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Cooper, Mark
From: John Matthissen Sent: 13 August 2017 21:08To: reviewsSubject: MSDC Green Group submissions re Mid Suffolk DCAttachments: Boundaries Green Version 2.xlsx; Boundaries Green Version 1.xlsx; Boundaries Green Group.docx;
Green Map 2.jpg; Green Map 1.jpg
Attached are 2 proposals for re‐warding Mid Suffolk DC, presented as spreadsheets and accompanying maps. (The colours have no significance other than to provide clarity.) The commentary sets out many links between parishes across much of the District, and is intended to inform BCE recommendations generally, as well as justifying groupings contained in one or both of our proposals. It should be made clear that we DO NOT support the proposal put forward by Mid Suffolk DC, which is the preference of the controlling political group only. Regards Councillor John Matthissen
www.midsuffolk.greenparty.org.uk ‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐ This e‐mail has been sent using electricity generated from renewable sources
Mid Suffolk Boundary Review – Green Group Submissions
General approach
We have worked on the assumption of 34 councillors while noting that 36 would allow a far better
fit for the town of Stowmarket where the Town Council has 4 existing wards and would merit 8
district councillors out of 36. We are very clear that in our predominantly rural area the identities
and links between communities are more important than achieving arithmetic equality of
representation. We have sought to minimise the need for 2 member wards in rural areas as seeking
to combine villages with no commonality then requires the elected members to split workload. This
is bad practice. We recognise that there are 3 communities, Needham Market, Elmswell and
Thurston where the electorate significantly exceeds the target quota.
Alternatives
We are submitting two slightly different proposals for the whole District, one our initial scheme and
the second following (unsuccessful) work to achieve consensus with the MSDC administration.
Eye Ward
The town has strong links to Brome which has a “gateway” into Eye as well as industrial
development creating employment for the town.
Bacton Ward
Bacton has strong links with Wyverstone where the community café is supported by many Bacton
residents. The two churches have close links via their “friends” organisations, and this proposed
ward is also the route that St Edmund took from Hoxne to Bury St Edmunds. For decades Bacton
Middle School was sited in Wyverstone Parish and this has become the site for the new Bacton
Primary School.
Haughley Ward
Depending on the scheme that emerges at the next stage of consultation, we would support the
preference of Haughley and Wetherden parish councils to remain in the same ward. There are
arguments for Haughley joining Old Newton because of the hamlet of Dagworth, which at present is
bisected by the current ward pattern. Representation of Dagworth hamlet would then be reunited
under a single member.
Mendlesham Ward
Mendlesham has very close links with Cotton, and although Cotton sits along the same road as
Bacton the two villages have had very separate identities for centuries and are separated by a
parliamentary boundary (Broad Road). The links from Cotton to Mendlesham are many including the
primary schools; almost equal numbers of Cotton children attend Bacton and Mendlesham
primaries. Wickham Skeith sees Mendlesham as its main service centre, and is the location of the
local shop etc. Wetheringsett also has numerous links to Mendlesham with Mendlesham Airfield
located there, and The Memorial to the 38th bomb group, originally sited in Wetheringsett, has been
recently relocated to Mendlesham with the blessings of the Wetheringsett community.
Onehouse Ward
The existing 5 villages of the Onehouse Ward plus the addition of Combs and Little Finborough,
would total an electorate a little higher than the ideal range, but there are compelling community
reasons why the five villages should remain within the same ward, and for the other 2 parishes to be
added. Great Finborough and Buxhall work closely together across the age ranges, from the joint
Pre‐school held in Pettiward Hall, the Women’s Institute with meetings held in Buxhall village hall,
and the Candlestick Club for senior citizens also meeting in the Buxhall village hall. Most Buxhall
children start school at the Finborough Primary. Onehouse, Harleston and Shelland share a
community centre, church room (Trinity Hall), and a joint village newsletter known as OHSmag.
Some of Shelland’s homes face onto Harleston Green. These villages together with Combs and Little
Finborough form a single benefice currently led by Reverend Chris Childs. The secondary school
catchment area covers all seven villages with many of the children attending the primary school in
Great Finborough. On an historical note, the Finborough Hall estate embraced much of Great and
Little Finborough and Onehouse, and this remains visible through the work of the Victorian estate
builder James Pollard; Pollard’s work includes school and community buildings and around 3 dozen
further dwellings. The 7 villages are bounded by the A14, the Stowmarket town boundary, and the
border between Mid Suffolk and Babergh districts; these barriers constrain amalgamation of most of
these villages with other communities. The current 5 villages are also well connected by east‐west
roads running on either side of the Rattlesden River, the valley of which is designated as a Special
Landscape Area.
Fressingfield Ward
These very rural villages are served by a community shop and some services in the main village, and
all look to Harleston (Norfolk) as the local market town.
Debenham Ward
The villages in this proposed ward are the hinterland of Debenham which is effectively a small
market town.
Thorndon and Yaxley Ward
All these fairly small villages are served by Eye as the market town with most being served by the
main A140 road.
Palgrave and Wortham Ward
A group of villages on the Norfolk border are linked by the A143.
Rickinghall Ward
5 villages served by the Rickinghall / Botesdale village centre and linked by the A143.
Elmswell Ward (2 members)
The existing Elmswell, Norton and Tostock ward can best be enlarged to include Wetherden, while
noting this is not the preference of the Wetherden PC. All 4 villages lie to the north of the A14 and
smaller villages look towards Elmswell for shops and amenities. When the Wesley Hall in Elmswell
was threatened with closure, several Wetherden residents supported the Elmswell parish council to
purchase the site so that all the clubs and societies could continue to use the facilities there. Both
Tostock and Norton Parish Councils have indicated that they wish to remain in the same ward as
Elmswell if possible. Children from Tostock attend Norton Primary School.
Woolpit ward.
We are opposed to Wetherden being in the same ward as Woolpit which would not really work. The
two villages only share a small boundary and to get between the two villages by public right of way
one would need to travel along the boundary with Elmswell. Wetherden residents look towards
either Elmswell or Haughley for amenities.
Woolpit has a very different character to Elmswell and the two villages would not really complement
each other if they were combined into a ward. The only thing that combines Woolpit and Elmswell is
health provision but the same could be said of the majority of villages in the west of Mid Suffolk
District. We understand that Woolpit would like to be in a ward with Drinkstone, but this might
prove difficult due to other constraints.
Needham/Barking/Bramford wards
The villages south from Needham have a variety of links and affiliations, and no scheme can meet all
aspirations here.
The Green Group number 1 submission logically links Somersham and Little Blakenham which share
a community association, and Little Blakenham and Nettlestead which are both members of the
Bramford Benefice (along with Baylham and Bramford).
Barking, Willisham, Offton are linked with Ringshall and Great Bricett, all of which are connected by
the only rural public transport route.
However, Baylham is linked with parishes on the other side of the Gipping valley communications
corridor. Baylham may have more common cause with Great Blakenham in terms of concerns about
development and infrastructure along the B1113 which is the access route for Baylham.
The second Green group submission links Baylham with Needham Market where they could have
common concerns about the infrastructure around the B1113 as above.
Barking has a long association with Needham Market; originally the Barking parish church served
Barking cum Darmsden and Needham Market. A bridle way between Barking and Needham Market
known as the ‘Causeway' is a corruption of corpse way and was the route taken by funeral
processions from Needham. It was last used in 1914……John Fairfax who was Rector of Barking from
1651 until 1663, was removed from his position for refusing to conform with the Act of Uniformity.
He served a number of prison sentences and founded the non‐conformist chapel at Needham
Market, now the United Reformed Church.’ (http://barking.onesuffolk.net/home/church‐and‐
chapel/
. However, some Barking residents and Barking Parish Council have concerns about growth out from
Needham Market changing the rural nature of Barking, and are therefore likely to identify more with
other rural parishes than with Needham Market.
Both these submissions unfortunately do not embrace the links between Barking, Offton, Willisham
and Somersham. Somersham, Offton, Flowton and Willisham are linked in their benefice.
Somersham has a community shop used by Somersham and Offton residents. Somersham, Offton,
Flowton and Willisham share a community newsletter – ‘The Link’ newsletter. Barking and
Somersham both have pre‐schools, Somersham Primary School is linked with Bramford Primary
School. Children from Barking attend Somersham Primary School.
Stowupland Ward
There are strong links between Stowupland, Earl Stonham and Creeting St Peter. Primary age pupils
from the 3 villages attend the Freeman Primary School in Stowupland. Earl Stonham and
Stowupland share common concerns regarding traffic on A1120, being the only two parishes on the
length of A14 and A140, and can work together to seek traffic and accident reduction
measures. Residents of Stowupland frequently attend events in Earl Stonham village hall; residents
of Earl Stonham and Creeting St Peter are members of various clubs and organisations in
Stowupland and make use of facilities in Stowupland, such as the Post Office.
Also, Creeting St Peter PC wish to stay with Stowupland; Stowupland PC want to stay with Creeting
St Peter and have suggested Earl Stonham are included in the enlarged ward. Stowupland PC wish
to remain separate from Stowmarket and not be part of a 2 member ward.
Needham Market Ward (2 members)
Part of Creeting St Mary south of the A14 is already part of the wider Needham settlement, and this
market town includes Badley and the northern part of Creeting St Mary in its hinterland.
Alternatively Needham serves Barking, closely linked with Willisham and Offton which share a joint
parish council.
Other Wards
We believe that our proposal would achieve satisfactory groupings in the areas we have not
discussed in detail.
MID SUFFOLK WARDING 2019 Green Version 2
Stowmarket 16,688 7 Rattlesden 765
(7 x 2,384) Felsham 395
Bramford 2,309 Gedding 101
Flowton 113 Hessett 420
2,422 1 Drinkstone 487 Beyton 591
Claydon 1,782 2,759 1
Barham 1,280
Akenham 48 Thurston 2,785
Whitton 97 Tostock 390
Coddenham 514 Norton 852
Hemingstone 184
Henley 482 Langham 74
4,387 2 Hunston 108
Stowlangtoft 196
Great Ashfield 330 Great Blakenham 1,500 4,735 2
Little Blakenham 271 (2 x 2,368)
Somersham 605 Elmswell 3,143
Nettlestead 82 Woolpit 1,740
2,458 1 4,883 2
(2 x 2,441)
Needham Market 3,903 Old Newton/Dagwort 944
Darmsden 35
Baylham 230 Bacton 1,049
Willisham 229 Gipping 59
Offton 332 Wyverstone 309
Badley 66 2,361 1
Barking 322
5,117 2
Stowupland 1,649
Great Bricett 485 Creeting St Peter 217
Ringshall 563 Earl Stonham 505
Battisford 504 2,371 1
Combs 603
7,992 1 Creeting St Mary 584
Crowfield 322
Great Finborough 751 Gosbeck 191
Little Finborough 49 Ashbocking 300
Buxhall 364 Stonham Parva 289
Onehouse 808 Stonham Aspel 480
Shelland 48 Helmingham 141
Harleston 153 Pettaugh 183
2,173 1 2,490 1
15 8
Highlighted in BOLD for suggested ward name(s)
23 'headroom' of 200+ to 10% upper limit
6 exceed the +10% limit
RANGE FOR +/‐10% is 2,191 to 2,627 (4,382 to 5,254 for 2 member ward)
Debenham 1,755 Mendham 371
Winston 127 Metfield 343
Aspall 44 Weybread 366
Framsden 267 Syleham 174
Ashfield‐Cum‐Thorp 165 Wingfield 301 Kenton 174 Fressingfield 911
2,532 1 2,466 1
Mendlesham 1,121 Laxfield 812
Wetheringsett 595 Stradbroke 1,281
Mickfield 183 Wilby 236
Wickham Skeith 260
Cotton 479 Brundish 145
2,638 1 2,474 1
Walsham‐Le‐Willow 1,005 Worlingworth 666 Badwell Ash 686 Tannington 86
Wattisfield 428 Bedfield 297
Westhorpe 181 Athelington 30
Finningham 410 Hoxne 711
2,710 1 Horham 267
Denham 157
Rickinghall 1,642 Redlingfield 100 Hinderclay 270 Southolt 53
Redgrave 496 Bedingfield 198
2,408 1 Monk‐Soham 154
2,719 1
Eye 1,984
Brome & Oakley 388 Yaxley 443
Stuston 163 Thornham Magna 154
Thornham Parva 47
2,535 1
Stoke Ash 184
Mellis 417 Braiseworth 60
Gislingham 911 Occold 420
Wortham 608 Rishangles 79
Burgate 147 Thorndon 572
Palgrave 733 Thrandeston 130
2,816 1 Thwaite 122 1
2,211
Haughley 1,669
Wetherden 604
2,273 1
6 5
Grand Total 34
MID SU
FFOLK W
ARDING 2019
GREEN
GROUP VER
SION
RANGE FO
R +/‐1
0% is 2
,191 to
2,627 (4
,382 to
5,254 fo
r 2 m
ember w
ard)
Men
dham
371
Worlin
gworth
666
Yaxley
443
Hau
ghley
1,669
Metfield
343
Tan
ningto
n86
Mellis
417
Old New
ton/D
agworth
944
Weyb
read366
Bed
field297
Th
ornham
Magn
a154
Gipping
59
Syleham
174
Athelin
gton
30
Th
ornham
Parva
47
2,672
1
Wingfield
301
Hoxne
711
Braisew
orth
60
Fressingfield
911
Horham
267
Sto
ke Ash
184
Sto
wuplan
d1,649
2,466
1
Den
ham
157
Th
orndon
572
Creetin
g St Peter
217
Red
lingfield
100
Occo
ld420
Earl So
ham
505
Laxfield812
So
utholt
53
Th
waite
122
2,371
1
Stradbroke
1,281
2,367
1
2,419
1
Wilb
y236
Woolpit
1,740
Brundish
145
Gislin
gham
911
Rattlesd
en765
2,474
1
Red
grave496
Walsh
am‐Le‐W
illows
1,005
2,505
1
Worth
am608
Westh
orpe
181
Eye1,984
Burgate
147
Fin
ningh
am410
Th
ursto
n2,785
Brome &
Oakley
388
Palgrave
733
2,507
1
Beyto
n591
2,372
1
Thran
desto
n130
Hessett
420
Stusto
n163
Bad
well A
sh686
Drin
kwater
487
2,277
1
Bacto
n1,049
Felsh
am395
Hinderclay
270
Wyversto
ne
309
Ged
ding
101
Wattisfield
428
Deb
enham
1,755
Great A
shfield
330
4,779
2
Rickin
ghall
1,642
Winsto
n127
Lan
gham
74
(2 x 2
,389)
2,340
1
Aspall
44
Hunsto
n108
Oneh
ouse
808
Ken
ton
174
Sto
wlan
gtoft
196
Great Fin
borough
751
Men
dlesh
am1,121
Monk‐So
ham
154
2,752
1
Little Finborough
49
Wickh
am Sketh
260
Ashfield
‐Cum‐Th
orpe
165
Combs
603
Cotto
n479
Bed
ingfield
198
Elm
swell
3,143
Buxhall
364
Weth
eringsett
595
Rish
angles
79
Norto
n852
Sh
elland
48
2,455
1
2,696
1
Tosto
ck390
Harlesto
n153
Weth
erden
604
2,776
1
Need
ham
Market
3,903
Crowfield
322
4,989
2
Bad
ley66
Sto
nham
Aspel
480
(2 x 2
,495)
Stowmarket
16,688
7
Creetin
g St Mary
584
Sto
nham
Parva
289
Clayd
on
1,782
(7 x 2
,384)
4,553
2
Mickfield
183
Hen
ley482
Great B
lakenham
1,500
(2 x 2
,277)
Pettau
gh183
Aken
ham
48
Little B
lakenham
271
Barkin
g322
Fram
sden
267
Whitto
n97
So
mersh
am605
Battisfo
rd504
Gosbeck
191
2,409
1
Nettlestead
82
Ringsh
all563
Ashbockin
g300
2,458
1
Willish
am229
Helm
ingh
am141
Bram
ford
2,309
Offto
n332
2,356
1
Flowton
113
Barh
am1,280
Great B
ricett485
2,422
1
Codden
ham
514
Darm
sden
35
Baylh
am230
2,470
1
21
'head
room' of 2
00+ to
10% upper lim
itHem
ingsto
ne
184
4exceed
the +1
0% lim
it2,208
1
84
715
Gran
d To
tal34
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