PEOPLE have until March 5 to have their say on proposals before the independent Local Government Boundary Commission for England finalises its recommendations for new wards across the whole district.

Late last year, the Boundary Commission held a public consultation on proposals for new ward boundaries across East Hampshire, focused on achieving electoral balance. According to the Commission, it has listened to the views put to it during consultation and now proposes to make changes to the plans.

Due to the significance of the proposed changes in Alton and Horndean, it is opening an extra phase of consultation to see what people think of the new recommendations in these two areas only.

Alton currently comprises six wards represented by six councillors, with Holybourne in a separate ward with Froyle.

The draft recommendations had proposed that Alton be covered by four council wards. Two of those wards would have been represented by one councillor each with the other two wards represented by two councillors and three councillors respectively.

During public consultation, the Commission received an alternative proposal for the town to be covered by seven wards, each to be represented by one councillor and including a Holybourne ward.

Froyle would be in a ward with Bentworth (represented by one councillor), Four Marks with Medstead, embracing Chawton (three councillors) and Binsted with Bentley embracing Farringdon (two councillors).

Alton Town Council is strongly opposed “to any arrangement which alters the current single-councillor ward layout unless it is in exceptional circumstances where, in order to achieve electoral balance, there is no viable alternative”.

In Alton Town Council’s response to the original four-ward recommendations, Alton town clerk Leah Coney said: “The current warding arrangements at town council level continues to work well with two councillors representing each of the current wards with a single councillor for Holybourne. Members would object to any arrangement which would alter this well-worked arrangement, particularly where the result would be one ward represented by six councillors (Westbrooke).

“There is demographic synergy within the existing ward boundaries which benefit from thriving residents’ associations (some of more than 30 years standing) and a strong sense of community. Some wards have long established Neighbourhood Watch schemes and members feel a deep-seated sense of place with the current system.

“In particular, the proposals made by the Boundary Commission to add the Manor estate into the Holybourne ward would cause significant disruption in the community within this area.”

Mrs Coney said: “It is understood that there needs to be fair democratic representation and the proposals put forward by East Hampshire District Council (EHDC) for the warding arrangements for Alton are felt to be acceptable and preferred to the options proposed by the Boundary Commission.

“They take account of the new developments being build across Alton and also restore traditional boundaries, ie putting Amery Hill School, Steeple Drive and Tanhouse Lane back into Amery ward.”

The Commission also received objections to its previous proposals in Horndean. For example, the Commission had used the A3(M) as a boundary between wards. But it was pointed out that the road doesn’t form a barrier and gave evidence of strong links between communities on either side. In response to the feedback, the Commission has changed its proposals in the south of the district to reflect local views and now invites comments on them.

The Commission believes these revised proposals are a better reflection of community ties. Given the scale of the changes, the Commission is seeking local views on the new plans before it finalises the review.

Professor Colin Mellors, chairman of the Commission, said: “We listened carefully to all the views put to us on new ward boundaries last year and have made changes to the original recommendations in the Alton and Horndean areas.

“We are now asking local people to log on to our website to tell us what they think about these proposals before we publish final recommendations for the whole council area in April.”

People can have their say by writing to: The Review Officer (East Hampshire), LGBCE, 14th floor, Millbank Tower, London SW1P 4QP or by e-mailing [email protected].