Central Bedfordshire Council are consulting on Community Governance and everyone is asked to contribute by having their say (LINK). This is about the number of local town and parish councillors that should represent us, and what the ward boundaries should be. There are suggestions about the number of councillors an area should have, and where the ward boundaries should be. In the notes below I suggested keeping the present boundaries for Houghton Regis, but dividing some areas into more manageable sections, imparticular, Houghton Hall.
A Community Governance Review by Alan D Winter
It needs to be read in conjunction with CBC’s document.
Houghton Regis currently has 14 councillors representing Houghton Regis electors or 1 per 937 voters. The 1998 recommendations suggest there ought to be 18-19 councillors for the current number of electors.
In 1998 the National Association of Local Councils published its Circular 1126/1998 setting out guidance on the suggested number of parish councillors to be allocated depending on the size of the population represented. For a town the size of Houghton Regis, which had an electorate of 13,118 in September 2017, the circular indicates we ought to have 18-19 councillors now; 18 is equal to 1 per 728.
The Aston Business School in 1992 recommended between 13 and 21 councillors for electorates between 10,001 and 20,000.
The current allocation is 4 for Parkside (electorate 3,533); 4 for Tithe Farm (electorate 3,294), 6 for Houghton Hall (electorate 6,291).
On average Houghton Regis has one councillor per 937 voters in Houghton Regis. By 2023 the forward-planned electorate for Houghton Regis is expected to be 14,619, with most of that increase taking place in the Houghton Hall ward. To continue with the same numbers would mean 1,044 electors per councillor.
HOUGHTON HALL
The current allocation is 6 town councillors for Houghton Hall (electorate 6,291 Sept 2017); equal to 1 councillor per 1,048. The guidance allocation should be 8 or 9. Future growth figures indicate that by 2023, the electorate in Houghton Hall will rise by 1,450 with the impact mainly being felt on HH1 and HH5 registered areas.
When a bye-election occurs there are logistical problems in being able to reach all the electorate by all of the candidates, and though parties can help elect one of their own, the situation will be beyond the wherewithal for most Independent candidates.
Houghton Hall consists of 5 registers in 5 distinct areas, which could each be managed separately.
HH1 – Upper Bidwell and Thorn
HH2 – Houghton Hamlets
HH3 – east and west immediately adjacent to Houghton Hall Park
HH4 – Sewell with the south western parts of Houghton Regis
HH5 – Churchfields, an area between Tithe Farm Rd and Bedford Rd
HH1
has approximately 1600 electors now. Growth will come from new homes expected in Bidwell West. I have allocated three fifths of the CBC forecasted 1,450 growth to 2023 to HH1, or 870, making a new total of 2,470. – suggested allocation 3 councillors (1 per 823 by 2023).
HH2
has approximately 2150 electors – suggested allocation 3 councillors (1 per 716). This is a strongly distinctive area of its own with clear boundaries. No increases are expected in the number of electors.
HH3
has approx. 1130 electors Sep 2017. Increase will arise from development of Houghton Regis Central. 170 independent living units for older people (planning application CB/16/03378). I’ve allowed 1 fifth of the CBC forecasted 1,450 growth to HH3. 1130 + 290 = 1420. Suggested allocation 2 councillors (1 per 710 electors).
HH4
approx. 780 electors – suggested allocation 1 councillor. It includes Sewell. No growth built in for 2023.
HH5 – Churchfields
Approximately 620 electors and currently rising with new development as indicated below. One fifth of the 1450 growth (290) to 2023 has been allocated here, suggesting an allocation of 1 councillor (1 per 910). The area is marked in orange here.
PARKSIDE
The current allocation is 4 town councillors for Parkside (electorate 3,533 Sept 2017); equal to 1 councillor per 883. The March 2023 forecast is 3,563 equal to 1 councillor per 890.
Park1 area has around 2050 electors; Park2 around 1570 electors. Very little growth is forecast in either Park 1 or 2, but this forecast does not take into account a suggested new 385 homes immediately east of Park2 (Planning Application CB/16/04030).
Park 1 currently includes:
• Trident Drive 330 electors.
• Neptune Close and Neptune Square 20 electors;
If these were moved to Park2, that would leave:
• Park 1 with 1,700 electors and a viable new 2 councillor ward (1 per 850);
• Park2 would then have 1,920 electors. As a 2 councillor ward that equates to 1 per 960.
• Park2 with the adjusted forecast. Adding 250 from that proposed development for now, to the 1,920 gives a 2,170 electorate by 2023 in Park2. Potentially that could mean a 3 councillor ward and 2170 divided by 3 gives a ratio of 1:723.
TITHE FARM
The current allocation is 4 town councillors for Tithe Farm (electorate 3,294 Sept 2017); equal to 1 councillor per 824. No proposals.
Advantages of Smaller Wards:
1. More manageable for candidates in terms of visiting electors, leaflet production costs, leaflet delivery.
2. Cheaper for Council to manage in bye-election situations. Fewer polling cards to deliver, fewer polling stations need to be open, fewer boxes to take away for counting, fewer staff to manage the count.
The Now and Then Situation
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Time to Divide Houghton Hall Ward? November 2016.
