Fareham Borough Council is unhappy about proposed Boundary Commission ward changes

As part of an electoral review, Fareham Borough Council has been invited to respond to the Local Government Boundary Commission’s draft recommendations on the pattern and names of council wards.

The main criticism of the commission’s proposals is the use of ‘straight lines’ used to divide the borough which may impact community ties.

In the draft recommendation, Church Road has been split down the middle with properties on the north and south of the road in different wards.

Another issue is that St John’s Church has been included in the new Titchfield Common ward but is the church for Locks Heath.

Councillor Katrina Trott said: ‘The Boundary Commission seems to want to put straight lines across various areas.

'The Boundary Commission has suggested putting Catisfield in with the new ward “The Avenue”.

‘When we carefully discussed this previously we put Catisfield in the new Meon Ward because Catisfield Memorial Hall is very close to Titchfield - so we’re not happy about that.

‘If you think about St John's Church, the council put it into Locks Heath ward and the boundary commission has put a straight line across Church Road and has put it into Titchfield Common.

‘A lot of what is going into Fareham town, which I’m largely happy with, except that Deane's Park Road which the council put in Fareham East, the boundary commission has drawn a straight line across and put it into Fareham Town - people feel like they’re linked with Wallington rather than the town.

‘We want to encourage all residents, or as many as possible, to make their own submission to the commission explaining why their particular road should be in whichever ward it’s been put in.’

The proposed changes also include increasing the current number of councillors by one to 32 people, who will be split evenly into 16 wards, and phasing out generic names such as ‘Fareham East’ and ‘Fareham West’ – instead making them more specific to each area.

A consultation response will be drafted and presented to full council on October 27 and then submitted to the Boundary Commission on November 15.