Representing our communities

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Representing ourcommunities

Submission toLocal Government BoundaryCommission for EnglandTorbay Labour Party - August 2017

Torbay Labour Party - Representing our communitues

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IntroductionThis report outlines the proposals put forward by Torbay Labour Party to thereview of warding arrangements for Torbay by the Local Government BoundaryCommission for England.

Torbay Labour Party welcomes the opportunity to submit proposals that willredress the current imbalances in certain wards in Torbay, most notablyShiphay with The Willows.

The underlying objective of the Party is that the unique identities of the threetowns that make up Torbay are maintained.

Each town has its’ own identity, history and character and benefit from distinctboundaries formed by green belt.

A main objective is to retain five councillors serving the historic port of Brixhamand maintaining them within the boundaries of the Brixham Town Council aswell as maintaining fair representation for the towns of Paignton and Torquay.

We believe that the reorganisation of Torbay Council following the conclusivedecision of the referendum to abolish the post of elected Mayor, 36 councillorsis appropriate, but can also suggest that fewer councillors could be satisfactorygiven the reducing role of local councils as a result of continued cuts to services.

Brixham

We propose that the former name of St Peter’s with St Mary’s is re-establishedand have proposed to realign the boundaries along Milton Street, Drew Street,Bolton Street and behind Higher Street along to the harbour. It is proposedthat this will be a two member ward.

The second ward will have three members and will cover the mainly residentialareas of Furzeham and Summercombe.

Proposal B1

JA, JB, SC and parts of SB, JC, JD, polling districts form the new St Peter’s with StMary’s ward.

Proposal B2

JE, JF, SA, SD and parts of SB JC, JD polling districts form the new Furzeham withSummercombe.


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In order to achieve equality the following amendments to polling districtselectorates will be required.

Proposal B3

Transfer 439 electors from SB (Furzeham with Summercombe) to SC (St Peter’swith St Mary’s).

Proposal B4

Transfer 463 electors from JD (Berry Head) to JA (St Peter’s with St Mary’s).

Proposal B5

Transfer 400 electors from JC (Berry Head) to JA (St Peter’s with St Mary’s).

Proposal B6

The variance of equalisation is recognised given the strong and unique identity ofBrixham Town and the coterminous boundary with its Town Council.

Churston with Galmpton

The villages of Churston and Galmpton lay between Brixham and Paignton.Recognising that the two areas have insufficient electors to have a two memberward it is necessary to include the residential areas of Broadsands, Hookhillsand White Rock.

It is also sensible to redraw the boundary between Blatchcombe and theexisting Galmpton with Churston along Long Road with the new homes on thesouthern side of Long Road being added to the GC polling district – estimated at200 electors.

Proposal G1

Transfer 200 electors from AE (Blatchcombe) to GC (Churston with Galmpton)

Goodrington with Roselands

This ward covers a mix of residential, leisure and tourism. The boundary at its’Western edge is along the main Brixham Road. Opposite Roselands there issome new housing and we propose that due to its’ proximity to Roselands thatthese are removed from the AE polling District of Blatchcombe and that theboundary is drawn behind this development.


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We also propose a tidying up of the boundary with Roundham with Hyde whereareas of St Michael’s are currently included with the Goodrington withRoselands ward. We propose that the electors north of Penwill Way will bereunited with their more natural community contained within the Roundhamwith Hyde ward.

In addition we propose a further tidying up for the same reasons above in theYork Road area of the ward where these electors should be transferred to RD.

Proposal P1

Move approximately 300 electors from AE to IA (new homes along the BrixhamRoad)

Proposal P2

Realign boundary along Penwill Way removing approximately 430 electorsfrom ID to RD

Proposal P3

Realign boundary behind York road removing approximately 130 electors fromIC to RC

Blatchcombe

Blatchcombe is a large geographical ward that covers much of WesternPaignton and includes a variety of communities, each with there own identity.The ward name Blatchcombe has been in existence for decades and wepropose to retain it.

We propose removing AE from the ward and transferring it to Clifton withMaidenway. This polling district is to the east of the Kings Ash Road and wouldunite the Waterleat community with its neighbouring Clifton area. The mainroad also serves as an obvious boundary.

Proposal P4

Transfer AD to Clifton with Maidenway

Also as per proposals G1 and P1


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Roundham with Hyde

This ward covers the town centre of Paignton as well as the seafront andharbour area. It is a mix of commercial and residential. Like many seasidetowns, Paignton faces significant challenges from a weak economy and socialchallenges. The town centre is the subject of a Masterplan to encourageregeneration and is served by a strong Community Partnership that engagesresidents and businesses alike.

To equalise the electorate following the tidying up of boundaries betweenGoodrington with Roselands (P2 and P3) we propose that the predominatelyresidential area between Cecil Road and Torquay Road will be transferred toClifton with Maidenway.

Proposal P5

Transfer 500 electors from RA to CA (Clifton with Maidenway)

Clifton with Maidenway

Set on the edge of Paignton town centre, this ward is predominantly residential.We have proposed in P4 the transfer from Blatchcombe of the entire AD pollingdistrict which is entirely residential area and on the east side of the main KingsAsh Road.

In addition, to achieve equality, 600 electors from CA will be transferred toBlatchcombe (AB). These are the roads leading off Marldon Road and ColleyEnd Road.

Again, to achieve equality we propose to move 500 electors from CC to Preston(FD). These roads are east of Southfield Road which forms a strong boundary(boundary running behind the odd numbers) and include Winsu Avenue andBarcombe Road and Shorton Road.

Proposal P6

Transfer 600 electors to Blatchcombe (AB)

Proposal P7

Transfer 500 electors to Preston (FD)

Also as proposal P5


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Preston

Preston has a strong community and covers a large geographical area. To oneside is Paignton and the other the first residential of area of Torquay at theCockington with Chelston ward.

It runs from the seafront on its western side to the main ring road on thewestern side (which is also the borough boundary).

With the exception of proposal P7 above, we believe the ward is appropriatelyformed and propose no further changes.

Cockington with Chelston

This ward contains the world famous Cockington Village and has been anelectoral division for many decades. It contains an area which runs along thecoast known as Livermead and also the more populated area of Chelston.

We propose no changes in the boundary of this ward (other than to recognisethat some proposals relate to the transfer of some properties along theboundary with Shiphay and The Willows which we have no objection to).

Shiphay with The Willows

The ward covers the predominately residential areas of Shiphay which pre-dates the much newer development known as The Willows.

Shiphay has a very distinct character and community feel and is well served bylocal facilities including a pub, surgery, vets, Co-op and other small retailbusinesses.

The newer area of The Willows lacks such community facilities, but is adjacentto an out of town shopping centre.

The main railway and the dual carriageway (Riviera Way) dissects the twocommunities and acts as a natural boundary between the two areas.

In an ideal situation Shiphay would be its’ own ward (with the inclusion of partof Chelston) and the Willows would form a ward with its neighbouringcommunity in Barton. However, the number of electors prevents this fromhappening.

The current average per elector is approximately 35% above the average so asignificant change is required.


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We propose that the polling district of TA is entirely removed and included withits neighbouring area of Barton. This polling district is predominately basedaround the Barton area.

The remaining districts of TB, C and D would form the Shiphay and The Willowsward.

We propose that the boundary between TB and WD be drawn along BrownsBridge Road and Barton Hill Way to ensure that Nightingale Park is retainedwithin The Willows area and that Lindisfarne would be in the Barton ward.

The Shiphay and The Willows Community Partnership have been extremelyactive in determining plans to improve Nightingale Park for the widercommunity and have commissioned surveys and reports to inform this process.

Proposal T1

Transfer polling district TA entirely in to a newly named ward of Barton,Watcombe and Hele. Defining the boundary along the length of BrownsBridge Road and Barton Hill Way.

Proposal T2

Establish the Shiphay and The Willows ward by retaining polling districts TB, TCand TD.

Barton, Watcombe and Hele (formerly Watcombe)

With the need to transfer the TA polling district as described above (P1) there isthe opportunity to bring together three of Torquay’s longest standingresidential areas.

By removing polling district WA (to St Marychurch) and including LE (fromTormohun) a two-member ward is established.

LE predominately covers the Hele Village area which has been associated withthe lower Barton area (WD) through a community based organisation known asHele’s Angels. This organisation was established to support these recognisedareas of social and economic deprivation.

The area of Barton and Watcombe also share many similarities with those ofHele. The areas each have a strong sense of community and there have beenmany efforts over many years to strengthen the community cohesion. Theestablishment of this ward, including each communities name, would help unifyefforts of agencies and voluntary groups to support an area of significantdeprivation.


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Proposal T3

Transfer out polling district WA entirely in to the neighbouring St Marychurchward.

Proposal T4

Import from Tormohun the entire LE polling district

Proposal T5

To meet the objective of equal representation transfer 300 electors from WBfrom those properties along and to the southern side of Jacks Lane and MoorLane (this will also include Watcombe Primary School).

St Marychurch and Maidencombe

This ward is to the northern end of Torbay and reaches the borough’s boundarywith Teignbridge. It also includes the distinct village of Maidencombe.

Given the need for significant changes in the composition of Torquay wards toaccommodate the required changes to Shiphay and The Willows we proposethat this ward is focussed on its current most northerly polling districts of HA,HB and HE with the addition of WA.

The creation of this two-member ward will bring together the distinctcommunities of St. Marychurch and the village of Maidencombe.

Proposal T6

Transfer out polling district HD to a new ward of Ellacombe with Babbacombe

Proposal T7

Transfer in to HA, 400 electors from HC (rest of HC to the new ward)

Proposal T8

Transfer in from the former Watcombe ward the entire WA polling district.

Proposal T9

Transfer to WB 300 as proposal T5.


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Babbacombe with Ellacombe

Both of these areas have a strong history and a strong sense of localcommunity, particularly in the residential areas of Ellacombe.

We feel it is appropriate to include both names in the ward to reflect the historyof both communities.

To create this ward we propose the following.

Proposal T9

Retain polling districts DB and DC,

Proposal T10

Transfer HD from St Marychurch

Proposal T11

Transfer 400 from HC (those properties East of Westhill Road)

Proposal T12

Import 500 electors from MB (those properties East of Road and west ofBabbacombe Road.

Proposal T13

Transfer approximately 500 electors from DA to LA (Tormohun) from the followingroads:

PENNSYLVANIA ROADQUEEN STREETCAVERN ROADWARBERRY ROAD WESTBRADDONS STREETMADREPORE ROADHILLESDON ROADALPINE ROADPEMBROKE ROADPIMLICOPOTTERS HILLMADREPORE PLACEBRADDONS HILL ROAD EAST

Torwood (formerly Wellswood)

The proposal to rename this ward signals a return to the name it was known forseveral previous years.

This ward covers an area that includes a significant part of the coastal areastretching from Anstey’s Cove around to the edge of Torquay Harbour.


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The communities it represents are of a similar demographic and ispredominantly residential.

The only changes to this ward are the 500 electors proposed to move from MBto HF as outlined above in T13

Tormohun

Tormohun ward covers the town centre as well as much of the tourism sector.It also represents the residential areas of Torre and Upton. Currently it includesthe area known as Hele, but as proposed earlier it is suggested this areatransfers to a new ward.

Currently a three member ward, the proposal to transfer approximately 500electors from DA, it is believed that given the demands upon councillors servingboth residential and the principal retail, commercial and tourism areas ofTorquay, three members is appropriate.

Proposal T14

Retain LA, LB, LC and LD polling districts.

Proposal T15

Transfer LE to a new ward as outlined in T4.

Proposal T16

Import approximately 500 electors from DA as outlined in T10.

ConclusionWe believe the above proposals reflect the centres of Torbay’s many anddiverse communities while at the same time achieving the best councillor toelector ratio possible.

While we recognise that Brixham’s ratios are below the average, the uniquenessof the town gives satisfactory justification.

The somewhat significant changes in Torquay are the result of the significantimbalance in Shiphay with The Willows, but the proposals still maintain the linksbetween neighbouring communities as well as reflecting the demography ofeach distinct area.

August 2017


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Representing our communities