Residents in East Dorset are being asked for their views on a public consultation including proposals to change some parish and town council boundaries.
The consultation, which is open until 7 November 2014, will give residents the chance to comment on draft recommendations that have come about following a previous consultation carried out between April and July 2014.
Parish and town councils were invited to put forward submissions during that consultation and those submissions have been taken into account when drawing up the draft recommendations. Submissions included suggested changes in boundaries, reductions in the number of parish councillors or the removal of wards within a parish.
The aim of the review is to improve local democracy and ensure better cohesion of communities across the district. It is also designed to address inconsistencies in the ratios of electors to councillors.
Each parish has been addressed separately, though some recommendations include changes which would affect neighbouring parishes.
Draft recommendations include some changes to the boundaries of Ferndown, West Parley, Colehill and Wimborne including the transfer of:
· properties at Stapehill West from Ferndown to Colehill
· properties in Colehill West, Colehill Lacey and Colehill Parmiter to Wimborne
· properties in Barrack Road, Ferndown to West Parley
There is also a proposal to transfer properties in Horton East to Verwood.
Other proposals include the reduction in parish or town councillors in Ferndown from 23 to 19, in Colehill from 15 to 11, in West Moors from 15 to 12, in Corfe Mullen from 16 to 14 and in St Leonards & St Ives from 13 to 12.
An increase in town councillors in Wimborne from 12 to 16 is also proposed.
Full details of the draft proposals are on the website at www.dorsetforyou.com/412554.
Representations should be made by email to [email protected] or by post to East Dorset District Council, Furzehill, Wimborne BH21 4HN to arrive by midnight on 7 November 2014.
The final decision on the draft proposals will be made at a council meeting on 15 December 2014.
