Notices

CPC Response to potential ward boundary changes

Medway Ward BoundariesThe Parish Council met at an Extraordinary Council meeting on Tuesday evening to discuss, in depth, the Boundary Commission Consultation that ends on MONDAY 2nd MARCH.   As a result, we have prepared and submitted a response to the Boundary Commission, as below.

This consultation concerns the allocation of 4 additional Medway Ward Councillors by the next local elections due in 2023. The aim is to give each Ward Councillor around the same number of voters to represent. Some proposals may involve Ward Boundary changes which concerns the Parish Council.

We understand that Medway Council are likely to propose joining Cuxton and Halling Ward (as it is currently) with part of Strood South (Medway Gate area) and giving that new ward 2 councillors. Having 2 councillors would be great, but joining us with Strood may leave us open to becoming an extension of urban Strood and an erosion of our rural status.

The attached 2 page response represents Cuxton Parish Council views, and we need your help to ensure that as many Cuxton residents as possible respond to the consultation before it closes on Monday. We need a minimum of 100 residents to respond using evidence to support their views, to have any effect on the decisions.

The Commission uses 3 criteria to assess any proposals for change (listed in the document below).

In brief the PC arguments for keeping the boundary as it is are as follows:
– Cuxton and Halling have been underrepresented for many years. Our ward Councillor has 39% more voters to represent than the average across Medway wards in a geographically large ward.
– Cuxton and Halling share the same rural landscape
– Cuxton and Halling are rural and Strood is urban
– Cuxton and Halling have many links/shared activity eg. Shared Scout group based in Cuxton, Shared active Retirement Association based in Halling, shared rector serving both communities, Shared GP practice. If you can think of more please add them.
There is more in the attachment

We do not feel that there are any such links with Strood South.

To contribute to the consultation you can either follow the link at: https://consultation.lgbce.org.uk/node/19557

Or email your comments to: reviews@lgbce.org.uk if this is easier for you.