The new constituency that could sit on top of a mountain and tear the Ribble Valley apart
Residents across the Ribble Valley confused and anxious about the borough's future amid a Westminster boundary shake-up, councillors have said.
The ward moves could impact on neighbouring areas such as Hyndburn and Pendle too, with a range of potential outcomes for local communities and political parties along with elections of Westminster MPs. Previous boundary commission ideas were to move three Ribble Valley wards of Ribbleton, East Whalley, Read and Simonstone, and Whalley & Painter Wood into a reshaped Hyndburn parliamentary seat. But that led to public complaints.
A working group had been created to look at the recommendations with Conservative Coun Stephen Atkinson, who is also the leader of the council; Lib-Dem group leader Coun Stewart Fletcher, and Conservative councillors Mark Hindle and David Peat During the formal council meeting, Coun Atkinson chaired the talks. He asked for specific suggestions about wards in addition to general opinions on the shake-up.
Coun Atkinson said: "The working group's first recommendation is to go back to the boundary commission's original idea of moving just three or four wards. The plan A. But it has a plan B, if that is not possible." Conservative Tony Austin, a Billington and Langho councillor. said: "I'm not happy with these proposals either. However, I like the fact that the working group is trying to repair the damage of the second option. I accept there were some arguments against the first proposal and many people were critical of it. But the second proposal is awful for Clitheroe. I fully support people saying what a mistake.
He said: "The big issue in the area has been flooding but residents would have to write to two MPs based on which side of the road they live. It's nonsensical in a way. Some residents are also worried about being associated with Pendle and Colne. For me, Downham and Rivington are inter-twined and it seems odd to divide communities like that. I was uneasy about Billington being chopped in two.
However Coun Mirfin added: "The situation is now more complicated. Nobody expected the boundary commission to come-up with such fundamentally different set of proposals following the first ones. More worryingly, there is not a main service centre in the new proposed Clitheroe & Pendle Westminster seat, which is going to be interesting when developing a relationship with a new MP. "
Conservative Coun Mark Hindle agreed with comments about different communities. He added: "I think we need to explain the point about the council area. Some people say these changes will lead to the dismantling of the district in future." Conservative Coun Louise Edge was concerned about Clitheroe, Chatburn and areas around Pendle Hill . The Chatburn ward includes the northern side of Pendle Hill up to its summit. To the south side is Barley and the borough of Pendle. She asked if an option with Chatburn and Barley could keep a link with Clitheroe?
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