Lib Dem petition over boundary proposals

LIBERAL Democrats at Lymm have launched a petition against the proposal by the Boundary Commission to split the village in two for elections.
They claim the proposal is “a nonsense” and is opposed by just about everyone.
Under the proposals, a new Lymm North ward would be joined together with Thelwall and part of Grappenhall.
The proposals are currently out for consultation and responses need to be back with the Boundary Commission by October 19.
Cllr Bob Barr, Lymm councillor and leader of the Lib Dem Group on Warrington Council said: “The rapid growth in housing numbers expected over the next few years will soon make this proposal out of date.  We strongly support the case put forward by Warrington Council with all-party support for minimal change.  The new ward of Lymm North and Thelwall is strung out over half the Borough and makes no sense in terms of community identity.
Cllr Ian Marks added: “We have found that virtually everyone we have met so far rejects the Boundary Commission’s proposals and most have signed our petition.  They think it is nonsense and dreamed up by people sitting in an office down south surrounded by maps and population tables but with no knowledge of our local communities.
“It ignores the practicalities of borough councillors being responsible for more than one parish and the resulting mismatch between borough and parish representation.
“We are about to launch an online version of the petition (on www.warringtonlibdems.org.uk  but we hope that people will also respond directly to the Boundary Commission on https://consultation.lgbce.org.uk/node/5187”
The petition asks the Commission to leave Lymm with three borough councillors each representing the whole parish of Lymm on the grounds that although the changes may deliver better ‘electoral equality’, they fail on the other two criteria of ‘community identity’ and ‘effective and convenient local government’.
Pictured: Cllr Marks and Cllr Barr in the village centre with a local resident.