North Tyneside Tories have branded new proposed council ward boundaries from the local authority a "dog's dinner".
The local authority is in the process of examining its elective wards to submit proposals to the Local Government Boundary Commission for England (LGBCE). The new boundaries, put together as a cross-party effort, are meant to encourage a roughly equal number of electors per ward (8,268), efficient government, and united communities.
The proposals are set to increase and decrease the size of certain wards as well as creating entirely new ones. However, the draft boundaries have created consternation among local Tories.
Read More: Leader of North Tyneside Tory group deselected from own ward
Conservative councillor for Tynemouth, Lewis Bartoli said: "They are an absolute dog's dinner. They look like they have been drawn by a child. They don't make any sense for communities and they don't make any sense for their needs.
"They have been drawn to maximise the number of Labour votes". Coun Bartoli later branded the plans "embarrassing".
Tory Preston councillor Liam Bones said: "On the council's proposals, I think there are a few problems. Lots of it looks like pretty severe gerrymandering to be honest.
"The obvious ones are Cullercoats and Tynemouth which cuts out a whole estate.
"Where the Palmersville Metro Station is, the street to the east, Miller Close and the Wheatsheaf pub. From the rest of the Killingworth ward you have to cross the Metro line at Palmersville into what is the new Valley ward to then come back into Millar Close.
"It sticks out like a sore thumb. That's not community cohesion.
"It's just really disappointing more than anything. This could have been a really good opportunity to bring our communities together, for communities to have an open discussion about what is important to them.
"Instead it has become what will get the Labour Party the most seats to the detriment of communities and government."
Deputy Mayor Carl Johnson said: "The plans which went to the council meeting were drawn up by a cross-party group of councillors which included representation from the Conservative group. We’ve approached this from a community point of view, the plans unite the Howdon area in a single ward, fix historic issues in the North West, and created a North Shields ward to give the town a streamlined voice on the council.
"In the North East of the borough, the plans have dealt with several wards which are way out of step with the boundary commissions criteria. The residents of this borough elect Labour overwhelmingly in mayoral, council and parliamentary elections, electing 51 out of 60 councillors as Labour locally because we consistently deliver for residents of this borough. Whether it's mitigating the Tory cost of living crisis, tackling the climate emergency, or delivering award-winning regeneration schemes.
"The out-of-touch Conservatives, who didn't even bother to put a proposal forward to the council, are in a near-constant state of scandal locally and nationally, constantly talking down this borough from the side-lines. It should come as no surprise to them why residents continue to reject them at the ballot box."
Jon Ritchie, director of resources at North Tyneside Council, said: “The robust proposals have been developed on behalf of the council by a cross-party working group of councillors, supported by officers, with all political groups in North Tyneside Council represented on the working group. The proposals were prepared using guidance from The Local Government Boundary Commission for England.
“Any member of the public, external body, group or organisation can develop their own proposals regarding the potential future warding arrangements within North Tyneside, which has been publicised by the authority and the Local Government Boundary Commission, and submit them to The Local Government Boundary Commission for consideration.”
The proposed new wards were agreed to the sent to the commission for further consideration by a Labour majority. Here are some of the proposed changes to North Tyneside:
Brierdene :
The council has proposed the creation of a new ward called Brierdene. According to local authority documents: "The proposal we make for the Brierdene ward is focussed on uniting all of the rural area in the greenbelt in the North East of the borough".
The council explains: "While the ward looks geographically large, it contains vast swathes of farm, scrub and wildlife areas that dominate the geography of the ward. The proposed ward would place all of this in the same ward allowing the issues which are unique to the communities in this ward to be tackled."
North Shields:
North Shields could soon become its own ward. According to the local authority: "The four wards that previously covered this area had vastly different issues, especially the Tynemouth ward which included the east end of North Shields and is one example of hugely differing issues between its communities. The ward would not only unite the community but make business relations much easier for the Council as a large commercial centre would be under one easily identifiable ward."
Tynemouth and Cullercoats:
The council seeks to merge these two wards. The council's report into the wards stated: "The Longsands beach is currently divided between the current Tynemouth and Cullercoats wards and this brings the wards together uniting the main physical feature in both areas but also a place where residents and visitors spend lots of leisure time. Services are also united with most of the Authority’s coastal team operating in this area and would mean a single group of councillors representing this area rather that two, which has previously caused delays and confusion."
Chirton and Preston:
Chirton and Preston are, from the point of view of the council, very similar wards and would meld together well. Council officers wrote: "The new ward we proposed will connect two communities of Chirton and Preston Village. The area is almost all residential and residents share vastly the same issues across the ward allowing for a direct focus on similar services for all residents."
Whitley Sands:
Another potential new council creation includes Whitley Sands. "The proposals we make for the Whitley Sands ward, encompassing much of the former Monkseaton North ward, include addressing the target number of electors required by LGBCE", the council explained. "This includes bringing the coastal section of Whitley Lodge into the ward as they share common characteristics and routes including the main road through the ward at the Links."
Read More:
- Newcastle's Central Arcade up for sale with £11.75m price tag
- Derelict Gateshead school to be demolished to make way for new homes
- Gateshead tenant 'left freezing' in own house because of cracks in walls
- Government approves plan to delay Newcastle Clean Air Zone pollution tolls until 2023
- Northumbrian Water to install drainage pipe to reduce sea water contamination in Cullercoats Bay
