Hayle Mayor Slams Boundary Changes

The Mayor of Hayle says proposed boundary changes by
Cornwall Council could leave large areas of the town and surrounding
area without effective representation in County Hall. Plans under
consultation would see one Cornwall Councillor representing most of
Hayle, and another the huge area of Gwithian, Connor Downs, Eastern
Hayle and the area to the south of the town.

Mayor Clive Polkinghorne says: “The plans proposed by Cornwall
Council are an act of sheer vandalism which will leave residents in a
huge area of West Cornwall without effective representation at County
Hall. It will be impossible for the Cornwall Councillor elected to cover
Gwithian, Phillack, east Hayle, Connor Downs and to the south of Hayle
effectively – the area is simply too large.” He wants Cornwall Council
to adopt a proposal which provides a north-south split bordered by the
railway line and old A30, which he argues would provide more even
geographic and effective representation for all residents in the area.

“Many residents of Hayle have contacted me to express their anger and
disbelief that such a ludicrous proposal was seriously considered that
divorces integral parts of Hayle and its 11,000 residents from each
other to save the 1,400-strong population of Connor Downs from being
‘split’ – and I back their views absolutely. If this proposal is
adopted, it will hurt some of the most vulnerable people in the area by
denying them effective representation at Cornwall Council.

“The people of Hayle are speaking very clearly that they do not want
this change imposed on them, and I urge Cornwall Council and the
Boundary Commission to reconsider their views urgently and to adopt the
proposal developed by Hayle Town Council, giving ALL residents in the
area truly effective representation in County Hall. I urge everyone in
Hayle and the surrounding area to object to this proposal in the
strongest possible terms to the Boundary Commission.”

Your support is needed!

The consultation
closes in September – in order for your voice to be heard, we urge you
to respond to it. If enough of you respond demanding that it is critical
that Hayle Town Council’s proposal (see Further Information below) is
adopted, we can hope to ensure not only that everyone receives effective
representation at Cornwall Council level, but also that it is less
likely that in the future Hayle Town Council’s boundaries will be split
and communities divided.

It is absolutely critical to the long-term future of Hayle and the surrounding areas. 

The Boundary Commission is the main target (by September) but if people can also copy in matthew.stokes@cornwall.gov.uk  (or by writing to Matthew Stokes, Electoral Services Manager, County Hall, Treyew Road, Cornwall) it will be very helpful.

Further information:

Hayle Town Council’s proposal is as follows:

“Two divisions be created based on a north/south divide following the
railway line until it crosses the A30 and then north along the bypass
and then up the old A30, thus creating ‘Hayle North and Gwithian’, a
division based on Gwithian with part of Hayle, and ‘Hayle South and
Gwinear’, Gwinear plus part of Hayle. The anticipated electorates are
5580 for the Hayle North division and 5429 for the Hayle South
division.  This is based on the anticipated additional electorate in
polling district CHS3 being included in the south division electorate
and 154 electors from the CHS1 polling district being included in the
north division.

The proposal reflects the existing position of Hayle North and Hayle
South and the fact that Gwinear-Gwithian is already divided into two
distinct (and in many ways functionally separate) wards.  The town
council proposes building upon that existing situation and utilising the
geographic, physical and community divisions that already exist. By
using the railway line (which already largely divides the two Hayle
divisions) and the old A30, which largely divides the two parts of
Gwinear-Gwithian, we can a) establish two fairly equal divisions; b)
create two practical areas that a member can represent; c) sustain
community cohesion; d) not require the very large and impractical
‘rural’ division of the proposal which creates a large rural crescent
surrounding a small urban centre; e) facilitate any future Governance
review as the two existing parishes are maintained; and f) makes the
split easy to deliver and easy to understand compared to the existing
proposal from Cornwall Council officers.

Both Hayle Town and Gwinear-Gwithian Parish Council are already
divided into wards on a North/South axis.   By taking one half of
Gwinear-Gwithian and one half of Hayle to create two divisions is
logical with a fair mix of country and town and creates divisions of a
size that makes representation easy. It is fair and equitable to both
councils. This proposal maintains the integrity of Parish Boundaries and
this will assist any future Governance review. There is no threat to
either the Parish or the Town from this proposal.  Using the Railway
Line and the old A30 road as the divider makes it very clear who is
where: it works extremely well in Hayle, where if you live on one side
of the Railway Line you are in one division – the other side, the other.
It is clear, practical and sensible and no one on either side doubts
that they live in Hayle or are represented by Hayle Town Council.

Hayle Town Council’s preferred names for these divisions are Hayle North and Gwithian and Hayle South and Gwinear.”

via https://www.hayletowncouncil.net/2018/08/hayle-mayor-slams-boundary-chan...