Change to Newport town border is rejected

Two members of Telford & Wrekin Council’s boundary committee said an “eye-opening” site visit convinced them the A518 was the “natural boundary” between the town and the village of Chetwynd Aston beyond.

But a majority of members voted against the move, meaning Chetwynd Aston and Woodcote Parish Council’s (CA&W) electorate could treble once nearly 500 planned new homes are built on the “review area”.

The mayor of Newport Town Council said the result was expected, but disappointing, and the committee was storing up problems for the future, as the incoming residents of the homes “will think they live in Newport”.

A report noted that Newport Town Council petitioned to incorporate the land, currently part of Church Aston and Woodcote parish, into its south ward.

Planning permission has been granted for 487 homes on the site, south of Springfield Industrial Estate and north of the A518, potentially bringing more than 800 new residents.

The report said: “CA&W are able and willing to welcome a potentially large number of new residents and, with the additional precept charges it will receive, it will be able to provide for and tailor residents’ requirements.”

Newport Town Council has an electorate of 9,000 while CA&W has 397.

The report continued: “There is a strong argument that the potential increase in the number of electors will greatly benefit a small rural community, whereas Newport Town Council may see little benefit given its current size.”

At a previous meeting, committee members voted for a site visit.

Councillor Richard Overton said: “It was really eye-opening. You would think you were in Newport.

Facilities

“I think, if we had knocked on some doors and asked, people would have said it was in Newport.”

He said residents of the future houses would probably use Newport facilities and have “no affinity” with the parish to the south.

“I bet you they will not even go and visit Chetwynd Aston village unless their dog runs loose and they have to go find it,” he said.

But Councillor Ian Fletcher said they shouldn’t try to anticipate the views of residents of homes that don’t exist yet.

“If they want to move the boundary, they can petition for that themselves later on,” he said.

The committee voted 3-2 to accept the officer’s recommendation and keep the boundary where it is.

Councillor Overton and committee chairman Angela McClements voted against it.

Newport mayor Peter Scott said: “Although it was expected, I’m disappointed with the result and I know my members will be.

“It was always, for us, more about common sense than council tax. There were talks of ‘land-grabbing’; that wasn’t ever our interpretation.

“I do think that, once the houses are built and people are living there, people will want to revisit it. I’m fairly certain the people there will think they live in Newport.”

He said that the residents of the new homes would use facilities provided by Newport Town Council but not pay towards them, and other residents of the town “will wonder why that is the case”.

Councillor Scott added: “I’m sure what the committee have done is serve up problems for this council in a few years time.”

Story by Local Democracy Reporter Alex Moore