Community Governance Review - Draft Recommendation 7 - Rothwell

Overview

Summary of Proposal

Rothwell Town Council's proposal recommends realigning the boundary along the B576, moving properties around Tresham Street to the east of the new boundary.

It also proposes swapping the ward names, with Tresham ward becoming Trinity ward and Trinity ward becoming Tresham ward. The town council believes this would reduce confusion, as landmarks such as Trinity Road and Holy Trinity Church are currently located within Tresham ward.

The town council recommends retaining 12 councillors, with six representing each ward. While this should result in around 573 electors per councillor across both wards, current representation is uneven, with approximately 614 electors per councillor in Tresham ward and 534 in Trinity ward. The proposed boundary change is intended to help address this imbalance.

A proposal was received from a member of the public regarding the parish warding arrangements for Rothwell. The proposal suggested using the B576 as the boundary between Tresham and Trinity wards with both wards retaining their existing names.

View the full submission by Rothwell Town Council (CGR 29, page 67) and full submission (CGR14, page 27) by a member of the public 

View a map (Draft Recommendation 7, page 11) of the proposal.

Observations

The town has experienced significant residential growth since the current warding arrangements were established. The proposal reflects the town’s changing demographics, recognises established communities and local identities, and recommends changes that support effective representation on the Town Council. It also identifies an inconsistency in the naming of the parish wards that may cause confusion for electors.

Draft recommendation (Recommendation 7)

That the warding pattern and ward names be amended subject to detailed mapping and consideration of community identity, electoral equality and effective local governance.

Reason(s) for recommendation(s): Significant housing development has diminished the effectiveness of the current warding arrangements and created an imbalance in electoral representation between the two parish wards. The proposed changes seek to address this imbalance by establishing boundaries that better reflect community identity and local interests, while supporting effective and convenient local governance.

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