Community Governance Review: Parish Boundaries and Electoral Arrangements

Wealden District Council Community Governance Review 2022/23 Terms of Reference

A review of parishes and related matters under the Local Government and Public Involvement Act 2007

Introduction

Wealden District Council has resolved to undertake a Community Governance Review of Westham Parish, Framfield Parish, and parts of Willingdon and Jevington Parish, in accordance with the relevant legislation and associated statutory guidance.

What is a Community Governance Review (CGR)?

A CGR is a review of the whole or part of the District to consider one or more of the following:

• creating, merging, altering or abolishing parishes;
• the naming of parishes and the style of new parishes;
• the electoral arrangements for parishes (the ordinary year of election; council size; the number of councillors to be elected to the council, and parish warding); and
• grouping parishes under a common parish council or de-grouping parishes.

A CGR must consider:

• The impact of community governance arrangements on community cohesion; and
• The size, population and boundaries of a local community or parish.

Why is the Council undertaking the review?

• The Council has received a valid petition from 483 electors in respect of the Stone Cross, Dittons and Westham electoral wards of Westham parish.
• The Council has received a valid request from Willingdon and Jevington Parish Council that a Review be carried out to reduce the number of parish councillors from 19 to 15 and in respect of specific internal ward boundary matters.
• The Council has received a valid request from Framfield Parish Council that a Review be carried out to reduce the number of parish councillors from 11 to 9.

The Council has a statutory duty to carry out a Review and is required to ensure that it is:

• reflective of the identities and interests of the community in that area; and
• effective and convenient.

The Council understands that parish councils play an important role in local decision-making and service delivery and as such there must be clarity and transparency to the areas that parish councils represent. It also recognises that effective community representation is best served by ensuring warding arrangements and the allocation of councillors are appropriate, equitable and readily understood by the electorate.

Aims of the review

The review will be to consider the following specific issues raised by or in respect of the affected parishes and make appropriate recommendations:

Westham – Comprising Dittons (BPWB), Stone Cross (BPSC and BPSD) and Westham (BPSF) polling districts

• To establish a separate parish council for the villages of Stone Cross and Hankham with effect from May 2023.

Willingdon and Jevington – Comprising Upper Willingdon (EWSM), Lower Willingdon (EWSJ), Watermill (EPWF) polling districts

• To reduce the size of the Parish Council from 19 to 15 councillors with effect from May 2023, by reducing both Lower Willingdon and Upper Willingdon wards by 2 councillors
• To review minor anomalies and internal ward boundaries and consider the name of Watermill ward
• To reinstate the former Jevington ward or change the name of Lower Willingdon ward to that of Lower Willingdon and Jevington
• To review the boundary with Polegate (east of A2270)

Framfield – Comprising Blackboys (WUSB) and Framfield (WUSC) polling districts

• To reduce the size of the Parish Council from 11 to 9 councillors with effect from May 2023

In undertaking the Review, the Council will be guided by Part 4 of the Local Government and Public Involvement in Health Act 2007, the relevant parts of the Local Government Act 1972, Guidance on Community Governance Reviews issued in accordance with section 100(4) of the Local Government and Public Involvement in Health Act 2007 by the Department of Communities and Local Government and The Electoral Commission in March 2010, and the following regulations which guide, in particular, consequential matters arising from the Review: Local Government (Parishes and Parish Councils) (England) Regulations 2008 (SI2008/625); Local Government Finance (New Parishes) Regulations 2008 (SI2008/626).

Scope of the review

Who will conduct the review?

As the Principal Authority, Wealden District Council is responsible for undertaking any CGR within its electoral area. The Council has delegated responsibility for overseeing the Review to the Audit, Finance and Governance Committee.

Management responsibility for the organisation and management of the review:

• Electoral Services Manager
• CGR Project Manager.

For any further information or questions regarding the review please email CGR@wealden.gov.uk

Publication of  Terms of Reference

These Terms of Reference will be published on the Council’s website and will be effective from 27th July 2022.

A CGR must be completed within 12 months from the publication of its Terms of Reference, which is the effective start date for the Review. The CGR ends with the publication of final recommendations.

Before making and recommendations or publishing final proposals, the Council must take full account of the views of local people. It has a duty to:

• consult the electors within the areas under Review;
• consult any other person or body (including a local authority) which appears to have an interest in the Review;
• notify and consult the County Council;
• take into account any representations received in connection with the Review and judge them against the criteria set out in the 2007 Act (namely that governance arrangements within the area reflect the identities and interests of the community in that area and that they are effective and convenient).

A specific consultation strategy for the CGR is set out below:

CGRs should be conducted transparently so that local people and other stakeholders are made aware of the proposals, recommendations and decisions taken, as well as the outcome. The Council will ensure that all information relevant to the CGR is accessible, clear and published in a timely manner. In considering the most appropriate forms of consultation, it will be important to evaluate the scope and impact of changes and ensure the widest opportunity is given to make representations

Westham

• Subject to the Stage 1 consultation, a consultative ballot may be considered appropriate. Other methods include public notices, local newsletters, public meetings (if deemed necessary) and via the Councils’ websites

Willingdon and Jevington

• The specific boundary changes and governance issues raised by Willingdon and Jevington Parish Council can best be addressed by direct consultation with the electorate and interested parties directly affected by the proposals. This will include Polegate Town Council (Polegate South ward) and relevant electors and interested parties in that area. In addition, consultation with Eastbourne Borough Council will be necessary to determine whether it would support proposed boundary changes at this time. Agreement from Wealden Council is also required. If approval is given by both Principal Councils, the matter will be referred to the Local Government Boundary Commission for England

Framfield

• The specific request from Framfield Parish Council can be addressed through local publicity including public notices, local parish newsletters, public meetings (if deemed necessary) and via the Councils’ websites

Ninfield

• The specific request from Ninfield will require agreement from both Wealden and Rother Principal Councils before it can proceed. If approval is given the matter will be referred to the Local Government Boundary Commission for England

If the outcome of the CGR affects District Ward and County Division boundaries, the District Council will consider and consult upon the consequential boundary changes and make recommendations to the Local Government Boundary Commission for England (LGBCE) to make alterations to those boundaries to reflect any changes made at parish level.

The electoral arrangements affecting Wealden parish boundaries were amended by The Wealden (Electoral Changes) Order 2016 (dated 15 December 2016), and as a full five years has passed since that Order was made, the consent of the Local Government Boundary Commission for England will not be required before any local Community Governance Reorganisation Order can be made.

In considering the electoral arrangements of the parishes stated within these Terms of Reference the District Council is required to consider any change in the number or distribution of the electors which is likely to occur in the period of five years beginning with the day when the CGR starts.

The Council has used the Register of Electors as at May 2022 to provide existing local government electorate figures. Electorate forecasts have been prepared using extant planning permissions, housing allocation figures from the draft Wealden Local Plan/Local Development Framework and housing numbers from East Sussex County Council’s data portal (East Sussex in Figures). Details are in Annex 1. (page 21 of report)

Final feedback or comments must be received by 5pm Monday 27 February 2023 via email CGR@wealden.gov.uk 

The following draft Re-Organisation Order and associated maps will bring into effect the changes that have been approved under the Community Government Review affecting the parishes of Framfield, Willingdon and Jevington and Westham.

• CGR Draft Reorganisation Order 2023 v2
• Map 1 – Final CGR Boundary Change for new Jevington Ward
• Map 2 – Final CGR Boundary Change for new Willingdon Watermill Ward
• Map 3 – Final CGR Boundary Change for new Lower Willingdon Ward
• Map 4 – Final CGR Boundary Change for new Upper Willingdon Ward

Stage 1 consultations included online surveys. These have now closed. The results of these are published on our Consultation Diary web page.

Stage 2 consultation is currently being undertaken via our online Consultation Diary and posted ballot papers.

If you need any further information about the Review, please contact The CGR Project Manager on 01892 602423.

Write to: CGR Project Manager, Wealden District Council, Vicarage Lane, Hailsham, BN27 2AX

Email: CGR@wealden.gov.uk (Please state CGR in the subject heading)

Information in Alternative Formats and Languages

If you require any information associated with the CGR to be made available in large print, Braille or in another language, please fill in our contact us form  selecting Elections from the dropdown list.