Boundary Commission keeps Wichelstowe divide

New proposals for council ward boundaries in Swindon have been announced by The Local Government Boundary Commission for England. The proposals have changed several of the wards in South Swindon. The existing ‘Old Town’ ward that includes East Wichel is replaced in part by a ‘Croft and Lawn’ ward. The proposals make no change to the ‘Wroughton and Wichelstowe’ ward that includes Middle and West Wichel. The result of the proposals is that East Wichel and the rest of Wichelstowe remain split between wards despite the commission noting that

despite their proximity and the existing warding pattern, there is little shared community identity between the new development at Wichelstowe and Swindon’s Old Town.

LGBCE Draft Recommendations for Swindon Borough, paragraph 64

While most of the comments that the commission receives come from political parties and councillors, the commission’s report notes that it received six comments from residents of Wichelstowe wanting a ‘united Wichelstowe ward’. However the report claims that

We understand the comments in favour of a united Wichelstowe ward, but after careful consideration, we consider that there is not a suitable warding pattern which can achieve this and have an acceptable forecast electorate variance without splitting other communities

LGBCE Draft Recommendations for Swindon Borough, paragraph 67

and

We do not believe that there is a warding pattern which can facilitate a united Wichelstowe ward which meets our criteria of cohesive wards across the borough

LGBCE Draft Recommendations for Swindon Borough, paragraph 121

We’re not convinced. The commission is required by law to take into account expected changes in population over the next five years. With West and Middle Wichel now being rapidly developed, it seems to us perfectly reasonable for the whole of Wichelstowe to be in a single ward without violating the rules by which the commission is bound.

The public can comment on the commission’s recommendations for Swindon up to Monday 16^th September 2024.