Agenda and minutes

To receive apologies for absence.

Apologies for absence were submitted on behalf of Councillors Edward Blagrove, Charlotte Dickson (Councillor Mike Badcock as substitute) and Gervase Duffield.

To adopt and sign as a correct record the minutes of the meeting held on 13 October 2016 – attached.

RESOLVED: to approve the minutes of the meeting held on 13 October 2015 as a correct record and agree that the Chairman sign them as such.

To receive any declarations of disclosable pecuniary interests in respect of items on the agenda for this meeting and any other relevant interests.

Councillor Ben Mabbett made a statement in respect of agenda item 4 that, as a Wantage Town Councillor, he would not vote on any issue which could impact on the boundary of the town.

To consider the report of the head of legal and democratic services on the Boundary Commission for England’s review of parliamentary constituencies - report attached.

The committee considered the report of the head of legal and democratic services on the review of parliamentary constituencies and the initial proposals published by the Boundary Commission for England (BCE).

The committee agreed not to make any comment on the district ward makeup of the proposed constituencies because no changes involved Vale of White Horse district wards. However, the committee noted that representations would be made by constituency political parties and local groups/individuals regarding the proposed changes to the Oxford West and Abingdon constituency particularly relating to the inclusion of three South Oxfordshire district wards which had no community identity with the existing constituency.

The committee noted that the proposals do not take account of changes to district ward boundaries requested by Vale of White Horse District Council to reflect those changes made at parish level by the Vale of White Horse District Council (Reorganisation of Community Governance) Order 2015. Although the council had received confirmation from the Local Government Boundary Commission for England that these changes would be made these had yet not been reflected in a related alteration order. The committee agreed to alert BCE to these impending changes and request that it amends its proposals to reflect these.   

RESOLVED: to request the Boundary Commission for England to amend the constituency boundaries to reflect the Local Government Boundary Commission for England related alteration order.

To consider the report of the head of legal and democratic services which invites the committee to consider draft terms of reference for community governance reviews which the committee decided to undertake at its meeting on 13 October 2015 and for reviews which have been requested by parish councils since that date – report attached.

The committee considered the report of the head of legal and democratic services on the draft terms of reference for community governance reviews which the committee agreed to undertake at its meeting on 13 October 2015 and requests for reviews received from East Harwell and South Hinksey parish councils.

Maggie Rawcliffe, a representative of South Hinksey Parish Council, addressed the committee in support of the request to undertake a review of possible warding arrangements for the parish and an increase in the number of parish councillors. In support of the request for the warding of the parish she stated that the parish comprised two distinct areas – the village and the Hinksey Hill area. Each area has its own identity, community cohesion and distinct issues/problems.  In support of the request to increase the number of parish councillors she highlighted an increase in the responsibilities and workload faced by the parish council.

The committee considered and supported the requests from East Hanney Parish Council to review the number of parish councillors and from South Hinksey Parish Council to review both the number of parish councillors and possible warding arrangements.

The committee considered the draft terms of reference for those reviews agreed at its meeting in October 2015.   In respect of CGR_B(21) the committee agreed to consult on both options. In respect of CGR_C(24) the committee agreed to undertake separate reviews of the Crab Hill area, currently in both Grove and Lockinge parishes, and Stockham Farm. In the case of Stockham Farm the committee agreed to extend the area of review to include the land between the canal and Downsview Road.

RESOLVED:

1.            To undertake community governance reviews of East Hanney Parish Council and South Hinksey Parish Council as requested in appendix one and appendix two of the report of the head of legal and democratic services to the Community Governance and Electoral Issues Committee on 17 October 2016;

2.            To undertake separate reviews of the Crab Hill area and Stockham Farm (CGR_24(24)) and extend the area of review for Stockham Farm to include the land between the canal and Downsview Road;

3.            To authorise the head of legal and democratic services to finalise and publish the terms of reference for the reviews to reflect the decisions taken by the committee at its meeting on 17 October 2016;

4.            To note that the committee will receive a further report in 2017 on a review of the electoral arrangements for Harwell East Parish Council.