Decision details

To not proceed with the boundary review request at this time. 

Background

A boundary review request was received on 25 Sept and was made by the two ward councillors for Up Hatherley; Cllrs. Whyborn and McKinlay. Their request proposes bringing the former M+G site, now developed with c.270 homes and three other smaller sites within the borough boundary.

This request has now also been endorsed by Up Hatherley Parish Council in a letter dated 12 October. The area is currently in Tewkesbury Borough and Badgeworth Parish.

Boundary reviews are governed by Section 8 of the Local Government and Public Involvement in Health Act 2007. The Act does not require LGBCE to undertake a review when requested to do so. It will decide in each particular case if a review is desirable. LGBCE expect any proposal for a boundary review to address the following issues:

·           Local support

·           Effective and convenient local government

·           Reflecting  community identity

·           Financial implications –particularly for larger reviews

Considerations for the specific boundary review request

Does Tewkesbury Borough Council support the proposal? LGBCE is clear that the support of all councils involved in the review is essential for any review to progress. The LGBCE has just completed an electoral ward review of Tewkesbury Borough which is in the process of being implemented ahead of full Borough (and Parish) Elections in May 2019.

In a letter dated 24 January 2019, from Tewkesbury Borough Council Chief Executive, Mike Dawson, he states that following informal discussion with relevant members,  “it is unlikely under any circumstances that a proposal for a boundary review will receive support from Tewkesbury Borough Council.”

Is there local support for the change? LGBCE is clear about the need for the case to include evidence of local support, not just from parish councils and partners but from electors themselves.

In a letter dated 20 November from Mr Peter Shield, writing on behalf of the Hatherley and Shurdington Triangle Action Group (HaShTAG), wrote “I was prepared to present our detailed objections to the additional proposal. However Cllr. Whyborn has emailed with the following statement “….following mainly negative feedback from the residents of the former M&G site houses, nothing is about to happen on a boundary review any time soon.”

It is therefore clear that at the current time, Tewkesbury Borough Council do not support the boundary review request, nor is there much local support for the request.

It is therefore proposed that the boundary review is not progressed at this time.

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