Boundary changes border on ridiculous
YOUR Royston district councillors feel that you should be aware of the recommendations of the Boundary Committee for England. This body has made recommendations to the Electoral Commission for changes to the ward boundaries in Royston. It is proposing t
YOUR Royston district councillors feel that you should be aware of the recommendations of the Boundary Committee for England.
This body has made recommendations to the Electoral Commission for changes to the ward boundaries in Royston.
It is proposing that the north side of Barkway Road and all of Limekiln Close transfer from Meridian ward to Heath ward, while Minster Road and Willowside Way transfer from Heath ward to Palace ward.
Some 81 electors are affected by the first transfer, and 154 by the second.
These changes will mean that Heath ward will be within 5 per cent of the average for the district, Meridian within 6 per cent, and Palace within 3 per cent.
The effect of these changes will be to require a full council election next May - and this will cost you the Council Tax-payer money to hold an election.
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This applies whether you live in these particular roads or not.
Your district council and your MP Oliver Heald have opposed these proposed changes, and asked that existing ward boundaries should remain.
These views have been rejected by the Boundary Committee for England.
We feel that this will cause unnecessary cost, will achieve nothing worthwhile, and could discourage people from voting.
Your district councillors have again expressed the view that there are more important things to do, and continue to oppose the recommendations.
It is clear from the response from the Boundary Committee that repeating the same arguments from the district council is unlikely to change its position on this issue.
However, if residents individually write to The Secretary, The Electoral Commission, Trevelyan House, Great Peter Street, London. SW1P 2HW or e-mail implementation@electoralcommission.org.uk we believe that it might change its mind.
It would appear that it is the total number of complaints from the community that is important to them, and not who objects.
We feel that this a government body which is more concerned with spending time justifying its own jobs, and does not have the best interests of Royston in mind.
It is concerned solely with numbers and nothing else.
Our view is that if it isn't broke - don't fix it.
We would encourage as many as possible to write to The Electoral Commission before June 27 2006.
Cllr F JOHN SMITH
Cllr TONY HUNTER
Cllr PETER BURT
Cllr FIONA HILL
- Last week members of Royston Town Council decided not to oppose the proposed changes over ward boundaries from the Boundary Committee for England.
