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Agenda and minutes

Venue: Council Chamber - County Hall, Bythesea Road, Trowbridge, BA14 8JN. View directions

Contact: Kieran Elliott  Email: kieran.elliott@wiltshire.gov.uk

Items
No. Item

18.

Apologies

Minutes:

Apologies for absence were received from Cllrs Peter Hutton, David Jenkins, Christopher Williams, Ian Blair-Pilling, Bob Jones MBE, Jane Davies, Chuck Berry, Paul Oatway QPM, John Walsh, Jim Lynch, Nick Fogg MBE, Melody Thompson, Hayley Illman, Christine Crisp and Phil Alford.

19.

Declarations of Interest

To receive any declarations of disclosable interests or dispensations granted by the Standards Committee.

 

Minutes:

There were no declarations of interest.

20.

Announcements by the Chairman

Minutes:

The Chairman announced the sad news of the passing of Cllr Graham Payne, Trowbridge Drynham, and paid tribute to his work as a councillor at town, district, county and unitary level since 1976.

 

A minute’s silence was observed. The Chairman invited statements from councillors wishing to pay homage to Cllr Payne.

 

Cllr Baroness Scott of Bybrook OBE spoke of the work of Cllr Payne in the Trowbridge community and his support to the Royal Navy. The Leader explained how much Graham would be missed by his family, the Council and the community.

 

Cllr Ian Thorn spoke of a councillor with a passion for his local area and who brought people together.

 

Cllr Ricky Rogers spoke of his relationship with Cllr Payne as a great friend.

 

Cllr Ernie Clark spoke of a councillor who spoke his mind and would be missed by the community.

 

Cllr Peter Fuller spoke how Cllr Payne worked tirelessly for Trowbridge and about his legacy for the town.

 

Cllr Steve Oldrieve spoke of a good man he worked with on the Area Board and would have liked to have got to know better.

 

Cllr Christopher Devine spoke of a man with a good sense of humour and a great deal of tenacity, that would be missed.

 

Cllr Christopher Newbury spoke of a councillor with great political knowledge who fought for what he believed in.

 

Cllr Matthew Dean spoke of Cllr Payne’s support for the local Conservative club and how he championed others to achieve.

21.

Public Participation

The Council welcomes contributions from members of the public. As this is an extraordinary meeting convened specifically to consider the Electoral Review, in accordance with the Council’s constitution, questions, statements and petitions can only be accepted in respect of these items.

 

Statements

If you would like to make a statement at this meeting on any item on this agenda, please register to do so at least 10 minutes prior to the meeting. Up to 3 speakers are permitted to speak for up to 3 minutes each on any agenda item. Please contact the officer named above for any further clarification.

 

Questions

To receive any questions from members of the public  received in accordance with the constitution. Those wishing to ask questions are required to give notice of any such questions in writing to the officer named above (acting on behalf of the Corporate Director) no later than 5pm on Monday 18 March in order to receive a written response, or Wednesday 20 March for a verbal response.Please contact the officer named on the first page of this agenda for further advice. Questions may be asked without notice if the Chairman decides that the matter is urgent.

 

Details of any questions received will be circulated to Councillors prior to the meeting and made available at the meeting and on the Council’s website.

Minutes:

There were no public questions.

22.

Electoral Review - Division Boundaries and Submission

Supporting documents:

Minutes:

Cllr Richard Clewer, Chairman of the Electoral Review Committee presented a report and submission approved by the Committee to the Local Government Boundary Commission for England (“The Commission”) regarding their draft recommendations for a pattern of electoral divisions for the Council.

 

The Chairman explained the process for debating the proposal and considering amendments. It was highlighted that an amendment from Cllr Nick Murry was circulated in Agenda Supplement 1.

 

Cllr Clewer moved the recommendation, seconded by Cllr Gavin Grant. Cllr Clewer stated that the majority of the Council’s initial proposals to the Commission had been accepted, however some key areas had been challenged by the Committee. The Committee had accepted some of these, but felt that a number of them were not in accordance with the statutory criteria of the review and were proposing the Council object to those proposals. Cllr Clewer thanked Cllr Grant in particular for his support and cross-party working to develop the Committee’s proposals.

 

Cllr Clewer explained he would present the key areas where proposals were substantially different to the Council’s original submission. It was felt the Commission’s proposals for Malmesbury misunderstood the town and did not reflect local community identity and the Committee recommended something similar to the Council’s original proposal. For Warminster, the Commission’s proposals were more straightforward and were recommended to be accepted with minor amendments. For the Westbury community area, the Committee recommended the Commission be strongly challenged on the grounds that an urban/rural split would be preferable and there was strong public sentiment to support this.

 

In Melksham, the Commission’s proposals were challenged on the grounds they did not match the distinctive communities in the area, therefore the Council’s original submission was recommended, with one minor change, and that there was strong public and town and parish council support for this approach. In Chippenham, the Commission’s proposals were challenged due to inappropriate mix of a rural community and an urban division at Lowden and Rowden. It was noted there would also be implications on Community Governance reviews, although this was not a material consideration for the submission. In the Salisbury and Laverstock area, the draft recommendation that Odstock be moved into the Chalke Valley Division was accepted by Committee. However, the Commission’s proposals for Britford and Laverstock were to be challenged. It was highlighted that both Salisbury City Council and Laverstock and Ford Parish Council supported the Council’s proposal for the Laverstock area, whereas the Commission’s proposals arbitrarily divided the communities in the area. For Harnham, an adjustment to the boundary line was to be recommended by the Committee.

 

During public statements Mr Francis Morland challenged proposals for expected population growth and expressed concern about the implication on electoral equality if the population did not increase as expected in some divisions.

 

Cllr Clewer explained the population numbers were based on Spatial Planning estimates and a general population uplift was required by the Commission, who had accepted the estimates.

 

Group leaders were then invited to comment on the proposals. Cllr Baroness Scott  ...  view the full minutes text for item 22.

Recorded Vote
TitleTypeRecorded Vote textResult
Proposed Amendment to the Draft Submission to the LGBCE Amendment

To amend the boundaries of the proposed Chippenham Monkton Division to be included within the Council’s submission to the LGBCE, to include the areas of Station Hill, St Mary’s Place and Monkton Hill.

Rejected
Draft Submission to the LGBCE Motion

That Council approves the draft response to the Local Government

Boundary Commission for England as set out in report, subject to any

necessary consequential changes and any additional supporting

evidence, with the final wording of the response to be delegated to the

Director of Legal and Democratic Services after consultation with the

Chairman of the Electoral Review Committee.

Carried
  • View Recorded Vote for this item
  • 23.

    Electoral Review - Division Names

    Supporting documents:

    Minutes:

    Cllr Richard Clewer, Chairman of the Electoral Review Committee, introduce the proposals of the Committee in respect of proposed names for each of the electoral division.

     

    The Chairman explained the process for debating the proposal and considering amendments.

     

    Cllr Clewer moved the Committee’s recommendation, seconded by Cllr Gavin Grant, and thanked officers for their support constructing a Council submission. He explained the methodology the Committee had used to propose names, and that the names related to the Committee proposals only, not in respect of the Commission proposed divisions.

     

    The Chairman then invited statements from members of the public.

     

    Mr Francis Morland suggested ‘Westbury West’ should be renamed ‘Westbury South’ and ‘Warminster North and Rural’, should become ‘Warminster North and Corsley’.

     

    Cllr Clewer explained the names corresponded with the Council’s submission of boundaries and he would consider a recommendation if it had support from local members.

     

    There were no comments from Group Leaders.

     

    The Chairman then invited comments in debate.

     

    Cllr Christopher Newbury suggested Mr Morland send his proposals for name changes to the Commission directly.

     

    Cllr Jon Hubbard noted the Commission would need to deviate from the Council’s proposed names if they did not agree with the submission. It was highlighted that Bowerhill and Berryfield parishes did not like the word ‘Melksham’ before them. Cllr Clewer advised parishes could make submissions directly to the Commission.

     

    Cllr Hubbard moved an amendment for ‘Melksham Bowerhill’ to become ‘Bowerhill’, ‘Melksham East’ to become ‘Melksham Sandridge’, ‘Melksham South’ to become ‘Melksham Spa’, Cllr Hubbard moved ‘Melksham North’ be renamed ‘Whitley, Shaw and Shurnhold’, and was seconded by Cllr Pat Aves.

     

    On going to the vote, the amendment was passed.

     

    Cllr Mark Connolly moved an amendment to change the name of ‘Tidworth West’ to ‘Tidworth North and West’, this was accepted by the mover of the original motion.

     

    Cllr Fleur de Rhé-Philipe spoke against the name change proposed by Mr Morland and Cllr Philip Whalley suggested Corsham Town be named Corsham Ladbrook by the Commission.

     

    Cllr Grant spoke in support of the Committee’s naming methodology. 

     

    Cllr Laura Mayes moved an amendment for ‘Seend and Potterne’ division to be ‘Seend, Potterne and Poulshot’ division, this was accepted by the mover of the motion.

     

    Cllr Jose Green moved an amendment that ‘Chalke Valley’ be ‘Fovant and the Chalke Valley’, this was accepted by the mover of the motion.

     

    Cllr Fred Westmoreland spoke in support of the proposals.

     

    Cllr James Sheppard moved an amendment that ‘Ramsbury’ division be retained as ‘Aldbourne and Ramsbury’, this was accepted by the mover of the motion..

     

    Cllr Christopher Devine moved an amendment that ‘Alderbury and Winterslow’ be renamed ‘Winterslow and Alderbury’. This amendment was not accepted by the mover of the motion, and as there was no seconder therefore the amendment fell.

     

    Cllr Atiqul Hoque suggested a change to names in Salisbury if the Commission’s recommendation was accepted. Cllr Clewer advised this was not  ...  view the full minutes text for item 23.

    Recorded Vote
    TitleTypeRecorded Vote textResult
    Amendment to Proposed Division Names Amendment

    For inclusion with the submission to the LGBCE:

     

    Melksham Bowerhill to be changed to Bowerhill

    Melksham East to be changed to Melksham Sandridge

    Melksham South to be changed to Melksham Spa

    Melksham North to be changed to Whitley, Shaw and Shurnhold

    Carried
    Division Names for Draft Submission Motion

    That Council approves the proposed names of the divisions as

    recommended in Appendix A, with the following amendments:

     

    ‘Bowerhill’ to replace ‘Melksham Bowerhill’;

    ‘Melksham Sandridge’ to replace ‘Melksham East’;

    ‘Melksham Spa’ to replace ‘Melksham South’;

    ‘Whitley Shaw and Shurnhold’ to replace ‘Melksham North’;

    ‘Tidworth North and West’ to replace ‘Tidworth West’;

    ‘Seend, Potterne and Poulshot’ to replace ‘Seend and Potterne’;

    ‘Fovant and Chalke Valley’ to replace ‘Chalke Valley’;

    ‘Aldbourne and Ramsbury’ to replace ‘Ramsbury’;

    ‘Salisbury Bemerton’ to replace ‘Salisbury Bemerton Heath’;

    ‘Salisbury Fisherton and Lower Bemerton’ to replace ‘Salisbury Fisherton and Bemerton’.

    Carried
  • View Recorded Vote for this item
  • 24.

    Notices of Motion

    To consider the following notices of motions:

    Minutes:

    There were no notices of motion.

    25.

    Councillors' Questions

    As this is an extraordinary meeting of Council and in accordance with the Council’s constitution, questions can only be accepted in relation to the items on this agenda

     

    Please note that Councillors are required to give notice of any such questions in writing to the officer named on the first page of this agenda (acting on behalf of the Corporate Director) not later than 5pm on Monday 18 March 2019. Questions may be asked without notice if the Chairman decides that the matter is urgent.

     

    Details of any questions received will be circulated to Councillors prior to the meeting and made available at the meeting and on the Council’s website.

    Minutes:

    There were no councillor questions.

    Attendance log

    Supporting documents:

    Recorded Votes

    Supporting documents: