New Cheshire West and Chester Council wards plan moves a step closer

Feb 15 2010 by Naomi Dunning, Chester Chronicle

NEW electoral ward boundary proposals for Cheshire west and Chester have been agreed despite opposition.

Councillors responded to the draft recommendations of the Boundary Committee for England (BcfE) during a special meeting of the Cheshire West and Chester Council last week.

However, Labour and Liberal Democrat groups are opposing the Tory-controlled authority’s proposal because both want more single member wards.

But Working Group member Cllr Gareth Anderson said that the Administration believed that single-member wards frequently denied residents their democratic rights. For instance, if a councillor was a member of the planning committee he could not represent his electorate on planning issues.

The BcfE will now consider the councils’ response and make its final recommendations to Parliament.

If the proposal is rubber stamped it would see the borough’s electoral wards increased by ten to 34, and councillors by three to 75.

Although the BcfE advised seven wards with three councillors, the authority suggests that number be increased to 12.

In eight cases, the council would combine small wards proposed by the committee, which they argue would avoid splitting communities such as those in Neston.

Council leader Mike Jones said: “We have stuck to our task of helping the Boundary Committee to get this right.

“In some places we have agreed with the committee whilst in others we are arguing the case which parish councils have put to us on behalf of their residents.

“We have to argue that our original proposal was right, if we are going to make sure that voters get arrangements that work best for them.”