Agenda item

Report from the Director of Business Improvement and Operations.

The Committee had before it a report * of the Returning Officer / Director of Business Improvement and Operations providing Members with an opportunity to review submissions from the second public consultation and to make final recommendations to full Council for changes to parish boundaries and the numbers of parish councillors in each parish council.

The Consultant outlined the contents of the report stating that 86 submissions had been made during the second stage consultation. Of these 61 had related to the Halberton/Willand/Uffculme parish boundaries. Option 3 (as discussed at the previous meeting and outlined within the report and on the website) had been the much preferred option amongst the representations made.

It was suggested that due to the number of submissions made regarding these particular parishes, the Committee start their discussions with those. Accordingly, the Committee began by looking at the issues in relation to each option with the aid of maps which had been made available on the website and to those attending the meeting:

Option 1 – Lucombe Park move from Halberton to Uffculme and the Mid Devon Business Park move from Halberton to Willand

After a good discussion Halberton Parish Council were prepared to agree to the transfer of the Mid Devon Business Park from Halberton to Willand. Willand Parish Council accepted this as the ‘bearest minimum’.

Regarding Lucombe Park, the Consultant explained that he had spoken to someone from the Local Government Boundary Committee about a possible ‘related transfer’. This meant that, following a decision by full Council the land could be incorporated into a boundary change and borders could be changed by an order, however, timing was a key factor and the Council would now be looking at an implementation date of 2027. A request was made that if the Council did ask for a ‘related transfer’ that it ensured all boundaries corresponded with those of Devon County Council.

The Committee were informed that Halberton Parish Council saw the logic in moving Lucombe Park to Uffculme and it was trying to compromise where it could even though they were not altogether happy.

It was AGREED that Option 1 be put forward as a recommendation to full Council.

(Proposed by the Chairman)

Option 2 – Option 1 (as set out above) together with the area north east of Bridwell Avenue be moved from Halberton to Uffculme.

It was AGREED that Option 2 (as set out above) together with the area north east of Bridwell Avenue be moved from Halberton to Uffculme and that this recommendation should go forward to full Council.

(Proposed by Cllr B G J Warren and Seconded by Cllr S Clist)

A proposal not to move the area north east of Bridwell Avenue from Halberton to Uffculme was lost.

Option 3 – Options 1 and 2 (as set out above) together with Hitchcocks and Langlands Business Parks moving from Halberton to Uffculme

The Committee were informed that Halberton Parish Council wished to retain these Business Parks within its own boundary as did the landowner. However, it was explained that large areas of land containing solar panels and chicken houses already extended into the Uffculme boundary.

Key to any decision were the views of the residents and which area they identified with most.

The Chairman explained that an Extraordinary meeting of full Council would be taking place on 1^st December 2022 to discuss the recommendations of the Committee and there would be an opportunity for Members to discuss the issues further and submit amendments should they wish.

It was AGREED that Options 1 and 2 (as set out above) together with Hitchcocks and Langlands Business Parks moving from Halberton to Uffculme go forward as a recommendation to full Council.

(Proposed by Cllr B G J Warren and seconded by Cllr R Chesterton)

A proposal to retain the Hitchcocks and Langlands Buisness Parks in the Halberton Parish was not supported.

Following the decision to recommend Option 3 to full Council Cllr B G J Warren informed the Committee that between the Willand and Uffculme boundaries there were 5 fields crossing current parish boundaries. Quickes farm also spanned across several boundary areas. Willand Parish Council were trying to create a Neighbourhood Plan and land crossing boundaries was not helpful. A suggestion was made that perhaps an attempt should be made to make boundary lines more definitive and unambiguous. However, this would need a great deal of looking into and could not be undertaken as part of this exercise. Consequently this suggestion did not receive support at the current time. However, the Chairman explained that it was possible for the Member to put together an amended map which could be circulated as part of an ‘amendment’ prior to the Extraordinary meeting of full Council on 1^st December should he wish.

(Proposed by the Chairman)

At this point in the meeting some technical issues were experienced. The Chairman informed the Committee that he was bringing the meeting to a close and that the Committee would meet again on 7^th November in order to resume and complete discussions.

Note: * Report previously circulated; copy attached to the signed minutes.