Issue - meetings

To consider and receive the report of the Director (Policy and Governance). 

The Executive Leader, Councillor Alistair Bradley presented the Chorley Council response to the Local Government Boundary Commission for England’s (LGBCE) draft recommendations on new borough warding arrangements for Chorley.

The Electoral Review of Chorley Council Committee have met twice to discuss the draft recommendations and formulate the response set out in the report.  The Committee support the majority of the recommendations. 

However, the Committee considered a number of alternative proposals.  At the meeting, members of the Committee voted for option 2: to move Heskin (730 electors) from the Croston and Mawdesley ward to Eccleston, Charnock Richard and Euxton South ward; and to move part of Eccleston, Charnock Richard and Euxton South ward (178 electors) into Croston and Mawdesley ward (north of the River Yarrow to the Euxton Parish boundary)as their preferred option, subject to satisfactory variance to the mean tolerance levels. 

However, as the figures for both wards have resulted in the tolerance levels to fall outside the +/- 10% variance requirement, it is felt that this proposal is less attractive, and members should consider option 1 as their preferred option: to move Heskin (730 electors) from the Croston and Mawdesley ward to the Eccleston, Charnock Richard and Euxton South ward; and to move part of Eccleston, Charnock Richard and Euxton South ward (284 electors) into Croston and Mawdesley ward (north of the River Yarrow to the new Euxton boundary and east of the (Croston and Mawdesley) boundary to the M6.

Members debated the proposal and noted that the Parish Council boundaries are not changing, that the LGBCE has a +/- 10% variance requirement and this make it difficult to balance the numbers and not split some communities. 

The Leader of the Opposition, Councillor Alan Cullens, expressed his opinion that it is not sensible to make a response which falls outside the +/- 10% variance requirement and requested a recorded vote.

The Executive Leader, Councillor Alistair Bradley proposed and the Deputy Leader, Councillor Peter Wilson seconded and on being put to the vote the Decision:

a) To support the LGBCE’s draft recommendations on the new boundary arrangements for the following borough wards -.

Adlington & Anderton                    Buckshaw & Whittle

Chorley East                                  Chorley East, Brindle & Hoghton

Chorley North                                Chorley North East

Chorley North West                       Chorley South East

Chorley South West                       Clayton West & Cuerden

Coppull                                         Euxton

b) the boundary changes proposed to the LGBCE’s draft recommendations as detailed in Option 1 (paragraph 18) for the following wards –

Croston & Mawdesley                      Eccleston, Charnock Richard and Euxton South

3. To approve the proposed new borough ward names as follows:

LGBCE ward names                        Preferred ward names

Adlington & Anderton                       No change

Buckshaw & Whittle                         No change

Chorley East                                   No change

Chorley North                                 Chorley North & Astley

Chorley North East                          Chorley Rural North East

Chorley North West                         No change

Chorley South East                         Chorley South & Heath Charnock

Chorley South West                         No change

Clayton East, Brindle & Hoghton       No change

Clayton West & Cuerden                  No change

Coppull                                         No change

Croston & Mawdesley                      No change

Eccleston, Charnock Richard and

Euxton South                                  Chorley Rural West  ...  view the full minutes text for item 11