THE boundary review is now well under way and the commission has published an interim report, which has favoured the retention of the multi-member wards covering Bramshott and Liphook.

In October, Bramshott and Liphook Parish Council agreed to write to the Electoral Boundary Commission (EBC), requesting to have three single-member wards created within the electoral boundary of the parish, one for each district councillor.

The motion was proposed by Michael Croucher, who has stood for the Lib Dems at the last and at previous elections. It was supported by other parish councillors, who felt it would be fairer for the residents, who all have different issues in different parts of the parish.

The three current district councillors, Angela Glass, Bill Mouland and Rebecca Standish – all Conservatives – said they were opposed to the resolution.

Currently, the parish is classified by East Hampshire District Council as a single ward, which has three district councillors allocated to it. The number of councillors is based on the total number of voters within a defined area.

Trevor Maroney, an ex-parish councillor and vice-chairman of East Hampshire Liberal Democrats, has raised the boundary reviews with district councillors on a number of occasions, and referred to the Boundary Commission’s draft recommendation that the number of multi-councillors wards be increased from five to 14. 

The commission’s interim report stated: “The proposals received from the Liberal Democrats were based on a pattern of single-councillor wards across four areas: Bramshott and Liphook, Four Marks and Medstead, Liss and Clanfield.

“However, the group’s proposed warding patterns resulted in poor variances across the district, and did not provide for strong and identifiable boundaries”, the report said.

The EBC has therefore not included them as part of its draft recommendations.

The report further stated: “The commission’s draft recommendations are for three, three-councillor wards, 11 two councillor wards and 12 one-councillor wards.”

The commission considers its draft recommendations will provide for ‘good electoral equality while reflecting community identities and interests where they have received such evidence during consultation’.

The EBC said it had: “Received five submissions relating to the area covered by the proposed Bramshott and Liphook ward,” and “two of these submissions, from a district councillor and from the council, requested the existing three-councillor ward remain as it is now.”

The report further added: “Three of the submissions received requested the existing ward, which also follows the parish boundary, be split into three single-councillor wards and two of these submissions did not put forward boundaries for single-councillor wards”.

The EBC interim report concluded: “The submission received from the East Hampshire Liberal Democrats did provide alternative boundaries for three single-councillor wards in Bramshott and Liphook.

“However, the group’s proposed wards resulted in variances of five per cent, 11 per cent and 17 per cent.

“The EBC does not consider evidence was provided to justify variances of 11 per cent and 17 per cent, and notes the submitted wards also created an unviable ward in the west of the parish.

“For these reasons, the Electoral Boundary Commission is not proposing any alterations to the existing three-councillor ward in Bramshott and Liphook, which will have a variance of nine per cent by 2023.”

It is not the final report from the EBC, which will consider all submissions received, and which will issue its final recommendations in due course.

Mr Croucher claimed the current set up favoured the larger political parties, who can put up a block of three prospective councillors, which, he said, acts as a big disincentive to a single non-party candidate wishing to stand for election.

In addition, he claimed voters in each area in the parish did not know who their local councillor was, and with three wards, the parish would be split into three defined areas, which would allow for differing views within the community of the parish, and consequently, be more representative and reflective of the social groups within the parish.

The independent Local Government Boundary Commission for England has been asking for help to draw up a new pattern of council wards for East Hampshire District Council.

The consultation is the first part of an electoral review which will re-draw ward boundaries across the council area. The boundary commission has also announced it is minded to recommend EHDC should still have 44 councillors in the future – as at present.

The commission needs information from people and groups across East Hampshire to help it to produce a new pattern of wards to accommodate 44 councillors.

In drawing up new boundaries, the commission aims to deliver electoral equality for voters in council elections so each councillor represents roughly the same number of voters.

The review also aims to ensure the new wards reflect, as far as possible, the interests and identities of communities across East Hampshire.

EHDC, as a consultee in the process, is analysing and considering the commission’s proposals and how to respond to them in time for the EBC’s December deadline. District councillors have been advised to make their own submissions to the review.

Residents have until Monday, December 11, to make submissions.