AS LEADER of the Stroud Conservative councillors, I am extremely disappointed in the Boundary Commission report into the changes to wards in Stroud District Council.

The review was triggered by my Upton St Leonards ward, which due to major development in Coopers Edge had 30 per cent more voters than other wards, six other seats had 10 per cent more and both of these are automatic triggers for the Boundary Commission to review the wards.

The Boundary Commission is a politically independent body, which responds to the triggers mentioned above or to requests from Local Authorities.

The late Paul Carter on behalf of Conservative councillors submitted a well-founded proposal to reduce the number of councillors based on the committee workload and the desire to save taxpayer's money.

This was dismissed by the commission.

A further proposal was made to change the proposed Berkeley Vale Ward from a three-councillor ward to a two-member ward, and a separate single member ward.

This was based on the size of the new ward, which runs from Stone in the south, up the A38 to just short of junction 13, and makes personal access to councillors difficult.

In other Commission reports, changes have been accepted when sensible proposals have been put forward based on local geographic arrangements.

I am really disappointed that the Boundary Commission has yet again ignored what we the people on the ground know about how communities work.

This ward is such a large geographic area that members of any political party will find it impossible to make all the parish council meetings, and events that councillors need to go to.

It is sad that the Commission haven’t listened to well reasoned, non-political arguments but as the Commission is an independent body we will work with their findings but we are still unhappy about them.

Keith Pearson

Leader, Stroud Conservative Group