New Political Map.
Charnwood Borough Council is set to have new boundaries for its council wards. The Local Government Boundary Commission is an independent body that draws these boundaries. It has reviewed Charnwood to make sure councillors will represent about the same number of electors, and that ward arrangements will help the council work effectively. The Commission has published final recommendations for changes to Charnwood Borough Council. It says residents should be represented by 52 councillors. This is the same as current arrangements. There will be four fewer wards than there is now. The boundaries of all but two of the existing wards will change. The Commission believe the new arrangements will guarantee electoral fairness while maintaining local ties. 150 submissions from local residents and organisations helped decide the new wards.
My ward of Forest Bradgate which includes the villages of Newtown Linford, Ulverscroft, Woodhouse and Woodhouse Eaves, largely stays the same, only a small area of Alan Turing Road is placed in Loughborough Shelthorpe Grange ward. Forest Bradgate ward will still be represented by a single Councillor.
I am grateful to both the Newtown Linford and Woodhouse Parish Councils for their contribution to the Commission’s consultation stating similar views. That the current Forest Bradgate ward should be retained to keep the focus on the issues that they have in common. Their rural nature raises issues with traffic, tourism and conservation. They also cited the close working relationship between the two Parish Councils. I also expressed similar views.
Parliament now needs to agree the changes. The new arrangements will then apply for the next Borough Council elections in 2023.
