Issue - meetings

This report sets out the Council’s proposed consultation response to the draft recommendations of the Local Government Boundary Commission for England (the Commission) on future warding patterns for the borough based on their recommendation that the size of the council be reduced to 50 members with effect from the next Borough elections in May 2021.

The council’s proposed consultation response reflects the conclusions of the Boundary Review Member Working Group after taking account of the representations of Waverley councillors regarding the Commission’s recommendations.

Recommendation

That the Executive recommends to Full Council that

i.    the Council’s formal response to the Local Government Boundary Commission’s ‘Draft recommendations on the new electoral arrangements for Waverley Borough Council’ is approved and submitted to the Commission; and

ii.   the Joint Chief Executive in consultation with the Leader, is delegated to finalise the Council’s submission, incorporating points raised in debate at this Council meeting.

69.1     The Leader introduced the report which set out the Council’s response to the Local Government Boundary Commission’s consultation on warding patterns in Waverley.  He thanked the officers involved and the Deputy Mayor and members of the cross party working group for their work.  He moved the recommendations which were duly seconded.

69.2     Councillor Goodridge endorsed the comments made by Councillors Seaborne and Howard as set out in the report and expressed concern over the recommendation for the Bramley and Wonnersh ward which covered a large geographical area.  He also expressed concern that there were now three single member wards proposed which seemed undemocratic and did not give a choice to the electorate.

69.3     Councillor Nicholson echoed the comments made by the Leader and thanked the Chairman of the Working Group and highlighted a typographical error in the recommendation on page 52 of the agenda, in relation to the wards of Haslemere East and Haslemere West.

69.4     Cllr Baker welcomed the recommendations which reflected the wish of Hambledon residents to continue to be included with Witley in respect of representation in Waverley. 

69.5     Councillor Merryweather spoke in support of the recommendations although noted that some of the recommendations in the report had not had the same level of scrutiny from the working group as previous recommendations and asked that this be noted for the future.

69.6     The Leader thanked all Councillors for their engagement with the consultation process and commended the recommendations to the Council and it was

RESOLVED that

i.    the Council’s formal response to the Local Government Boundary Commission’s ‘Draft recommendations on the new electoral arrangements for Waverley Borough Council’ is approved and submitted to the Commission; and

ii.   the Joint Chief Executive in consultation with the Leader, is delegated to finalise the Council’s submission, incorporating points raised in debate at this Council meeting.

This report sets out the Council’s proposed consultation response to the draft recommendations of the Local Government Boundary Commission for England (the Commission) on future warding patterns for the borough based on their recommendation that the size of the council be reduced to 50 members with effect from the next Borough elections in May 2021.

The council’s proposed consultation response reflects the conclusions of the Boundary Review Member Working Group after taking account of the representations of Waverley councillors regarding the Commission’s recommendations.

Recommendation

That the Executive recommends to Full Council that

i.    the Council’s formal response to the Local Government Boundary Commission’s ‘Draft recommendations on the new electoral arrangements for Waverley Borough Council’ is approved and submitted to the Commission; and

ii.   the Joint Chief Executive in consultation with the Leader, is delegated to finalise the Council’s submission, incorporating points raised in debate at this Council meeting.

RESOLVED

That the Executive recommends to Full Council that

i.    the Council’s formal response to the Local Government Boundary Commission’s ‘Draft recommendations on the new electoral arrangements for Waverley Borough Council’ is approved and submitted to the Commission; and

ii.  the Joint Chief Executive in consultation with the Leader, is delegated to finalise the Council’s submission, incorporating points raised in debate at this Council meeting.

Reason: The recommendation enables the council to make a submission to the Commission on the future warding pattern for the council. The deadline for submissions is 13 December 2021.

[This matter is recommended to Council for decision and is not subject to the call-in procedure.]

The Leader presented the report which set the Council’s proposed consultation response to the draft recommendations of the Local Government Boundary Commission for England on future warding patterns for the borough based on their recommendation that the size of the council be reduced to 50 members with effect from the next Borough elections in May 2023, which had previously been agreed by the Council.  The council’s proposed consultation response reflected the conclusions of the cross-party Boundary Review Member Working Group.  The Leader thanked the Working Group and the officers for their work on this issue and it was

RESOLVED

That the Executive recommends to Full Council that

i.    the Council’s formal response to the Local Government Boundary Commission’s ‘Draft recommendations on the new electoral arrangements for Waverley Borough Council’ is approved and submitted to the Commission; and

ii.   the Joint Chief Executive in consultation with the Leader, is delegated to finalise the Council’s submission, incorporating points raised in debate at this Council