy-ups in College did not affect the traffic problems of Boughton and the difficulty of providing Boughton with proper public transport and a pollution-free environment. Local groups in College ward such as the Canal Basin Forum and the Garden Quarter had no relevance on the other side of the city. The very different communities in the present City Division more than justify three different wards each with their own councillor. The Overleigh Division has one of the most glaring disparities of wealth, interest and outlook in the whole country. When you watch racing from Chester on the TV, please admire the beautiful mansions which sweep down to the river on the far side of the course. Half-a-mile from these is the estate of Lache, which is among the top 2% (two) of the most deprived communities nationally. I can assure you that there is very little community of interest there. And that affluence is not confined merely to those mansions but is prevalent throughout the Curzon Park area. Both these communities, Lache and Curzon Park, need separate representation. That is not the only anomaly in Overleigh. The Division is cut in half by one of the busiest main roads into Chester, coming to a focus at the Overleigh Roundabout (32 separate sets of traffic lights on the roundabout to give you an indication of its size.) The old village of Handbridge, the local authority housing and the prosperous suburbs are all jumbled together in one half-ward, with little identity of interest among themselves and absolutely no connections with the other half of the Division on the other side of the roundabout. I hope you will bear these points in mind when arriving at your decision and give each of these disparate communities the chance of a local councillor of their own. Yours faithfully, Peter Byrne Honorary Alderman, Cheshire West & Chester

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16 To: Jessica Metheringham Subject: cheshire west boundaries I understand you are receiving comments relating to decisions as to how to organise the divisions within Cheshire West. I would like to make the following comments. I am in favour of single member divisions/wards. I believe single member wards put the counsellor in closer proximity to the electorate. - I live in Weaverham which is app 40% of the current division however the counsellors live in the rural areas and I have never seen them within Weaverham. They are probably seen within their local communities. Single member divisions are more democratic the allegiance of counsellors elected are more likely to represent the political views of the electorate than larger multimember wards delivering a political group en block. Independants have a more realistic chance within a smaller area where they are known. There is less likely to be a conflict where say 2 villages within a ward are seeking funds for a new play area. If funds are available for only one the counsellor can not support both. m Clark

17 From: Gwyneth Cooper Sent: 27 July :29 To: Jessica Metheringham Subject: Cheshire West and Chester Ward Boundary Review 2009 Dear Ms Metheringham CHESHIRE WEST AND CHESTER WARD BOUNDARY REVIEW 2009 In supporting this review I believe that, in principle, single member wards would be beneficial to local democracy and to the accountability of elected representatives. Electors would have a clearer idea of who their 'own' councillor is, and this would improve accountability and the relationship between councillor and elector. Yours sincerely Gwyneth Cooper ================================

18 -----Original Message----- From: Sent: 04 August :40 To: Subject: EC website: Online submission Form summary: Name : Andrew Dawson s : address : Area your submission refers to : Cheshire West and Chester Organisation you belong to : other (please specify in your submission) Your feedback : I am a Councillor for the Frodsham & Helsby Ward on Cheshire West & Chester Council, Councillor for Frodsham North on Frodsham Town Council and also Chairman of Weaver Vale Conservative Association. I strongly support the proposals put forward by Cheshire West & Chester Council for the boundary review of the Borough. Noting the Commission's strong desire to see warding based on communities and the importance of ensuring parity for electors I consider the proposal put forward by CW&C achieves both ends. My Weaver Vale Conservative Association also stongly supports the CW&C proposals. I wish to address the issues within my current ward. These representations that follow are made in my personal capacity. Frodsham & Helsby can be characterised in one of two ways - either as two communities - but two communities of many shared interests, or as one entire community. The River Mersey, the River Weaver (and/or the Weaver Navigation), the hills to the south of us and the local government boundary with Halton all give this ward strong well recognised boundaries. Our physical separation from other communities means that many shared community services are centred in Frodsham and Helsby. For example one single secondary school - Helsby High School predominantly filled by children from Frodsham & Helsby and the planned Medical Resource Centre in Frodsham to provide GP and other services predominently for Frodsham & Helsby. Residents of Frodsham & Helsby readily and willingly subscribe to community groups across the ward - even when they are named after the "other locality." Frodsham & Helsby have long been combined together electorally - such as in the former County Council ward. There is also a strong tradition of multi-member wards in the locality - with the area having formally been represented by a County Councillor and six District Councillors (in differing electoral patterns).

19 There is a strong tradition of team working between the Councillors for the area - and a multi-member warding pattern facilitates this - and importantly ensures robust arrangements for the electorate providing near certainty that at least one Cllr will be able to assist notwithstanding the ususal vicissitudes such as prejudicial interests, illness, personal likes and dislikes, prejudment etc. Frodsham Town Council, (which only has 2 Conservative Cllrs out of 16) when it considered the issue, determined that it preferred multi-member warding arrangements for these sorts of reasons too. Frodsham Town Council saw the entirety of Frodsham as one community (understandibly) and wanted to ensure, as a minimum, in my judgment that Frodsham remains as one electoral unit. Helsby Parish Council also took the view that Helsby was one community and wished to see separate representation. Taking all things in the round and balancing the competing positions I beleve that a single 3 member ward for Frodsham & Helsby ensures strong and robust electoral representation for this close knit community, or closely knit communities depending on your point of view. On a minor note I request that the Commission consider whether the western boundary of the ward could be moved from the River Weaver to the Weaver Navigation. The community sees the Navigation, with its notorious swing bridge as the natural western boundary for Frodsham and not the River Weaver. Making this minor adjustment would not affect many people - and I am sure that consultation with them would reveal a natural affinity for Frodsham and not to Sutton Weaver. Andrew Dawson Attachment : No file uploaded Form Information Site Name : Electoral Commission Site Id : 42 Page Standard Name : Consultations and current reviews Page Standard Id : Page Custom Form Name : Online submissions Page Custom Form Id : Url : Submission Id : ission : 04 Aug :40 am Submission IP Address :

20 From: RICHARD DODGE Sent: 01 August :57 To: Jessica Metheringham Subject: CHESHIRE WEST AND CHESTER COUNCIL - NEW WARDS PLAN I am concerned at the alleged plans by this council to alter the local boundaries. It appears to be a totally political move to ensure that they maximise support for the "ruling party" in some areas. Please ensure that the Boundary Committee look very carefully into the proposals to match Whitby and Elton and Little Neston being linked with Willaston and Hooton instead of staying with Neston of which it is a constituent part - just look at any map! Richard Dodge,

21 From: Sent: 03 August :31 To: Jessica Metheringham Subject: Cheshire West and Chester Bounderies Hi I wish to make a representation referring to Great Boughton and Vicars Cross Ward within the Unitary Council of Cheshire West and Chester. Living in the village of Pulford I feel the villages in the Old Dodleston Ward of Chester City Council that consisted of Alford, Eccleston, Dodleston, Lower Kinnerton, Marlston Cum Lache, Poulton and Pulford are totally overwhelmed with regards to electoral numbers. At the last election we voted for 3 councillors for the single Ward of Great Boughton and Vicars Cross. Great Boughton Vicars Cross along with Huntington has 8330 voters. The villages between them all have 1565 voters. That means the villages will always have their sitting councillors decided by the area with the greatest population that surely is not democratic. It also gets worse; the villages have been placed in a community forum with Overleigh Ward that has voters. We are completely overwhelmed and in danger of losing our rural identity. Even if as that Unitary Council wishes the Wards become parished there is a vast difference between parished urban areas and villages. I believe a possible solution would be to incorporate the old Dodleston Ward with Churton and Farndon making it a single councillor Ward with a 3100 electorate. Also Farndon is a growing village. This solution would help maintain our rural identity putting us into a Ward with similar cultures and we would have a democratically elected councillor who would be accountable to our villages. Regards J P Dryland

22 From: Nevil Eaton [ Sent: 17 July :35 To: info@boundarycommittee.org.uk; Jessica Metheringham Subject: Ward Boundaries for Malpas I strongly oppose the proposal by the Cheshire West and Chester Council to have a three member ward for Malpas, Tattenhall and Farndon, each of which should have their own single member seat. I fear that if there is one large seat, the councillors will not share out the constituency work fairly and blame each other if there is a problem. Single member seats are far more accountable. I also think that this is a method the Conservatives are using to try and prevent any other party having any chance to win seats. I would support the Malpas seat on the new council having the same boundaries, and having the same 20 parishes, as the Malpas ward on the former Chester City Council. Nevil Eaton

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