This has crept out with a short consultation period 20 March - 12 June It is very important
This is not the same as the boundary reviews which are going on as well, it is completely different and if I were being cynical I would suggest that its arrival amongst all the other review turmoil is not a coincidence
This is about how we are governed and about 3 years ago we were promised this given the concerns that Spooner row, Wattlefield and Suton have about the way we are governed by Wymondham town Council AND South Norfolk
I have to say it has got better, I hope as a result of my involvement but I also have to say that the character of the 3 sub parishes is completely different from the Town, with much less in the way of services , street lamps, shops (none) and yet we pay the same rates as those in town who do have all these facilities. There is scope for much reduced rate charge but the field would be a charge , planters and our 3 street lamps but not much else.
Attached below is a survey link where you can, as an individual give your views. This has appeared on the WTC minutes to discuss ( next tuesday) but only from the perspective of a Town response.
It is about how we are governed locally and you might feel that a seperate community Parish of the three sub parishes , which might exclude Silfield from the existing Cromwells Ward is the way forward and the proposals ( rubber stamp awaited ) to have 2 district Councillors for Cromwells ( as was) now called South Wymondham, actually allows for a split. Harts Farm (oddly called east Wymondham) and Silfiled which gets ever bigger and potentially swamps our views would be one District Councillor, and the other our 3 sub parishes. So may be now is the time to have a local voice but one district Councilor for them and one for us, is logical even if the numbers of voters, quite clearly do not stack up currently. Remember we have some big developments planned
South Norfolk , who will continue to give us the excellent and totally consistent service they do on Planning matters and other various issues, would stay in overall charge and if the majority of residents do or say nothing then no Governance change will happen and given the on going turmoil at South Norfolk, I am bound to say that this is probably exactly what they want.
This is the consultation and if it is ignored then we will be told 'you were consulted' so status quo
I have already given my views and I would encourage you to do so
Previously we were sent a paper consultation and this review is VERY overdue but whether we will get a paper consultation this time around I am not at all sure. A question for our District Councillor perhaps ?
I hope the link works
I say again this in nothing to do with the ongoing Boundary electoral reviews both for District and Parliamentary
Community Governance review is entirely NON political OR it should be as it is about how we are governed.
This is nothing to do with the on going elections WHATSOEVER but it does serve to illustrate the stupidity of the Boundary commission arrangements which currently apply to Cromwells which is clearly confusing everybody ( well almost as I understand it )
The Parliamentary election is for West Norfolk NOT South Norfolk !!
The on going County election is for County and the division of Forehoe , where we are in Cromwells AND I am standing for Wymondham Town which is NOT in Cromwells so any posts about me here in Spooner row in respect of the County election are , to be frank not really relevant.
Thank you for any kind words and even the not so kind as it does allow me to engage BUT as we are not talking about District elections or Town elections which are also different AGAIN , or very likely to be, as rubber stamping needed by Govt post GENERAL election.
So any comments here are of limited relevance as some idiotic Mandarin has decided to put us in a ward where it is completely mucked up for EVERY single election we are supposed to engage in.
If you cannot be bothered this is sad but I can understand why.
Look at the original post. It says there is a public consultation until 12 June in which to use the link and give your views. Personally, I think we should opt to become our own parish as we are not a town - well not at the moment.
If we (Spooner Row, Suton and Wattlefield) did apply to become our own parish with our own governance and much-reduced precept, where would the boundary line be drawn? With the enormous, soon to be built development along London Road from Suton Lane which also engulfs Gonville Hall, and the proposal to further develop this area under the Greater Norwich Development Plan to extend right up to Chepore Lane, then Spooner Row would become a suburb of Wymondham, joined up by lots of new housing in Suton. It would be difficult to form a separate parish by then.
I agree with the last post and in order for this to happen , we need 50% of the existing voters to agree to this. I would say however if you look at what Morley has achieved on their own and with a much reduced precept this is something which we could do as well. However I fear it is a case of the devil you know as opposed to what you don't and right now I am sure South Norfolk would not want the turmoil this would create, which is possibly why they muddled this up with the boundary reviews.
I accept totally that it is easy to get confused and once again Governance review is NOT about Boundary commission reviews it is about how we are governed, but I suspect that such is the lack of interest in modern political shenanigans that and suggestion of Governance change is sadly going to go nowhere
Herewith a copy of an e mail sent to the Boundary commission. No reply thus far of course
Dear Sir
Following on from your recent letter of the 14th March 2017 to Mr Gurney of Wymondham Town Council , I am writing on behalf of the residents of the current electoral ward of Cromwells, soon to be south Wymondham , sort of ! to complain about the truly asinine electoral arrangements and proposals we currently, or will soon ‘enjoy’.
Specifically
For Parliamentary we are Mid Norfolk along with Wymondham even though we feed into South Norfolk
For County we are Forehoe Division and so separate from Wymondham Town division
For Town elections we have 4 proposed councillors , and are called South Wymondham even though this is not the same South Wymondham as for the Town, and are subservient to South Norfolk
For District we have two proposed district councillors ( for South Norfolk ) merging with the new ward , which does not exist, of Harts Farm, to be the NEW South Wymondham
So to summarise, for each and every different election we have different arrangements
Local residents are understandably confused and as one of your driving motives is co terminosity, is this someone’s idea of a bad joke
Yours faithfully
Julian Halls Town Councillor for Cromwells soon to be South Wymondham ( sort of) as Town elections differ
So it looks like we are still going to get a rubbish deal. This should have been an opportunity for the Boundary Commission to disentangle and simplify the muddle we feel we are in. It looks more complicated than ever !!
We really do need to become our own parish as currently, it appears our parish council at Wymondham is controlled by the district council. This is not good.
The villages of Spooner Row, Wattlefield and Suton have always been grouped together as one entity and now is the time for us to have autonomy on what is best for us. Development should not be decided by others who do not live here and care even less.
Take some time (no matter how small) and involve yourselves. For starters, complete the Governance survey form using the web link on the first post to this thread. Lots of development is heading this way and if you don't involve yourselves now, then when you find yourselves surrounded by unwanted development it will be too late to do anything.
...... For Town elections we have 4 proposed councillors , and are called South Wymondham even though this is not the same South Wymondham as for the Town, and are subservient to South Norfolk
For District we have two proposed district councillors ( for South Norfolk ) merging with the new ward , which does not exist, of Harts Farm, to be the NEW South Wymondham
So to summarise, for each and every different election we have different arrangements
Local residents are understandably confused and as one of your driving motives is co terminosity, is this someone’s idea of a bad joke
I don't like the sound of our new ward name of South Wymondham, sounds really urban and gives us no village identity. Harts Farm is miles away, yet they want to merge us? Now is a good time to become our own parish by the looks of it.
OK, I am going to put myself forward and arrange a get together of those interested in splitting away from Wymondham Town Council and returning to the earlier parish boundary of Spooner Row, Wattlefield and Suton.
I have been speaking to those that I see when walking the dog and there appears to be support for us taking back control.
With anonymous posting it is impossible for me to reach out to each of your personally, so will all those that are interested and willing to give up an hour sometime next week please contact me via the Message Board or call me on 07748 300820.
I to am very interested in taking control of our village and its future. I have been thinking about this for some time based on some of Julian's previous posts and some research I did on the establishing a Parish and Council. Unfortunately I am away most of next week, but I am free on Friday evening and most of the following week. I will telephone you to discuss.
There is a meeting to discuss this to be held at 1330 in the village Hall committee room on wednesday. Some of you will not be able to attend but if as many as pos can that would be good.
If you could me know, ( see contact details above) or Julian whether you can attend and if not, whether you are happy to support that would be good (600720) and apologies noted from Stephen
Julian and Robert
