The Boundary Commission has now confirmed its proposals for the new council ward arrangements in Elmbridge. There will be 16 wards of roughly equal sizes, each served by three councillors, which makes 48 borough councillors overall (a reduction of 12).
These changes will take affect in May 2016 when elections will be held to appoint all 48 of the new borough councillors. In Molesey the Commission has decided to scrap the three current Molesey East, South and North wards and replace them with two wards - Molesey East and Molesey West. The Molesey Conservatives believe this to be a good arrangement as it preserves the existing villages of East and West Molesey and is a better solution to the artificial north-south divide which was suggested earlier on this process.
However we are very disappointed that the Commission has not listened to either the Molesey Conservatives or Molesey Residents Association, nor indeed residents, to keep everything north of the River Mole in the East Molesey ward. Instead Bridge Road (with the exception of the shops), Bridge Gardens, Cedar Road and Close, Summer Road, Avenue & Gardens, Esher Road and all off chutes down as far as Imber Court will be moving to the new and enlarged Thames Ditton ward. We believe this to be a poor outcome for our residents in these streets who live in Molesey and identify themselves as part of the Molesey community. The decision to make them part of the Thames Ditton council ward must seem baffling and confusing.
Much of what is currently Molesey North and South will merge into the new Molesey West ward but with Hurst Park, Kelvinbrook and the streets off it, Molesham Way, Abbey Walk, Avern Road and Gardens, Spring Gardens and Langton Road, moving into the new East ward.
The next stage will be for the proposals to go through Parliament where they will formally approved in time for elections on Thursday May 5th 2016.
You can see the proposals in full here.
These changes will take affect in May 2016 when elections will be held to appoint all 48 of the new borough councillors. In Molesey the Commission has decided to scrap the three current Molesey East, South and North wards and replace them with two wards - Molesey East and Molesey West. The Molesey Conservatives believe this to be a good arrangement as it preserves the existing villages of East and West Molesey and is a better solution to the artificial north-south divide which was suggested earlier on this process.
However we are very disappointed that the Commission has not listened to either the Molesey Conservatives or Molesey Residents Association, nor indeed residents, to keep everything north of the River Mole in the East Molesey ward. Instead Bridge Road (with the exception of the shops), Bridge Gardens, Cedar Road and Close, Summer Road, Avenue & Gardens, Esher Road and all off chutes down as far as Imber Court will be moving to the new and enlarged Thames Ditton ward. We believe this to be a poor outcome for our residents in these streets who live in Molesey and identify themselves as part of the Molesey community. The decision to make them part of the Thames Ditton council ward must seem baffling and confusing.
Much of what is currently Molesey North and South will merge into the new Molesey West ward but with Hurst Park, Kelvinbrook and the streets off it, Molesham Way, Abbey Walk, Avern Road and Gardens, Spring Gardens and Langton Road, moving into the new East ward.
The next stage will be for the proposals to go through Parliament where they will formally approved in time for elections on Thursday May 5th 2016.
You can see the proposals in full here.
