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West Windsor Residents Association

To promote the interests and well-being of West Windsor residents

WWRA Submission to the Boundary Commission Review 04122017 V2.docx of 7

4thDecember2017LocalGovernmentBoundaryCommissionforEngland14thFloorMillbankTowerMillbankLondonSW1P4QPreviews@lgbce.org.uk MrKevinChapman, Chair,

WestWindsorResidentsAssociation,

DearSir/Madam,SubmissionofWestWindsorResidentsAssociation(WWRA)ElectoralreviewofWindsorandMaidenheadPreambleThisisawrittenresponsebytheWestWindsorResidentsAssociation(WWRA)totheElectoralreviewofWindsorandMaidenheadThisisawrittenresponseonbehalfoftheWestWindsorResidentsAssociation(WWRA),anorganisationwith1,000memberhouseholds,whoseaimistopromotetheinterestsandwellbeingofWestWindsorresidentswhomwehavebeenservingformorethan50years.MembershipoftheWWRAisonahouseholdbasisandisopentoallresidentsofClewerWards(North,EastandSouth)andParkWard,intheRoyalBoroughofWindsorandMaidenhead,thatlietothewestofthemaintrunkroute,A332/B3173/B3022,thatlinkJunction6ontheM4withLegoLand.Inotherwords,itcoversthehistoriccommunitiesofDedworth,ClewerandthenewercommunitiestotheWestofthesetwoancientsettlementsandincludesTheWillows,TheLaingEstate,TheLimes,BroomFarmandSt.LeonardsHillandLEGOLAND.However,morethan95%ofourmembershipcomesfromtheboundariesofDedworthasnotedbelow.Whatisourcommunity?1. ProposalforwardsinWestWindsor

a. Dedworthhasagreaterlevelofpopulation,isquitedistinctandmorediversefromtheaffluentClewers;residentsfromeachareadrawtheir




socialidentityandrangesofservicesfromseparatefacilities,includingschools,mainlyonlysharingtheTownCentreascommonground;theirsocio-economicdescriptorsalsoaredistinctlydifferent

b. Dedworthi. TotheEast–residentson,oronroadsoff,SawyersCloseandVale

Roadii. TotheSouth-ClewerHill(uptoDuncroft&PerryCroft)andupto

PoolmansRoadiii. TotheWest–BroomFarmEstate,TheLimes,Ruddlesway,The

Willowsiv. TotheNorth–WindsorRacecourse

c. Clewer-St.Leonards(2members)i. Includingallresidentson,oremanatingfromMillLane,Parsonage

Lane,HatchLane,St.LeonardsHillii. MoreexpensiveareastotheSouthi.e.iii. TheareasconnectedbypathtoSt.LeonardsHillincluding

1. TopofWolfLanefromjunctionwithPoolmansRoadtojunctionwithWhiteHorseRoadandTinkersLane

2. HemwoodRoad,FranklynClose&WashingtonDriveandroadsoffthese

3. EllisonClose4. KimberClose5. SherbourneDrive6. WoodlandAvenue7. BottomendofClewerHillRoadbetweenPrinceAlbertpub

andthejunctionsofHatchLaneandEllisonDrive.8. IncludingALLoftheLEGOLAND,Windsorestate,which

wouldbelogical,easegovernanceand,whichpeopleandresidentsidentifywithWindsor.

d. Thebenefitswouldbei. Clearidentityii. Generatingrepresentativesfromeachareawhowillunderstand

thedistinctneedsandissuesoftheirresidents,beingabletofocusrelevantissues,includingtheimpactoftheproposedexpansionanddevelopmentontheedgeofsettlementknownasHA11

iii. Allowingrepresentationinanundilutedmanner,inproportiontotheneed(number)

iv. Encouraginglocalismandcommunityinvolvement;withacommunitytakingownershipofitsowngovernanceinthedecisionmakingprocess

2. HistoryofWestWindsora. AncientmapsshowtwocommunitiesWestoftheCastle

i. ClewerVillage,withtheoldestbuildingintheareainSt.Andrew’sCofEChurch–itevenpre-datesmuchofWindsorCastle




ii. Dedworthiii. AreasofgreenbeltinbetweenandtotheSouth

b. Seeattachedmapsi. Dedworth.Org.UkMapofDedworth1880ii. Dedworth.Org.UkMapofDedworth1913iii. Dedworth.Org.UkMapofDedworth1938iv. VisionofBritainDedworthC19thMap

c. Thesetwocommunitiesareeffectively,andhistorically,servedbySt.Andrew’sChurch(Clewer)andAllSaintsChurch(Dedworth)

3. WestWindsortodaya. ThepopulationofWindsorexpandedinthe1950’sand1960’swithmany

estatesstartingtobebuilttotheWest(e.g.LaingEstate),itwasduringthistimetheWWRAwasestablishedasthegrowingsettlementinthisareasawitselfasdistinctfromWindsortowncentre,withitsowncommunityandidentity.AsfurtherexpansiontothesouthofDedworthRoadcontinuedwiththeDeansdevelopmentandtheMODhousinginthe1970stheseresidentswerealsoseenaspartofthiscommunity.Historicallythemilitaryfamilieshavebeentransit,butnowwithnewgovernmentpolicythesefamilieswillremainaspernementresidentsforthedurationofservice,andastheyaccessthesameservicesastherestofthecommunityshouldbeconsideredavaluedpartofthiscommunityknownasDedworth

b. CO’swereresidentonmuchlargerresidencesonSt.Leonard’sHill4. Communityassets,whoseusagereflecttheembeddedidentitiesinclude

a. Churches–seeabovei. AllSaintsChurchservingDedworthii. St.AndrewsservingClewerandprobablySt.LeonardsHilliii. AllSaintsChurch’scongregationalsoincludepeoplefromSawyers

CloseandValeRoadb. Schools

i. Dedworth1. DedworthGreenFirstSchool2. DedworthGreenMiddleSchool3. HomerFirstSchoolandNursery4. HilltopFirstSchool5. AlexanderFirst

ii. Clewer1. ClewerGreenCESchool2. StEdward'sCatholicFirstSchool3. StEdward'sCatholicMiddleSchool

c. Surgeryi. ThereisjustonesurgeryinDedworth,theDedworthMedical

CentreonValeRoad




ii. TheirCCGBoundarymapofficiallyincludesalloftheWestWindsorResidentsAssociationmembershiparea

d. YouthCentres–therearetwo,servingdistinctareasi. ManorYouthCentreservingDedworthincludingSawyersClose

andValueRoad.TheproposedboundarychangewouldputbothyouthcentreintotheDedworthandClewerEastwardtakingallgovernanceawayfrommanyusergroups.

ii. ClewerYouth&CommunityCentre,servingtheClewerareae. Pubs

i. Dedworth1. TheBlackHorse2. Sebastapol

ii. Clewer1. PrinceAlbert2. TheSwan,nowcloseddown

f. Shops/Tescoi. Dedworth

1. TescoSuperstore2. EssoGarage3. CharityShops4. Newsagents,5. ConvenienceShops6. FastFood&otherrestaurants

ii. Clewer1. TescoExpress2. ShellGarage3. SmallParadeofshopsneartheShellGarageonClarence

Road.4. BPGarage

5. 2011CensusdataofWestWindsora. Mapsbasedon2011Censusdatashowastrongcorrelationbetweenthe

identityofpeopleinthegeographicareasIhaveidentifiedasDedworthorClewer-St.Leonardsandsuchsocio-economicfactors

b. Seeattachedmapsfromi. ONS2011CensusDataShineMaponDeprivationii. ONS2011CensusDataShineMaponFairHealthiii. ONS2011CensusDataShineMaponGoodHealthiv. ONS2011CensusDataShineMaponQualificationsv. ONS2011CensusDataShineMaponProfessionals

ConcernsaboutreducingthenumberofCouncillors1. WewouldsupportminimizingthereductiontothenumberofCouncillorsatno

lessthan47toensurethatthechancesofgoodrepresentationandscrutinyismaximized.




2. Ourelectedmemberofcouncilreportsbacktousthathiscaseloadisextremelyhigh,andoftenhinderedbylackofresponsefromofficers,“OfficersupportcapacityislargelylimitedtoservicingtheCommitteeswithpapers,whicharefrequentlynotastimelyastheyshouldbe.Theprescribedtimescalesareonoccasion(approximately10%ofthetimein2017),notmet,leavingthecouncilexposedtorisk,whichofficersareawareof,andneedscorrectingtomeetstatutorytimescales.”(LGACorporatePeerChallengeSept2017)bearingthisinminditwouldbeprefabletohaveawardthatreflectsacommunitythatdoesnotcontainpolaropposites.

3. LGAPeerReviewReporthasbeencriticalofgovernanceandscrutinyintheBoroughand,thisneedstoberesolvedbeforefurtherchangesthreateningscrutinyareconsidered

a. RBWMispushingforwardwithmanyoutsourcingprogramsincludedviamorecomplexJointVentures,whichhaveseparatelegalpersonasi.e.reduceinfluence,informationflowand,moreconvolutedandtimeconsumingmanagementandcontrolpathways

b. TherecentLGAPeerReviewsuggestedthatinthefaceofthisrapidchangethattheBoroughPauses,Embeds(anddigestschanges)andExplains(engageswithresidents)

c. Furtherchangeinthefaceofhelpfulcriticismtheextentoftheproblemsincluding

i. “Thecouncil’sgovernanceisoutofdate”ii. “Wewereconcernedtoseeevidenceof…disproportionateand

uneventreatmentbyseniorcolleagues,ofbothmembersandofficers…(using)…heavyhandedinstrumenttokeep‘membersandofficersincheck’.”

iii. Aneed,“toclarifylinesofaccountability”iv. “LinesbetweentheExecutiveandscrutiny(are)blurred”v. “Scrutinynotrealisingitspotential”–howpolite.vi. “Officersupportcapacityislargelylimited…leavingthecouncil

exposedtorisk”vii. “Businessesnotfeelingvaluedasapartner”viii. Questionstheability,“todeliveronitscapitalprogrammeand

regenerationplans.”ix. Asksthecouncil“tocarefullyplanfortheprovisionofanyfuture

transformationcosts”x. Notesa“needtoinvestmoretimeandcapacityinequippingyour

organization”xi. EarnestlyurgestheCouncilto“Investmoretimeinunderstanding

whatyourresidentsvalue”&”engagepositivelywithresidentsandcommunitygroups.”

d. Youcandownloadthefullreportathttp://www.wwra.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2017/10/RBWM-Corporate-Peer-Review-Sep-2017.pdf

4. EffectonresidentsofCouncillorworkload&lackofsupportfromofficers




a. Currently,ourexperienceofcommunicationwithConservativeCouncillorsisthat;

i. ItisverydifficulttogetsomeCouncillorstoreplytoresidentsii. Moreoftenthannotafterthe10workingdaysperiodhaspast

youhavetochasethemup.b. Weunderstandthattheworkloadonofficersisalreadyveryhigh,witha

highstaffturnoverc. WeareconcernedthatthatwithfewerCouncillors,withlowlevelsof

supportfromofficers,thatengagementbetweenCouncillorsadresidentswillbeintolerable.

5. Illogicalwardsdestroycommunitiesa. RequiringfewerCouncillorsmeansthatboundarieshavetoberecastto

sometimesincludewardsthatincludemanydistinctlydifferentcommunitieswhich

i. Thishampereffectiverepresentationofindividualcommunities,andsodemocracy,

b. Thisfrustratelocalismas,aresidentfromonecommunitywillnotunderstand,orberecognizedandvotedforbyothercommunities

c. Thisfurtherdistancesthepeoplewearesupposedtorepresentfromtheprocessofgovernance.

ConcernsabouttheunderlyingfiguresbeingprovidedbyRBWM1. Giventhatelectoralnumbersarelikelytomateriallyunreliableuntil2023,the

exerciseshouldbeabandonedandrevisitedafter20192. Theprincipleofelectoralequalitycanonlybeachievedifthefiguresforresident,

andvoternumbers,areaccuratebut,thefiguresbeingpresentedbyRBWMareincomplete,inaccurateandspeculative

3. TheBoroughLocalPlan,uponwhichmuchofthegrowthispredicatedisflawedinmanyaspectsandfacingseriouschallenge.

a. ItislikelythattheInspectorwillrequiresubstantialrevisionsb. Giventhethousandsofcommentsfromordinaryresidents,whichneed

organizing,thiswillnotbepresentedtotheInspectoruntilQ1orQ2in2018whichwillextendthetimelineofimplementation

c. ItispossiblethatafinalLocalPlan,ifamendmentsarerequested,willnotbestarttoimplementeduntil2023,aftermodificationshavetakenplace,applicationssubmittedand,buildingcommences.

d. Thiswouldsuggestthatreliablefiguresmightnotbeavailableuntilthenwhichwouldmeanmapscouldnotbere-considereduntil2023

4. Missingplanningapplicationsanddevelopments:therearemanysubstantialdevelopmentswhichseemnottohavebeenincludedinthegrowthincluding

a. Teradyneflatsb. SquashClubretirementhomesc. SandownHouse




d. Itislikelytha5. Inconclusion,wesuggestthat;

a. Youdelaythewardchangesuntil2023attheearliestb. StipulatethatamorethoroughsetofresearchbeconductedbyRBWM

Shortterminequalities1. Whatevertheiraccuracy,the2017and2019figurespresentedwillbe

substantiallydifferentfrom2023whichwillresultinelectoralinequalitiesatleastbetween2019and2023

2. Theseinequalitieswillbeexacerbatedifa. Boundariesdonotrepresentcommunitiesb. Theactualdevelopmentprofileoftheseareasismateriallydifferentfrom

thefiguresbeingpresentedbytheCouncil3. However,thiscanbemitigatedifthenumberofCouncillorsremainsthesameof

differslittleinWindsor4. Toensureequality,identityandeffectivelocalgovernance,wesuggestthatthis

exerciseshouldberevisitedfromfirstprinciplesafter2019Summary1. WeproposetwowardstocoverWestWindsor;Dedworth;Clewer&St.Leonards

Hill2. WewouldsupportminimizingthereductiontothenumberofCouncillorsatno

lessthan47toensurethatthechancesofgoodrepresentationandscrutinyismaximized.

3. Wesuggestthat;a. Youdelaywardchangesuntil2023attheearliestb. StipulatethatamorethoroughsetofresearchbeconductedbyRBWM

4. Wesuggestthatthisexerciseshouldberevisitedfromfirstprinciplesafter2019Yoursfaithfully,Forandonbehalfofthe1,000householdmembersoftheWWRA

MrKevinChapmanEngTech,MICE,MCMI,MIHIE,MCIWMChair,WestWindsorResidentsAssociation

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