Agenda item

To consider the attached report of the Chief Executive.

Councillor K E Morris thanked officers for their work in preparing the report before the Committee and set out the process for the Council to submit its preferred ward pattern to the Local Government Boundary Commission for England (LGBCE).

Dover

Councillor S S Chandler proposed, and it was duly seconded, that a new ward pattern be developed that would assign 8 councillors to Dover as follows:

·         Ward 1: Polling Districts BD, BH2 and part of BC2 (2 councillors)

·         Ward 2: Poling Districts BG1, BG2 and BC1 with the addition of the ‘finger’ of land in BD adjoining BC1 (3 councillors)

·         Ward 3: Polling Districts BE, BH1 and part of BF (2 councillors)

·         Ward 4: Polling Districts BJ1, BJ2 and BF (1 councillor)

Councillor M R Eddy expressed support for the concept of a town centre ward in Dover.

On being put to the vote the proposals were CARRIED and officers were requested to draw up proposals on this basis.

Deal

Councillor K E Morris proposed, and it was duly seconded, that a new ward pattern be developed that would assign 9 councillors to Deal as follows:

·         Ward 1: Polling Districts AC2, AA1, AA2, AA3, PRK (3 councillors)

·         Ward 2: Polling Districts AC1, AC3, AB2, AD3, AA4 (on the boundary proposed by officers in the agenda paper). The ward would be called Walmer and Kingsdown (3 councillors)

·         Ward 3: Polling Districts AB1, AB3, AD1, AD2 and PSH. The ward would be called North Deal and Sholden (3 councillors)

It was suggested that officers would need to conduct a polling district review of the area of coastal Sholden if this ward pattern was agreed by the LGBCE.

The changes to the Sholden Ward would require an amendment to the proposed Eastry Rural Ward as followed:

·         Ward 4: Polling Districts PEA, TWN, PGM, PNR, PTI, PRG and PRP (2 councillors)

On being put to the vote the proposals were CARRIED and officers were requested to draw up proposals on this basis.

Rural

Councillor F J W Scales proposed, and it was duly seconded, that a new ward pattern be developed for Capel and River as followed:

·         Ward 1: Polling Districts PAK, PCF and PHM (1 councillor). This ward would be called Alkham and Capel.

·         Ward 2: Polling District PRV (1 councillor). This ward would be called River.

On being put to the vote the proposals were CARRIED and officers were requested to draw up proposals on this basis.

Councillor B Gardner proposed, and it was duly seconded, that a new ward pattern be developed as followed:

·         Ward 1: Polling Districts PAY, PNN and PSL1. This ward would be called Aylesham.

·         Ward 2: Polling Districts PEX1, PEX2, PSL2 and PTI. This ward would be called Eythorne with Coldred.

·         Ward 3: Polling Districts PDD, PDW, PLN, PTE and PAK. This ward would be called Dover Downs.

·         Ward 4: Polling Districts PCF, PRV and PHM. This ward would be called Capel and River.

·         Ward 5: Polling Districts PEA, PNR, PTI, TWN and PSH (to the west of the rail line). This ward would be called Eastry Rural. It was proposed that the area to the east of the rail line in Sholden would be part of the North Deal Ward.

·         Ward 6: Polling Districts PSM and PGS. This ward would be called St Margaret’s as per the officers proposals.

On being put to the vote the proposals were LOST.

RESOLVED:       That officers be instructed to draw up new ward pattern proposals for the following wards:

(a)  That the town of Dover to have 8 councillors on the following ward pattern:

(i)            Ward 1: Polling Districts BD, BH2 and part of BC2 (2 councillors)

(ii)           Ward 2: Poling Districts BG1, BG2 and BC1 with the addition of the ‘finger’ of land in BD adjoining BC1 (3 councillors)

(iii)          Ward 3: Polling Districts BE, BH1 and part of BF (2 councillors)

(iv)         Ward 4: Polling Districts BJ1, BJ2 and BF (1 councillor)

(b)  That Deal (including Walmer and Kingsdown) to have 9 councillors on the following ward pattern:

(i)          Ward 1: Polling Districts AC2, AA1, AA2, AA3, PRK (3 councillors)

(ii)         Ward 2: Polling Districts AC1, AC3, AB2, AD3, AA4 (on the boundary proposed by officers in the agenda paper). The ward would be called Walmer and Kingsdown (3 councillors)

(iii)        Ward 3: Polling Districts AB1, AB3, AD1, AD2 and PSH. The ward would be called North Deal and Sholden (3 councillors)

(c)  That the following pattern of wards for rural areas

                                          (i)        Ward 1: Polling Districts PEA, TWN, PGM, PNR, PTI, PRG and PRP (2 councillors). This ward would be known as Eastry Rural.

                                         (ii)        Ward 1: Polling Districts PAK, PCF and PHM (1 councillor). This ward would be called Alkham and Capel.

                                        (iii)        Ward 2: Polling District PRV (1 councillor). This ward would be called River.