Councillor calls for re-drawing of ward boundary

Haygate Fields, a 289-home estate that branches off the west end of the town’s Haygate Road, is predominantly in the neighbouring Wrockwardine parish area and the Telford and Wrekin Council ward of the same name.

Wellington Town Council member Anthony Lowe told Local Government Boundary Commission for England (LGBCE) officers it should be incorporated into the town area.

LGBCE review officer Tom Rutherford said the electoral body cannot change lower-tier council boundaries, but the borough council ward boundary is in its remit.

He suggested Councillor Lowe make a consultation response in favour of changing that and, if successful, then petition Telford and Wrekin Council to change the town’s administrative border.

Labour councillor Graham Cook, who represents the Haygate wards of both the town and borough council, disagreed with Councillor Lowe, saying the estate – that received planning permission in 2018 – “sits more on the Wrockwardine ward than it does in Wellington”, so should stay part of that area rather than move into his own.

Following a request from the council itself, the LGBCE is consulting on the number of wards the borough should have, along with their shapes and names. Members of the public have until Monday, August 2, to submit their responses.

During a briefing about the review, Liberal Democrat Councillor Lowe – who served as town mayor in 2019-20 – pointed out that, to walk from his Shawbirch ward to the town council’s other areas, “it’s necessary to drive or walk through Apley and Leegomery”.

He asked: “Can this be looked at? In other words, can the outer perimeter of the Wellington Town Council area be looked at?”

Mr Rutherford said the LGBCE only had the power to alter Telford and Wrekin Council’s wards, not the borders of the town and parish councils within it. That could only be done by petitioning the borough council for a “community governance review”, he said.

“What we can do is propose Telford and Wrekin ward boundaries that reflect communities and, potentially, tee them up for a subsequent community governance review that Telford and Wrekin Council has to undertake,” he said.

Councillor Lowe added: “We have a situation where agricultural land in Wrockwardine has been built on in the past year and access is only onto Haygate Road, Wellington. This new development should be part of Wellington.”

Mr Rutherford said: “We cannot, as part of this review, change the boundaries of the town councils. What we can do is propose ward boundaries that reflect communities and, potentially, tee them up for a subsequent community governance review that Telford and Wrekin Council has to undertake. T&WC is the authority with the power to change the town and parish councils’ boundaries, not us.

“What I would suggest is: Send in the submission with details of the area. If it fits in with all the other submissions, if we’re persuaded by the evidence, we can certainly put in that area as part of a Wellington-based ward, then you can make the case for a community governance review.”