Ward Boundary and Parish Council Consultation
as part of
Rushcliffe Electoral Review
The Local Government Boundary Commission for England (LGBCE) is undertaking an electoral review of Rushcliffe. The review will agree new ward boundaries across Rushcliffe Borough Council (RBC). This review runs from 11th May to 19th July 2021. You can find out more about the Rushcliffe boundary review on LGBCE’s website.
Depending on where you live in Upper Saxondale we are represented by two electoral wards and parish councils, Radcliffe on Trent Ward as part of Radcliffe Parish Council and Cropwell Ward as part of Cropwell Butler Parish Council. Of the 326 homes in Upper Saxondale, 259 are located in Radcliffe on Trent Ward and 67 in Cropwell Ward.
Upper Saxondale Community Interest Company (USRAcic), the organisational body that maintains our land and amenities, are proposing that Upper Saxondale becomes a separate parish with its own parish council. This would remove the need for residents to pay a monthly £5 USRAcic subscription as well as a separate parish precept currently paid to either RoTPC or Cropwell Butler PC. The creation of an Upper Saxondale Parish Council, would mean those parish precept monies would become a regular source of income to be used specifically for the maintenance and improvement of our environment here at Upper Saxondale. As a parish council we would have more robust finances and procedures, we would also have a defined path of communication within the structure of local government, this would mean easier access to grants and funding.
The Rushcliffe boundary review gives us the perfect opportunity to propose that Upper Saxondale should be moved wholly into one electoral ward, as a precursor to then proposing that we should also be our own separate parish. This will fundamentally change how we are represented at local government level. Our proposal is:
Step One - Move Upper Saxondale wholly into the Cropwell Ward
Upper Saxondale is a small community with fewer amenities to maintain than Radcliffe on Trent. We are a more rural community and face similar challenges to villages like Cropwell Butler and Cropwell Bishop, which are already represented within this ward. Being wholly within the Cropwell Ward we would be represented as the village of Upper Saxondale as opposed to Upper Saxondale part of the larger Radcliffe on Trent ward.
Step Two - Create an Upper Saxondale Parish and Parish Council
If Upper Saxondale were to move wholly into the Cropwell Ward it would further highlight the inconsistency of being divided between two parish councils. We could then lobby Rushcliffe Borough Council to change parish boundaries creating an Upper Saxondale Parish and the opportunity to create an Upper Saxondale Parish Council. USRAcic could then be wound up and our parish council would take over those duties. The land and amenities would be managed as follows:
General Parkland - currently managed by David Wilson Homes. Proposal - an Upper Saxondale Parish Council would approach David Wilson Homes and Rushcliffe Borough Council to try to facilitate the transfer of the general parkland to the management of Upper Saxondale Parish Council, accompanied by appropriate funding
Village Hall, Tennis Courts, Orchard and Woodland Walk - currently managed by USRAcic. Proposal - this would change to Upper Saxondale Parish Council
Play park area - currently managed by Radcliffe on Trent Parish Council. Proposal - this would move to Upper Saxondale Parish Council
Volunteering would remain an important aspect of village life as parish councillors are unpaid. There is one paid role which is the clerk to the council. The clerk is responsible for governance and financial oversight and would also administer the Village Hall for example. Precept monies would fund this cost.
Have your say
Village residents will have received a consultation letter from USRAcic, recently posted through letterboxes, explaining our proposals and giving background information. You can view an online version of it here. Sections are also reproduced on the following pages, ward boundary review and proposed ward and boundary changes.
The Rushcliffe boundary review consultation is already underway. So we need your feedback on and support for our proposals:
one electoral ward of Cropwell Ward
and
a new Upper Saxondale Parish & Parish Council to replace USRAcic
Please email us at info@uppersaxondale.com by Sunday 13th June 2021 at the latest so that we can collate comments and submit a village response by the review deadline of Monday 19th July 2021.
LGBCE’s recommendations are expected March 2022, with any ward boundary changes implemented by RBC in 2023. Parish Council changes would follow after that.