Issue - meetings

The committee considered the community governance review CGR-H, on a proposal to review the name of Wootton parish to reflect the settlement of Boars Hill. 

Councillor Emily Smith and Councillor Val Shaw, local ward councillors, both made statements objecting to a parish name change. 

Officers recommended that the committee made no change to the name of the parish.  At its meeting on 26 May 2022, the committee had agreed to consult on a name change.  Whilst the initial local engagement exercise showed support for the proposal, the results from this council’s consultation showed that 61 per cent of respondents opposed the proposal.  Officers considered that, whilst the name change might serve to better reflect the communities within the area of the parish, the area known as Boars Hill covered a number of parishes, not just Wootton.  A name change, whilst seeking to improve community identity within the area, would therefore be misleading.  Many rural parishes did not include the details of each hamlet or community in their name but still achieved community identity. 

The committee concurred that there should be no name change. 

RESOLVED: to make no change to the name of Wootton parish.