A mixed reaction to Arun district’s boundary shake-up plans

FINAL plans for a shake-up of Arun’s political landscape were given a mixed reception this week.

On Tuesday (February 26), the independent Local Government Boundary Commission for England published its final recommendations to alter Arun District Council electoral boundaries.

It followed an eight-week consultation on the commission’s draft proposals.

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The final report suggests cutting the number of Arun councillors from 56 to 54. The study proposes that those councillors should represent eight three-member wards and 15 two-member wards across the district.

However, Walberton’s long-standing ward councillor Norman Dingemans, pictured, has expressed his frustration with the decision to merge his Walberton ward with Arundel.

Mr Dingemans, who is also on the council’s cabinet, claims the move would muddy the water of the political system in the area, making it trickier for the electorate to understand who represented them at a district level.

He suggested that Arun, instead of becoming a district made up of 54 councillors across 23 wards, should have 48 wards, each with their own representative.

Just a ‘desk top exercise’

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“My feeling is that we should move towards single member wards, rather than away from them,” Mr Dingemans said. “This would give a clear and definitive answer to the electorate. They would be able to more easily identify who represents them.

“The boundary commission has totally ignored the representations from Walberton and Slindon. The commission hasn’t listened to us at all and is simply ploughing through with its own idea.

“Walberton has no links with Arundel. No one knows who I am over there. This is just another example of a desk top exercise.”

However, Arun’s cabinet member for planning and infrastructure, Ricky Bower, who is a representative for East Preston and Kingston, welcomed the revised proposals.

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He said the original recommendations would have seen the community of East Preston “split in half” with part of the village’s current boundary being encompassed by Rustington East.

Mr Bower pointed out that the commission had listened to the widespread opposition to the planned alteration and had made changes to its proposals, in response to the concerns.

Plans ‘saved’ village

“There was considerable concern expressed by an awful lot of people in East Preston about an artificial split being put through the village and I am pleased the commission has listened to the people,” he said.

The commission’s recommendations will now be considered by Parliament, which will make the final decision. The commission claimed its plans would deliver “electoral equality” in Arun.

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If agreed by Parliament, the reshuffle will see Littlehampton split into four wards, River, Courtwick with Toddington, Beach and Brookfield.

Angmering will unite with Findon, but a proposal to move part of Angmering into Ferring has been dropped. Rustington will remain divided into West and East wards and Arundel will merge with Walberton ward – which includes Slindon, Binsted and Madehurst.

The changes, due to come into force in 2015, will save Arun £10,000 a year from reduced councillor’s allowance payments.