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1
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Bayworth and
Sunningwell likely to be overwhelmed by the inclusion of the whole
of Boars Hill within their Parish. Could well lead to the situation
where Bayworth and Sunningwell feel that their needs are being
disregarded and that only the needs of Boars Hill are being taken
into account.
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2
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This takes a large
section of the Parish away from Wootton and splits the community.
Many of the residents of Boars Hill actively participate in Wootton
community events and make use of the facilities which are provided
by or financially supported by the Parish Council. They clearly
feel that they are part of the Parish. The Boars Hill Association
are trying to move to a smaller Parish so they can dictate to
Sunningwell Parish what they want done. Neither the Boars Hill
Association, nor Sunningwell Parish Council have sought the views
of the residents of the hamlets in their Parish which will be
affected by this.
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3
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I have lived in
Wootton for over 45 years, growing up in old Wootton village, I
always felt Boars hill was part of our parish.
Boars hill residents use the cricket club in Wootton, the school in
Wootton, the church in Wootton and Wootton shops and community
centre.
Boars hill is also in very close proximity with no defined
boundaries, all of old Wootton village and many other homes in
Wootton have Boars hill in their address.
The neighbour hood plan was written including Boars hill with
Wootton.
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4
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My address is
Wootton,
Boars Hill
I would like it to stay that way!
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5
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It would be a
shame to change the boundary for no valid reason.
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6
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The historical
parish of Wootton boundaries do not need amending. The Sunningwell
Parish have not put forward a coherent case for the change. Wootton
Parish have made a good case. It is important that Wootton
maintains its historical hinterland.
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7
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I would like to
understand the motivations behind the request before forming an
opinion, as a Sunningwell resident of many years I have become very
concerned about some of the decisions that our current parish
council make. The atmosphere at our parish council meetings over
recent years have become toxic and unwelcoming to the general
public and people don't tend to want to express their views or
opinions.
In my opinion our current parish council are not fit for purpose
and providing with them with yet more responsibility would be a
mistake, and a move towards more residents from Boars Hill being
incorporated into the Sunningwell Parish could be more divisive. I
believe a review of our current parish council, it's policies and
procedures should take place before a decision to enlarge the
parish be reached.
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8
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It would be
extremely detrimental to make any changes to the current parish
boundaries
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9
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Sunningwell Parish
already includes Bayworth and half of Boars Hill. It’s big
enough.
I’m very much against changing the name. It is important to
keep it the same.
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10
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The proposal
doesn’t make particular sense. It doesn’t straighten up
any current parish boundary and is just a land grab that makes an
odd irregular boundary. The handful of properties affected in
Cumnor don’t retain a geographical link to Sunningwell which
is the other side of another parish in Wootton. The Wootton
properties are better linked to the Wootton parish by road and make
plenty of use of the Wootton amenities. Putting them in Sunningwell
splinters a community and from its nearest amenity.
The Cumnor properties are also part of the Cumnor neighbourhood
plan designation and receive protections from that currently. They
are also in the distinct character of that parish and bear no
relation to the character and environment of Sunningwell.
Feels like a total waste of public monies and time for no actual
benefit to residents or existing parishes, infact it makes a messy
boundary reformatting.
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11
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This will likely
devalue properties in Wootton parish and seems very unnecessary. It
will artificially break traditional parish boundaries and interfere
with established feelings of community, particularly around school
communities.
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12
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What does it mean
funding wise - what are the benefits or dis benefits?
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13
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The majority of
Boars Hill lies within Wootton parish council, why would we move to
Sunningwell? our field would be in Wootton and our house in
Sunningwell, there is no need for change
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14
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What is the
reasoning behind this proposal? Our parish has been functioning
pretty good as it is. I can only guess that in the future if this
proposal is approved, more funds will be diverted to Boars Hill,
leaving the poorer neighbourhoods of Bayworth and Sunningwell
underrepresented and sparsely funded.
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15
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No real objection
to changing the boundaries, but strongly disagree if it means
changing the name of the parish to Boars Hill instead of
Sunningwell.
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16
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Capability of the
current councillors to manager a larger parish.
Poor and at times overly aggressive and authoritarian
communications.
Capability of managing conflict well with parishioners.
Lack of diversity in the current parish council membership. Lack of
women, younger people, representatives from Sunningwell and
Bayworth with a different socio-economic status.
Health and safety awareness - not servicing a defibrillator and
when the village hall car park work took place, they did not
provide easy access to it for disabled people or families using
prams.
They don't maintain the village pond.
Boars Hill will become the centre of attention with Sunningwell and
Bayworth becoming marginalised in terms of priorities.
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17
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The proposal would
be detrimental to the Parish, especially as it would undermine the
current local plan.
A much better proposal would be to merge the Parishes of Wootton
and Sunningwell. This would benefit both parishes, not least
financially and in terms of local influence. It would mean that a
single full time parish clerk could be employed,
Furthermore, if any realignment of the existing parish boundaries
is required, Whitecross should be brought into the Parish of
Sunningwell.
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18
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There are a
certain number of houses immediately adjoining Sunningwell and
separate from the rest of Boars Hill (from the westerly spur of
Lincombe Lane up to the Fox PH) which it would be very sensible to
move across from Wootton, assuming they agree. But on the whole I
don't think historic boundaries - and these are ancient ones -
should be changed without very good cause.Not should historic
parishes be renamed without better cause than appears
here.
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19
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Since those
residents of Boars hill who currently are part of Wootton or Cumnor
seem to have voted by a significant majority to become part of
Sunningwell, there are good grounds for implementing the
change.
In my opinion, there are no grounds for changing the name of the
parish, as Sunningwell is an ancient part of the realm the
boubaries of which have remained broadly the same for 100's of
years.
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20
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The residents of
Boar's Hill already have quite a lot of influence due to the
demographic of the area. Residents such as those of Bayworth Park
won't get to be heard in the shadow of the strength of this
influence. Sunningwell and Bayworth will lose their identity into
the bigger, more influential Boar's Hill. We all know this will
eventually happen, despite any argument against it. I therefore
strongly disagree and hope Sunningwell and Bayworth Parish (an
ancient parish) will be able to retain it's own
identity.
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21
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There are many
reasons why this is not a good idea for the Parish or the
volunteers within it.
Wootton Parish Council (and St Helen Without PC as it was a joint
plan) have had a fully made Neighbourhood Plan in place since 2019.
We’d like to draw the committee’s attention to the
following complications if the current Parish is split:
• NP policies will remain in place and be enforced for the
area of land that they cover even if that land becomes part of a
different Parish.
• NPs that have already been finalised and adopted cannot be
revoked even if Parish Boundaries are changed.
• NP areas cannot overlap, so Sunningwell PC can't create a
NP that includes the area of our NP.
• Reviewing a made plan to change the NP area will require
all statutory processes to be repeated, including area designation,
consultation, examination and referendum - which is a lengthy
time-consuming process that WPC won't be going through as it also
affects SHWPC and the Dalton Barracks development and they would
have to agree.
• So if the parish boundary was changed the NP boundary would
still apply to those houses on Boars Hill and Sunningwell would
have to apply those NP policies. Additionally any amendments to the
NP we make - would also directly affect people in a different
parish - basically making it all incredibly complicated.
There are many other reasons including:
Debt. In 2005, Wootton Parish Council took a government loan to
support the redevelopment of the WADS Community Centre. If the
Parish is split then the remaining households will still be liable
for the loan and the households that have left the parish won't be
liable anymore. Every remaining household within Wootton Parish
will therefore have to pay more to service the loan.
The Community Park. This is used by residents in nearby Boars Hill.
If the split goes ahead then residents of another Parish will get
to use this amenity without paying anything for the upkeep.
Traffic. We believe that if the Parish is split up then households
within the Parish will end up having to pay more in Council Tax to
make up the budget shortfall from those households leaving the
Parish. This will likely affect the implementation of traffic
calming measures and our ability to enhance the community
park.
History. Until the late nineteenth century the hamlets of Wootton
and Old Boars Hill were outlying parts of Cumnor parish. Since then
they have formed a separate parish with the same boundaries as
today and over the years have developed into a single large village
of some 3,000 inhabitants, centred around the Besselsleigh Rd
shops, the Wootton and Dry Sandford Community Centre and the
Bystander Public House. Although different parts of the village,
such as Old Wootton, Boars Hill, and the B4017 corridor, have their
distinctive social and architectural characters, the village is a
well- integrated community as is evidenced in the replies to the
questionnaire sent out in preparing our Joint Neighbourhood Plan
with St Helen Without (made December 2019). There was a strong
feeling of belonging to a neighbourhood and a strong satisfaction
with the area as a place to live.
Website. If the boundary is split we’d have to spend a
considerable sum and many hours of effort to rework the website.
This is a considerable burden we really don’t need given the
work we’re currently doing within the parish.
WADS Community Centre. Wootton Parish Council grants thousands of
pounds every year to support the WADS Community Centre. If the
Parish is split we believe that we won't be able to support the
Community Centre to the same amount. In addition, people in the
breakaway Parish won't be supporting the Community Centre with
their Council Tax but will still be using it.
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22
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I believe that if
the Parish is split up then households within the Parish will end
up having to pay more in Council Tax to make up the budget
shortfall from those households leaving the Parish. This will
likely affect the implementation of traffic calming measures and
our ability to enhance the community park.
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23
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I would like to
object to the proposed boundary changes to the parish of Wootton
put forward by The Boars Hill Association.My primary objection is
the detrimental effect the boundary change would have on the
finances of Wootton Parish Council and its ability to meet its
current obligations and aims.
In 2010, Wootton Parish Council took out a government loan of
£60,000 to support the redevelopment of the Wootton and Dry
Sandford Community Centre, a vital parish amenity. The loan was for
fifty years at a fixed interest rate of 4.6 per cent. Each year the
Council makes repayments of £3,076.60, and the current
outstanding loan in £55,003.91. The total cost of repayment
over 50 years is £153, 830. The Parish Council has not the
reserves to pay the loan off at once, which would incur a repayment
premium and cost £111,357, and refinancing the loan at a lower
rate of interest for the same term would make no difference to the
overall cost. In consequence, Wootton Parish Council is committed
to putting aside £3,000 p.a. to pay off the loan until
2035.
At present, Wootton Parish Council receives a precept of c.
£60,000. This is a large enough sum to allow the Council to
put aside £3,000 per annum to pay off the loan without undue
difficulty. Were Boars Hill to be detached from Wootton, the
precept would be considerably reduced and the percentage of the
budget dedicated each year to paying off the loan increased. This
would mean that the Council would no longer have the same amount of
money each year to enhance traffic-controlling measures and the
broader quality of life in the parish to which it is committed in
accordance with its made Neighbourhood Plan. With a lower precept,
for instance, it would not have been possible to create the
recently established Children’s Community Park opposite the
church, which each year is being improved.
It should be pointed out, too, that the residents of Boars Hill
have always made full use of the Wootton and Dry Sandford Community
Centre and belong to many of the societies that enjoy its
facilities. As Sunningwell Parish has no equivalent Community
Centre, the Boars Hill residents will continue to do use WADSCC,
just as they will continue to use the other amenities in the
village, such as the cricket field, primary school, the church and
the community park, which Wootton Parish Council either directly or
indirectly (through a grant to the Wootton Primary School PTA to
provide laptops for home learning during lockdown, for instance)
supports. It seems very unjust that the residents of a new, smaller
Wootton Parish should pay a higher proportion per head towards
repaying the Community Centre loan and maintaining other existing
amenities in the village, while residents of Boars Hill, who use
these facilities, contribute nothing at all.
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24
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The parish has
always worked very well as a unit during the forty years I have
lived within its boundaries.
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25
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Smaller parish
equals smaller amount of funds, hence my disapproval of altering
the boundary to include Boars Hill in the Sunningwell parish.
Little enough is spent in ou parish as it is!
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26
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The boundary has
been set for many years and I can't understand why the boundaries
should be moved. In all likelihood this will have a negative
financial impact on the money provided by The VWHDC to the Wootton
parish, and as such I am strongly against this proposal.
I would also be interested to know what percentage of the residents
that will be impacted directly by this proposal, due to them living
within the new boundaries, have actually proposed this change or
have formally agreed with the proposal?
I ask this as it may well be that just a few residents have set out
the proposal, as they would prefer to not be associated with the
Wootton parish, for their own self interests, whereby others who
don't have the same interest are content with the current
boundaries? The old adage, "if it isn't broken, then don't try and
fix it" springs to mind!
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27
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The Boars Hill
Association are just trying to move to Sunningwell as their
attempts to bully Wootton have not worked. They think their voice
will carry more weight in Sunningwell as they will be a majority
voice. They will just ignore the existing residents. Maybe they
should get involved in the Parish they are in rather than invading
another parish.
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28
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Please uploaded
letter.
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29
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I wish to oppose
Sunningwell's request to join Boars Hill parish. I hope you will
consider this carefully especially as there seems to be a very fast
time factor.
Written response 14.04.22
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30
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Just to say that I
object strongly to the proposal that Boars Hill should become part
of Sunningwell. The reduction in finances would mean less support
for all the facilities in Wootton particularly the Community Centre
and field and the Cricket Club. All of which are used by the
residents of Boars Hill. I am also concerned about the potential
loss of financial support for such things as road calming measures
which would affect the safety of all of us in the area.
Email response received 26.04.22
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31
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I am against the
proposal of the removal of Boars Hill from Wootton Parish Council.
I would imagine that this matter has been on the drawing board for
some time and am disappointed that this has only recently come to
our attention with so little time to gather enough response to
it.
Email response received 21.04.22
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32
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We are against the
proposal.
Email response received 14.04.22
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33
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I do not support
Boars Hill being part of Sunningwell Parish Council. Plans have
been made on the existing and forecast revenue for Wootton and to
change the boundary will have an adverse effect on those plans and
the community served by the existing parish boundary.
Email response received 13.04.22
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34
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I would like to
say I am personally against the changes to the boundary.
Email response received 27.04.22
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35
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My sister and I do
not approve of the proposed changes to the parish boundary.
Email response received 26.04.22
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36
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As a
resident… in Boars Hill, I should like to register my
agreement with this proposal. At present the parish boundary line
runs down Lincombe Lane resulting in some 10 houses…
belonging to Wootton Parish and the remaining majority lying within
the Sunningwell Parish. It clearly makes sense for the whole of
Lincombe Lane to be included in Sunningwell Parish. I very much
hope this proposal wins approval.
Email response received 20.04.22
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37
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This email is to
advise that as a resident of Wootton I am against the request for
Sunningwell to take Boars Hill or any more than they currently have
of it from Wootton parish boundaries.
Email response received 25.04.22
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38
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Please register my
opposition to this move which smacks of elitism. There is nothing
wrong with the present boundary and it should be left as it is, as
to allow the amendment would have unnecessary financial
consequences for our parish.
Email response received 25.04.22
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39
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I would like to
state that I am against this proposal.
Email response received 27.04.22
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40
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...I wish to
register my disagreement with the proposal to transfer part of
Boar's Hill from Wootton to Sunningwell parish.
Email response received 21.04.22
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41
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Please be advised
that I am against transferring that part of Boars Hill that is
within Wootton parish into Sunningwell.
Email response received 14.04.22
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42
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Boundary change. I
do not agree with this proposal.
Email response received 14.04.22
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43
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Please see
attached document.
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44
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Please see
attached document.
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Submitted at end
of survey under ‘Any other comments’
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Wootton Parish
Council believes that no changes should be made to the present
boundaries of the parish on the grounds the parish as presently
constituted works well for the benefit of all the residents. Your
Council is particularly concerned that the removal of Boars Hill
from the parish would necessarily lead to a sizeable reduction in
our annual precept (the money we receive each year from the Vale to
run the Council, which is paid on the number of residents). This
would reduce our ability to develop further our traffic-controlling
measures along the B4107, enhance the facilities in our new
Community Park, and provide grants to local societies and projects.
A reduction in precept would also make it more difficult to finance
the large loan the Parish Council took out to make possible the
renovation of the Community Centre, which is a central part of
village life.
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Submitted at end
of survey under ‘Any other comments’
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I know that some
of the Boars Hill residents have been unhappy/upset with the way
that issues which affect or could affect Boars Hill have been dealt
with in the past. Residents attending meetings were left in
no doubt that certain elements on Wootton PC resented their
presence and 'knew better' on the matters put forward by Boars Hill
residents. Attempts to take matters further were obstructed
by those same elements on the PC. The current make up of the
Wootton PC is very different from 2 years ago, although there are
still 2 councillors who are unsympathetic/hostile to anything
involving Boars Hill. Bearing in mind the change in attitude of
Wootton PC I feel that maintaining the status quo would be
preferable to transferring the Wootton and Cumnor parts of Boars
Hill to Sunningwell PC. IF ANY CHANGE IS TO BE MADE IN BOUNDARIES
THEN I WOULD STRONGLY SUPPORT UNITING THE WHOLE OF BOARS HILL INTO
ONE WITH ITS OWN NEW PARISH COUNCIL.
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Submitted at end
of survey under ‘Any other comments’
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Keeping our part
of Boars Hill within the Wootton parish is infinitely preferable to
porting it over to Sunningwell PC. Either keep things exactly
as they are or give the whole of Boars Hill its own parish council,
which would be the ideal solution even if that would take
longer to achieve.
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Submitted at end
of survey under ‘Any other comments’
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Any changes to the
current parish boundaries would have an adverse affect on monies
available to support community projects and more worrying is the
repayment of the loan taken out to refurbish the Wootton community
centre. So keep things as they are and mess it up for the future
residents of Wootton.
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Submitted at end
of survey under ‘Any other comments’
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I suspect the
Sunningwell parish councillors are trying to grow a larger empire
and there should be a referendum before any changes are
made.
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Submitted at end
of survey under ‘Any other comments’
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Currently our
parish has been governed by a council consisting of Sunningwell,
Bayworth and Boars Hill. We have witnessed in the recent
months funds (£5K) diverted to Boars Hill to fight a planning
application, even though this part of Boars Hill is not part of our
parish. If the current application for change of boundary and name
of the parish is approved, the majority of the funding will go to
the Boars Hill part of the parish.
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Submitted at end
of survey under ‘Any other comments’
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Changing parish
boundaries at a time when budgets are so tight and households are
struggling does not seem logical. Any changes made should
minimise these costs.
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