Parish and Town Councils submissions to the Doncaster Council electoral review

This PDF document contains submissions from Parish and Town Councils.

Some versions of Adobe allow the viewer to move quickly between

bookmarks.

Click on the submission you would like to view. If you are not taken to that page, please scroll through the document.

31st January 2014 Mr. S. Keal, Review Officer (Doncaster), The Local Government Boundary Commission for England, 3rd Floor, Layden House, 76-86 Turnmill Street, London, EC1M 5LG. Dear Mr. Keal, Electoral Review of Doncaster I thank you for your letter of 26th November 2014, with enclosure in connection with the above, the contents of which were considered by the Parish Council at a meeting held on 28th January 2014. As a result, the Parish Council resolved that representations be made to you requesting that The Local Government Boundary Commission for England, recommends in its current review of warding arrangements for Doncaster, that the Parish of Armthorpe continue as a single Ward as at present. The Parish Council’s reasons for this are as follows:- 1 Number of Electors

The electorate figures on the Commission’s website show that for 2013 there are 11,126 electors in Armthorpe and that the electoral forecast for 2019 is 11,232. Armthorpe currently has three ward councillors and on the basis that the Commission is looking for an optimum number of 4,237 electors per councillor, it is self evident that Armthorpe does not qualify to continue as a stand alone Ward, as it would need a total of 12,711 electors. If the Commission’s 10% variance either way is taken into account, Armthorpe would require a minimum of 11,440 electors by 2019. That would leave a deficiency of only 208 electors (i.e. 69.3 electors per Ward councillor), which in the whole scheme of things is de minimis.

Despite this, it is apparent that this forecast does not to take account of the significant house building programme that will take place in Armthorpe during the period 2011 to 2028. In this respect, there is a requirement in Doncaster’s statutory Local Development Framework Core Strategy, for Armthorpe to provide between 646 and 923 new houses. It is self evident, therefore, that there will be a significant increase in the number of electors in Armthorpe during this period. It will exceed the electoral forecast for 2019 and go some way to achieving the optimum number of electors that the Commission seeks.

2 Community Identity Armthorpe village is self contained with its own identity. The village is

surrounded on three sides, namely, the north, south and east, by swathes of agricultural land. To the west it is bounded by the former South Yorkshire Mineral Railway Line and a golf course. As a consequence, the village and the whole parish are separated from all nearby villages.

It is an ancient civil parish and initially was a farming community, with its lands being enclosed by the Armthorpe Enclosure Award of 1774-1775. It has an ancient Parish Church (of St. Leonard and St. Mary), which was mentioned in the Domesday Book of 1086.

In 1916 Markham Main Colliery was sunk but work was stopped owing to the First World War. The work continued in the early 1920’s when a model village was built. During the 1980’s the colliery had 1,500 employees, the majority of whom lived in Armthorpe. The colliery finally closed in 1996. The site is now a housing estate comprising 800 plus dwellings. Despite the closure of the colliery, Armthorpe is recognised throughout the Doncaster area as a former mining community, which to this day features a large Welfare Park at the centre of the village. Its facilities include bowling greens, football pitch, basketball court, band room for the Markham Main Colliery Band, areas of open space and a Miners Memorial Garden. No neighbouring communities share this mining heritage. Armthorpe Parish Council is one of the largest parish/town councils in the Doncaster area, with 15 elected Members. It was established in 1894 under the provisions of the Local Government Act of that year. The composition of its Members is mixed; in as much as there are 7 independent Members and 8 who belong to a political party. Its expenditure for the current financial year is estimated at £304,718. It is very active in local affairs and organises many community functions. It has its own allotment site whose tenancies are restricted to local residents. It also owns and manages a modern community centre, a large burial ground and local parks.

Village housing is mixed between former colliery houses, council properties and private housing. It has four primary schools and one secondary school (The Armthorpe Academy). The village is a closely knit one and its residents integrate well with each other. It has three shopping centres, two large supermarkets, two doctors’ practices, a local scout group, a brownie pack group, an air cadet training corps, a number of local football teams, a St. John’s Ambulance Brigade, a youth centre, a leisure centre with swimming pool, a library, two village brass bands, a Women’s Institute, three social clubs, a Miners Welfare Park and community centre (both previously referred to above). Armthorpe is identified in Doncaster’s Local Development Framework Core Strategy as a principal town in the Settlement Hierarchy for Doncaster Borough.

3 Localism As a result of the provisions of the Localism Act 2011 that made

amendments to the Town and Country Planning Acts, the Parish Council has taken the opportunity to have a say in the future development of the whole parish. In this respect, in 2012 it applied to the local planning authority, Doncaster Metropolitan Borough Council, for consent to prepare a neighbourhood development plan. This application was approved and the process is now well advanced.

A Draft Armthorpe Neighbourhood Development Plan will be published on its website www.armthorpeparishcouncil.co.uk on 3rd February 2014 for a statutory period of 6 weeks. The Draft Plan contains proposals for new housing sites, employment sites, transport and highways, the village centre, leisure and community facilities, etc. Two housing sites have been allocated to provide between 700 and 800 new houses during the period 2011 to 2028. Another site is identified in the Draft Plan and encouraged to come forward for residential development with the potential for approximately 185 dwellings. The Draft Plan also contains provisions to ensure there is no coalescence with neighbouring communities by retaining areas of countryside as green wedges. These green wedges are protected from development by being included in Countryside Policy Protection Areas. Two major housing developers have accepted and recognised the need for these substantial green wedges, which are fundamentally designed to ensure Armthorpe will continue to be a distinct community separate from any others.

In the circumstances, the Parish Council considers that the above meets the statutory criteria that the Commission has to have regard to in making its recommendations on the warding arrangements relating to Armthorpe. Furthermore, the Council’s representations fully meet the community identities and interests criterion, as the Parish of Armthorpe has fixed boundaries that

will remain easily identifiable and provide a clear and long-lasting boundary for the Armthorpe Ward. Yours sincerely, Clerk to the Council.

Minute no 012/01/14 of the 8th January 2014 LGBCE Electoral Review of Doncaster Metropolitan Borough Council: Ward Boundaries. Reponse from Barnburgh and Harlington Parish Council Introduction. Following its previous submission about the future size of Doncaster Council, the Barnburgh and Harlington Parish Council is now pleased to be able to contribute to the LGBCE’s consultation on future ward boundaries, for a pattern of wards to be served by the proposed number of 54 ward councillors envisaged to be in place from 2015. At its 11th December, 2013, meeting, the Parish Council had access to the letter from the LGBCE’s Director of Reviews to the Chief Executive of DMBC, as well as information and guidance relating to the current consultation on ward boundaries; the Parish Council agreed to respond to the consultation exercise and at its 8th January, 2014, meeting gave approval for this paper to be submitted the Commission. The Rationale of this Response. By way of background to explain why the Parish Council’s response has been formulated as set out below, the following points need to be taken into account:

whilst this submission refers briefly to the size, population, and electorate of the Sprotbrough ward within which the villages of Barnburgh and Harlington are located, the Parish Council has decided not to suggest any specific changes to the current boundaries of the Sprotbrough ward - or indeed any other ward - but rather to concentrate on the interests and identities of the local communities in the southern area of the ward, with the objective of influencing the Commission in any changes it may propose to the existing ward boundaries. Absent any further more specific guidance at present about the future likely number of ward councillors to be proposed for the Sprotbrough ward, the Parish Council has come to the view that for it to propose particular ward boundary changes could only be speculative, hence its decision to concentrate upon the case for maintaining within the ward the existing strong community identities and character.

in respect of the Commission’s intention to deliver electoral equality for local voters,

the Parish Council is in full support of this approach, difficult though it may be to achieve across all Doncaster’s wards; as regards the Sprotbrough ward, the Parish Council is aware that this is one of the bigger wards in terms of area, but with the smallest population and the smallest electorate of all the current wards.

although in its earlier submission on the future size of Doncaster Council, the Parish

Council expressed the view that two ward councillors could serve the needs of the ward, whilst still enabling effective local government arrangements to continue, the Parish Council does recognise - in the light of the Commission’s proposal for a reduction in the total number of ward councillors to 54 - that there may well be a case for some adjustment to the Sprotbrough ward boundaries; it hopes nevertheless that its

comments on the interests and identities of the ward’s local communities can be taken into account by the Commission in reaching any decisions about the ward’s boundaries.

It is in the context of these considerations that the Parish Council believes that its response to the Commission can most usefully concentrate on the character, identities and interests of the local communities in the environs of Barnburgh and Harlington, with the aim of persuading the Commission that these should be safeguarded, whatever ward boundary adjustments might be proposed affecting the Sprotbrough ward. Reflecting the Interests and Identities of Local Communities. To put into context the points set out below, the area of the Sprotbrough ward being considered lies to the south of the A635 main road which traverses the ward from the A1 towards Barnsley; the local communities covered are Sprotbrough, High Melton, Barnburgh and Harlington, Adwick upon Dearne and Hickleton - each with their Parish Councils - and Marr and Cadeby both with their Parish Meeting arrangements. These can all be characterised as rural communities, very different in nature from the more industrialised communities (on the other side of the Sprotbrough ward boundaries) covering council wards in Doncaster, Rotherham and Barnsley. There are strong links between these local communities in the Sprotbrough ward, so for example bus services through Barnburgh and Harlington, through High Melton and Sprotbrough to Doncaster. GP and dental practices serve and link the populations of these communities. The churches in Adwick upon Dearne, Barnburgh and High Melton are served by one Rector. There is use by residents in the area of the small number of restaurants and public houses located in these communities. There is representation from the various communities in respect of developments and projects which affect them jointly; so for example, the Community Liaison Committee for the Marr Wind Farm, recently brought into operation, comprises representatives from Barnburgh, High Melton, Sprotbrough, Hickleton and Marr, whilst the Community Liaison Group for the new waste treatment plant being developed by Barnsley, Doncaster and Rotherham Councils at Manvers has representatives from Adwick upon Dearne, Barnburgh and Harlington, and High Melton inter alia. Suffice it to say that the Parish Council is very strongly of the view that the nature of these local communities and the strong links that already exist between them should continue to be a positive factor contributing to the effective local governance arrangements in the ward and not be sacrificed in any adjustments of the Sprotbrough ward boundaries. Conclusion. The Parish Council hopes that should the Commission decide to make any boundary changes and adjustment to the number of ward councillors for the Sprotbrough ward that these can be effected in such a way that the existing strong community identities can be maintained and so contribute to promote local governance arrangements to the benefit of both the ward and the borough. The Parish Council will be pleased to address any points or questions arising from this paper.

LGBCE Electoral Review of Doncaster Metropolitan Borough Council: Ward Boundaries. Additional Response from Barnburgh and Harlington Parish Council – minute no 029A/02/14 of the 12th February 2014.. Introduction. This additional response from the Parish Council follows your indication (received by email on 12th February from your Director of Reviews to the Parish Clerk) that the Parish Council could make further representations prior to the Commission taking decisions about its draft recommendations on ward boundaries, subject to these representations being submitted as a matter of urgency. The Parish Council is most grateful for the opportunity to make this additional response, set out below; it addresses specifically the proposal of Doncaster Council that Harlington, as well as Adwick-on-Dearne, be removed from the Sprotbrough ward and be incorporated into the proposed Mexborough and Dearne ward. The Parish Council did not have any knowledge of this proposal at the time it made its first submission to the Commission; Doncaster’s proposals were not placed in the public domain until 5th February, 2014, and had not been the subject of any consultation with local communities previously. Background. In summary, in its first response to the Commission in respect of ward boundaries, the Parish Council did not suggest any specific changes to the current boundaries of the Sprotbrough ward, but concentrated instead upon the case for maintaining within the ward the existing strong identities of Sprotbrough, High Melton, Marr, Cadeby, Barnburgh and Harlington, Hickleton and Adwick-on-Dearne and the close links between these communities. The case was made that each of these can be characterised as rural communities, quite different in nature from the more industrialised communities on the other side of the adjacent boundary of the Sprotbrough ward, for example Mexborough. It is in this context that the Parish Council now submits its view on the Doncaster Council proposal that two of these communities - Harlington and Adwick-on-Dearne - be included in the proposed new ward of Mexborough and Dearne; this response concentrates upon the proposal in respect of Harlington, as it would not be appropriate here to comment specifically upon the proposal relating to Adwick-on-Dearne for which the Parish Council of that community is responsible. The assumption underlying the following response is that if Doncaster Council’s proposals for the new Mexborough and Dearne ward are endorsed, including the transfer of Harlington to that ward, the existence of the present Barnburgh and Harlington Parish Council would continue. However, having the interests of Harlington covered by Mexborough and Dearne ward councillors and of Barnburgh by Sprotbrough ward councillors would in itself prove to be divisive for both communities and the Parish Council. Moreover, it probably goes without saying that if the very future of the Barnburgh and Harlington Parish Council was brought into question by the implementation of Doncaster Council’s proposals, there would understandably be no support from the Parish Council for such an outcome. Barnburgh and Harlington. From a historical perspective and in their current form, Barnburgh and Harlington form one community. The village of Barnburgh is of Anglo-Saxon origin as is the village of Harlington which was for many centuries a tiny hamlet in the parish of Barnburgh and was part of the Manor of Barnburgh; Harlington’s history has been closely tied up with that of Barnburgh, from as far back as late Saxon days. In recent times, during the past thirty/forty years, new housing developments have been added to both villages, such that physically they form one local community. In terms of the Parish Council, the previous Barnburgh Parish Council used to cover the full parish area, including Harlington; in 1993/94, the Parish

Council became Barnburgh and Harlington Parish Council, thus clearly demonstrating its responsibility for the full parish and both villages. The population of some 1850 residents in Barnburgh and Harlington have one set of community groups, they have one village hall, one primary school serving the villages (feeding pupils mostly through to Ridgewood School, Scawsby in Doncaster, not to Mexborough School), one GP, and one church; they stage one annual summer carnival and one carol service. Barnburgh and Harlington are effectively and practically one close-knit community in the same ward of Sprotbrough. Without belabouring the point further, it is against this background of a common history dating back for centuries as part of the same parish that Doncaster Council’s proposal needs to be considered. Doncaster Council’s Proposals for the Sprotbrough Ward. The Parish Council strongly opposes the proposed move of Harlington into the new Mexborough and Dearne ward. From the perspective of the Parish Council, this proposal is inept and clumsy; it arbitrarily draws a line which splits one community; it will complicate the work of the Parish Council which would have to liaise with two Sprotbrough ward councillors and three Mexborough and Dearne ward councillors (on the current proposals) and also increase unnecessarily the administrative workload for the Parish Council. The proposal would incorporate two rural communities into a ward dominated by a ‘....large urban settlement’ - Mexborough - of a very different nature and socio-economic make-up; it is difficult to see how these three communities will gel together. Whilst it is true that the three communities in the proposed new ward are geographically close, although not for most people within walking distance, Doncaster Council’s assertion that there are ‘well-established communication networks’ is open to question; last summer (2013) the one direct bus service link between Barnburgh and Harlington and Mexborough was withdrawn and despite attempts by local residents and the Parish Council to have the direct link restored, this has not taken place. The Parish Council does not yet know, but it anticipates that there will be considerable local opposition from Harlington residents to their proposed incorporation into the new Mexborough and Dearne ward and their ‘separation’ electorally from other members of the Barnburgh and Harlington local community. Two final points: first, from examination of Doncaster Council’s proposals, as submitted to the Commission, the Parish Council assumes that the motivation for this proposal is to help justify the decision to allocate three ward councillors to the new Mexborough and Dearne ward; if there are other reasons for this proposal, they are not clear. In any case, the resulting allocation of some 750 electors into the new ward does not make a significant difference; were the proposal not to be implemented, the Parish Council remains of the view that the Sprotbrough ward could still be effectively represented by two ward councillors, as the Parish Council originally proposed. Secondly, when the Parish Council was formulating its first response to the Commission relating to ward boundaries, it felt that its main contention - namely that the strong local communities in the environs of Barnburgh and Harlington, each with their Parish Councils or parish meeting arrangements, were contributing positively to the Sprotbrough ward - was clearly in line with the guidance of the Commission about using parishes as the building blocks of wards and electoral divisions, given that parish boundaries often represent the extent of a community. The Parish Council cannot see how the Doncaster proposal relating to Harlington matches the Commission’s guidance. Conclusion. The Parish Council would like to reiterate its thanks to the Commission for being allowed to make this second response to the consultation on ward boundaries. The Council looks forward to seeing your recommendations in due course. ______________________________________________________

1

Keal, Simon

From: Fuller, HeatherSent: 31 January 2014 11:44To: Keal, SimonSubject: FW: Doncaster Boundary Review - Brodsworth PC submission

  

From: Andrew Bosmans Sent: 31 January 2014 11:31 To: Reviews@ Cc: Kevin Rodgers Subject: Doncaster Boundary Review - Brodsworth PC submission Dear sir / Madam The Parish Council discussed the boundary commission consultation at its meeting on 17th February 2014. Whilst the Parish does not wish to submit a ward pattern we would ask that the following observations be borne in mind when the commission makes its recommendations: The Scawsby Ward part of the Parish sits next to the Cusworth Ward of our neighbouring Sprotbrough & Cusworth Parish Council. The two ward parishes cover the same community and any division between two ward boundaries would create an artificial line which would not in our view facilitate proper representation on Doncaster MBC for the wider community in which this part of our Parish sits. Furthermore, we would also ask that consideration is given to keeping the Scawsby Ward part of the Parish in the same ward as the Sunnyfields and surrounding area as the 'flat top' estate boarders directly onto the Malton Road part of the Parish is essentially part of the same community. In respect of the Brodsworth and Pickburn Ward the Parish is of the view that it would most easily fit with the adjacent Parish area of Marr. Given the possibility that there are plans to develop housing on the former Brodsworth Colliery site near the Woodlands area the Boundary Commission may wish to consider the Brodsworth and Pickburn part of the Parish with the Woodlands and Adwick area. The Commission may also wish to reflect on the more recent development of the Red House industrial estate within the Parish which has opened up links in this part of the Parish to A1(M) junction near Adwick and Woodlands. We hope that this is clear enough, but should you require any further clarification, we will be delighted to facilitate this. Kind regards Andrew Bosmans B.A. (Hons) Clerk to Brodsworth Parish Council

Local Government Boundary Commission for England Consultation Portal

https://consultation.lgbce.org.uk//node/print/informed-representation/2863[30/01/2014 11:45:51]

Comment text:Cantley with Branton Parish Council wish to recommend that the area contained within Cantley with Branton Parish to the south of theA638 is removed from the Finningley Ward and placed within the Ward serving the remaining area of West Bessacarr. The reason is that itis not part of the Finningey Ward communities now referred to as the 'Airport Villages' and is much more associated with the Bessacarrcommunity. At the present time there are few properties within the area but a major development is planned which would have littleassociation with the Finningley Ward. Julia Staniforth Clerk to Cantley with Branton Parish Council

Doncaster District

Personal Details:

Name: Julia Staniforth

E-mail:

Postcode: DN9 3JF

Organisation Name: Cantley with BrantonParish Council

Map Features:

Contains Ordnance Survey data © Crown copyright and database rights 2013.

Town Council of Edlington

R.C. Shinn, M. M. S. The Grainger Centre & Council Offices Town Clerk & Financial Officer Stubbins Hill Edlington

Tel. 01709 770552 Doncaster

E mail. DN12 1JN

Review Manager the Local Boundary Commission for England 15 January 2014 Dear Sir/Madam, ELECTORAL REVIEW OF DONCASTER. Historically the Edlington/Warmsworth Ward comprised of the parishes of Edlington and Warmsworth with an area in Conisbrough being added at the last boundary review. The two parishes of Edlington and Warmsworth merge into one another and the Edlington Town Council owned cemetery is actually sited in Warmsworth. The Conisbrough element of the Ward has no contact with the Town Council and I suspect identifies with the main Conisbrough area rather than either Edlington or Warmsworth. The Town Council would wish to see any ward boundary changes to retain both the parishes of Edlington and Warmsworth in the same ward with perhaps an extension of the ward into that part of Balby that abuts Warmsworth along with the removal of the Conisbrough element from the ward and also support a reduction in the number of ward councillors to two. Yours sincerely R.C. Shinn Clerk

1

Keal, Simon

From: Buck, RichardSent: 23 December 2013 09:41To: Keal, SimonSubject: FW: ELECTORAL REVIEW OF DONCASTER

Hi Simon,  Here is an addendum to this previous submission for Doncaster. Can you log and respond etc.  Thanks, Richard.    

From: J WORTHINGTON [mailto:jennifer.worthington22@btinternet.com] Sent: 20 December 2013 14:29 To: Reviews@ Subject: ELECTORAL REVIEW OF DONCASTER Further to my email earlier today on the above subject, please could you substitute the following comments: Finningley is a village – it shares more in common with neighbouring villages than with local towns. Being in the same ward as Blaxton, Auckley, Branton, Old Cantley, Austerfield and Bawtry, is more likely to provide the best representation than if it were included in a Ward with a dominant partner, for example large towns similar to Rossington, Hatfield, Armthorpe or Bessacarr. Finningley residents support shops and businesses in neighbouring villages, e.g. Auckley and Bawry, but generally travel to supermarkets for their main shopping. Apologies for the confusion. Mrs J Worthington clerk to Finningley Parish Council

DONCASTER MBC ELECTORAL REVIEW 

PATTERN OF WARDS 

SUBMISSION BY THORNE‐MOORENDS TOWN COUNCIL 

1. Introduction 

The Town Council welcomes this opportunity to comment on changes to the Ward Boundaries 

within Doncaster MBC.    It would propose  the  creation of a new Thorne and Moorends Ward 

using a boundary that matches the Town Council boundary (see plan below).  This would reverse 

the boundary changes that were made a number of years ago that split Thorne and Moorends 

into  2  Wards.    Thorne  and  Moorends  form  a  natural  community  with  an  easily  identified 

boundary.    The  previous  changes  linked Moorends with  Stainforth  and  Thorne with Hatfield.  

Whilst  there  are  some  similarities  between  these  communities  it  is  quite  clear  that  they  are 

separate from a physical, cultural and service perspective. 

 

2. Delivering electoral equality for local voters 

The  proposed  new Ward would  comprise  the  current  2  Town  Council Wards  of  Thorne  and 

Moorends, and include the following Polling Districts: 

Thorne – QA, QB, QC, QD, QE, QF 

Moorends – RJ, RK 

The  table  below  uses  the  figures  supplied  on  the  Boundary  Commission  website.    It 

demonstrates  that  a  new  3 Member  Thorne‐Moorends Ward  can  be  created  which  closely 

matches the electorate numbers per member that would be needed.   

  2013  2019 

DMBC electorate  226,535 228,840 

Electorate per Member (54)  4,195  4,237 

Proposed Thorne‐Moorends Ward electorate  13,103  13,230 

Proposed Thorne‐Moorends Ward electorate per member (3) 4,368 4,410 

The difference between the “ideal” numbers  in 2013 would be 173 (4%) and  in 2019 would be 

173  (3.9%) which  are  small  numbers  that would  not  justify  any  artificial  adjustments  to  the 

boundary. 

3. Reflecting interests and identities of local communities 

Thorne‐Moorends makes a sensible “natural community” which would create a more  sensible 

and representative Ward than current arrangements.   The  following  issues are relevant to this 

community identity: 

a. The  Town  Council  have  recently  commenced  a  consultation  process  for  a 

Neighbourhood Plan to cover the Town Council area (see www.tmplan.org).  Whilst not 

part of the planning consultation, a significant number of comments have been received 

that  Thorne  and  Moorends  should  be  a  single  ward,  rather  than  the  current  split 

arrangement. 

b. Thorne and Moorends are geographically close, being virtually  linked by development, 

creating a clear separate settlement at the east end of Doncaster MBC area.  To the west 

the River Don creates a barrier with  few crossing points.   To the south  is a substantial 

green wedge of 2‐3km which  separates Thorne  from Hatfield  and  Stainforth with  the 

motorways also providing a barrier.  To the east and north are large areas of countryside 

which separates the community from settlements in adjacent Districts. 

c. Thorne Town Centre acts as  the main service centre  for Thorne and Moorends with a 

range of retail, services and employment opportunities that serve the larger community. 

d. There are strong public transport links between and within Thorne and Moorends which 

are not matched by links to any other communities, with 4 buses per hour serving both 

communities, and a  further hourly Thorne  local bus.   The best  link to any of the other 

communities referred to  in paragraph a above are 2 buses per hour.   For Moorends all 

buses to Stainforth and Hatfield pass through Thorne. 

e. Thorne and Moorends are served by a single Secondary School (Trinity Academy) whose 

catchment area closely matches the proposed Ward Boundary.   The feeder schools  for 

the Academy are the primary Schools within Thorne and Moorends. 

f. There  are  a  large  number  of  Voluntary  and  Community  Groups who  operate  across Thorne  and Moorends  as  they  see  this  as  a  sensible  community  for  their  activities.  Voluntary  Groups  include  Thorne  &  Moorends  Community  Regeneration  Working Group,  Thorne & Moorends  Youth Group,  Thorne & Moorends Healthy  Living Group, Thorne  &  Moorends  Regeneration  Partnership  and  Thorne  Moors  Working  Group.  Community Groups include Good Buddies, Active Childrens Zone, Thorne Family Support Centre, Kids Fitness Zone, Moorends Recycled Teenagers and Thorne Needs You.   

g. Sports Teams also operate across  the Thorne and Moorends area  including Moorends Hornets & Stingers (who play in Thorne), Thorne Colliery FC, Thorne United (who play in Moorends) and Moorends Marauders Rugby. 

h. Some health services are delivered across the Thorne and Moorends area – for example 

the Thornemoor Medical Practice delivers services across the whole Town council area. 

i. The creation of a single Ward for Thorne‐Moorends would not prejudice sensible ward 

arrangements for neighbouring communities as it lies at the eastern end of the District, 

and would not leave any awkward areas of land. 

4. Promoting effective and convenient local government 

A 3 member Ward  for Thorne and Moorends would work  satisfactorily  regardless of whether 

elections are held on a whole Council basis, or by thirds. 

Matching  the Ward  and  Town  Council  boundary would make  it  easier  to  develop  a  proper 

working relationship between the 2 sectors.  In an earlier submission the Doncaster Intervention 

Commissioners recommended “a new democratic and civic arrangement, involving much closer 

liaison  between DMBC  and  parish  /  town  councils,  perhaps more  devolution  to  parish/town 

councils, and distinct roles for parish and DMBC councillors. The parish councillors would have a 

key  responsibility  for  local  representation,  speaking up  for  the  interests of  local  communities 

and  (potentially)  taking  responsibility  for managing  local  assets  and  services  in  future. DMBC 

councillors would play a more  strategic  role,  focusing on  the overall  strategic  interests of  the 

borough and working  closely with  the parishes  in  their area on  the  local community  interests 

affected by the strategic direction of Doncaster as a whole”.   The Ward proposed by the Town 

Council  would  make  it  easier  to  achieve  this,  and  help  deliver  the  meaningful  change  to 

representation and service delivery that is ultimately behind the changes at Doncaster MBC. 

The Town Council proposes  that  the new Ward  is  called  “Thorne and Moorends”.   This make 

clear  the  geographical  extent,  but  is  different  from  the  Town  council  name which  hopefully 

would reduce the potential for confusion.