Agenda and minutes

The minutes of the meeting held on 11 March, 2004, were agreed as read, confirmed and signed.

The Chief Executive reported that no questions had been received under Standing Order 36.

The Chief Executive reported that no questions had been received under Standing Order 7(3) and (5).

There were no items for urgent consideration.

No declarations of interest were made.

The Committee considered a report of the Chief Executive inviting the Committee to determine the County Council’s response to the draft recommendations of the Boundary Committee in relation to the Periodic Electoral Review of Leicestershire County Council.  The Committee also considered a supplementary report relating to comments received from elected members and others on the Boundary Committee’s draft recommendations.  Copies of the report and a supplementary report marked ‘B’ and ‘BB’ respectively are filed with these minutes.

 

The Committee discussed in turn the key issues raised in the reports and arising from the comments which had been received.

 

(i)      Multi-member Electoral Divisions

 

         It was agreed that the Boundary Committee should be advised that the County Council is ideally against two-member electoral divisions as this would create divisions which are generally too large. However, it recognises that this may be the only feasible option in some urban areas due to the difficulty of achieving electoral equality without either splitting communities or creating artificial boundaries.

 

(ii)     The Proposed Gartree and Launde Divisions

 

It was moved by Mr Parsons and seconded by Mr Ould:-

 

         ‘that the County Council continues to support its proposal relating to the Gartree and Launde divisions of Harborough’.

 

         The motion was put and carried, 3 members having voted for the motion and 1 against with one absention.

 

         Mr Galton asked that his name be recorded as having voted against the motion.

 

(iii)   Proposed Ibstock and Applebly Division

 

It was agreed that the County Council should support the proposed Ibstock and Appleby Division in North West Leicestershire;

 

(iv)   Winstanley Parish Ward

 

         It was agreed that the County Council should support the proposed division of Winstanley Parish ward into two parish wards to reflect the proposed County divisions in that area.  It was also agreed that the Boundary Committee should be advised that the County Council is of the view that the names of the wards should be “Thorpe Astley” and “Winstanley” respectively rather than “Winstanley West” and “Winstanley East”.

 

(v)     Market Bosworth Division

 

It was agreed that the County Council should object to the proposal to include Barlestone Division in the Market Bosworth Division as this would result in a very large division both in terms of electorate and geographically.  It was agreed that as an alternative the County Council should propose that the Barlestone Division be incorporated into the proposed Ratby, Desford and Thornton Division.  This would improve electoral equality and make the Market Bosworth Division more manageable.

 

(vi)   Proposed Blaby Divisions

 

It was moved by Mr Parsons and seconded by Mr Ould:-

 

         ‘That the Boundary Committee be advised that the County Council objects to the draft recommendations in respect of Blaby and continues to support the proposals set out in the County Council’s own scheme’.

 

         The motion was put and carried, three members having voted for the motion and one against with one abstention.

 

         Mr Galton voted against the proposal.

 

(vii)   The proposed Burbage Electoral Division

 

It was agreed to recommend to the Boundary Committee that the proposed “Burbage” Electoral Division be renamed “Burbage and Hinckley South”.

 

RESOLVED:

 

(a)      That the Chief Executive be requested to respond to the draft recommendations of the Boundary on the basis now agreed.

 

(b)      That the details of the County Council’s response to the draft recommendations of the Boundary Committee be circulated to members via Members’ Information Service.

 

(c)      That the Chief Executive be requested to respond to the County Councils Network on the principle of two-member electoral divisions on the basis referred to in paragraph (i) above.

The Committee considered a report of the Chief Executive informing the Committee that Hinckley and Bosworth Borough Council had received a petition for the constitution of a Parish for Barwell and for the establishment of a Parish Council for that area.  A copy of the report marked C is filed with these minutes.

 

It was reported that Mrs. R. Camamile CC, the local member for Barwell, had asked that the Committee be advised that she fully supported the proposal to establish a Parish Council for Barwell.

 

RESOLVED:

 

That the proposed establishment of a parish council for Barwell be supported.

 

 

 

 

 

 

9.30 a.m. – 10.25 a.m.                        CHAIRMAN

15 April 2004