West Auckland Labour is celebrating victory over Durham County Council’s Tory-led Coalition after the Electoral Commission rejected proposals for a boundary shake-up.
Labour had labelled the Commission’s controversial boundary review “ill-considered and tantamount to gerrymandering”, when the organisation agreed to consider Tory-backed plans for a proposed three-seat “superward” at Evenwood and Cockfield, that would have taken in Bedburn, Headlam, Langleydale, Rush Park and Bishop Auckland.
West Auckland Labour councillors, Rob Yorke and George Smith, claimed the Commission’s decision to back Labour’s plans to maintain the status quo with a two-councillor West Auckland ward as a “victory for our communities”.
The councillors said proposed changes were “geographically ridiculous”, as their ward looked set to lose the communities of Escomb, Etherley Dene and Primrose Hill, as well as a councillor to a newly-created enormous Evenwood division.
Cllr Yorke said:
“The Electoral Commission backing Labour’s proposal rather than that of the Conservatives – which was supported by DCC deputy leader Cllr Richard Bell – is a victory for our communities and keeps them together, rather than fragmenting them.
“People really came together to oppose the changes. Neighbourhoods, church groups, charities, local businesses, schools and parish councils all supported our application to reject the proposed boundary changes, and it’s great that the Commission took this into consideration and decided to keep the West Auckland Division a two-seat ward.”
Cllr Yorke had labelled the proposed boundary changes “an ill-considered mess” that were “tantamount to gerrymandering”. Pointing out that changes should meet residents’ needs, not those of the current County Council administration.
The Electoral Commission’s report into West Auckland boundary changes stated: “We found that creating divisions in this area, which both reflected the community evidence received while also securing good electoral equality, was a difficult task. We are somewhat constrained by the distribution of settlements and the topography in this area, meaning our scope for alternative division patterns is limited.
“Therefore, after careful consideration, we decided to adopt the Labour Group’s proposal for a two-councillor West Auckland division that incorporates the Escomb and Witton Park areas, along with the part of Etherley parish that includes High Etherley and Toft Hill.”
Cllr George Smith said:
“As well as a victory for the community, this is also a victory for common sense. The Tory proposals made no sense and they assumed residents would not engage with the boundary review so it could slide these slippery proposals through.
“Both Cllr Yorke and I are pleased the people of our ward spoke and have been listened to by the Commission. Democracy should empower people, give them a collective voice and, ultimately, deliver positive, progressive change – the Conservatives’ proposals were designed to do the opposite of that and it’s heartening to see that the Boundary Commission saw through that and backed Labour’s plans that better protect our residents’ rights.”
The review examined plans to include Staindrop, Langleydale, Ingleton, Hilton, Langton, Headlam, Hummerbeck, Woodland, Evenwood, Ramshaw, Hamsterley, Bedburn, Cockfield, Butterknowle, Copley, Morley, Toft Hill, Escomb, Witton Park, Etherley and Etherley Dene as parts of a new Evenwood “Superward”.
Cllr Smith added:
“I’d like to thank our communities for coming together to oppose Durham County Council’s proposals – 75 submissions were made that related to recommendations for Barnard Castle, Evenwood and West Auckland divisions. Thirty-six residents opposed a single-councillor West Auckland Division, and 26 residents, as well as Staindrop Parish Council, Ingleton Parish Council and Raby Estates opposed their inclusion in a three-councillor Evenwood division.
“Without them taking a stand, this ludicrous plan may have gone through. This just goes to show what can be accomplished when a community comes together with a common goal.”
The Electoral Commission is conducting a nationwide review of electoral ward boundaries to reduce the number of councillors. Labour has publicly backed the plans that will save taxpayers money and ensure that each elected member serves roughly the same number of residents.
Full report available here: https://www.lgbce.org.uk/sites/default/files/2023-11/final_recommendations_long_report.pdf