Community Governance Review - first consultation

Ambrosden Parish Council have asked us to consider changing where the parish boundary sits between Ambrosden and Blackthorn. 

As shown on the map marked by the letter A, part of the Blackthorn Meadows housing development around Church Leys Field has been built across the parish boundary. This means that around 100 homes are actually in Blackthorn Parish, not Ambrosden. 

Ambrosden Parish Council would like us to consider moving the parish boundary, so that all of the houses are in the same parish. 

More details on what this change would mean can be found in the consultation letter. 

Drayton Parish Council and Banbury Town Council have asked us to consider changing where the parish boundary sits between Drayton and Banbury. 

As shown on the map, marked by the letter D, part of the Castle Grange housing development around Walker Road, Grevile Road and Hermon Road has been built across the parish boundary. This means that around 380 homes are actually in Drayton Parish, not Banbury. 

Drayton Parish Council and Banbury Town Council would like us to consider moving the parish boundary, so that all of the houses are in the same parish. 

Future development

There are two further areas of land that we are also reviewing.

Outline planning permission has been granted for around 320 homes, in the area marked C on the map. Both Drayton Parish Council and Banbury Town Council would like this area of land to be moved into Banbury, so that when the houses are built, they are part of Banbury rather than Drayton. 

We have also been asked to consider the area of land marked B on the map. With the potential changes to the boundaries at areas C and D, it may be sensible to consider moving area B into Banbury from Drayton at the same time. 

More details on what these changes would mean can be found in the consultation letter. 

Banbury Town Council have asked us to review the parish boundary between Banbury and all neighbouring parishes. Banbury Town Council have made this request due to the amount of development that has recently taken place. 

Recent Planning approval

We have recently granted outline planning permission for application reference number 19/01047/OUT, the area marked E on the map. This permission is for up to 850 homes. 

This site is predominantly in Banbury but crosses into Bodicote as it wraps round Bannatyne Health Club and Banbury Rugby Club which are in Bodicote. The proposed access road crosses the parish boundary into Adderbury. 

This development will sit alongside Longford Park, which was moved from Bodicote parish into Banbury parish in 2016 

Properties on Longford Park Road

The Street Naming and Numbering Team have made us aware of two properties on Longford Park Road which are still within Bodicote Parish. These properties should have been moved into Banbury parish in 2016, when the rest of Longford Park moved. 

Other boundaries 

Banbury also has boundaries with the surrounding parishes of:

• North Newington 
• Broughton
• Bloxham

We haven't been asked to consider anything specific regarding these areas of the Banbury boundary, but if you wish to raise anything relating to these boundaries there is a question relating to them in the survey. 

Read the full consultation letter.

The boundary between Banbury, Drayton and Hanwell is also being reviewed, this is covered in a separate consultation document. 

District Councillor Dan Sames has requested that we review the parish boundary in light of a planning application currently under consideration at Wretchwick Way. 

Officers from our Street Naming and Numbering Team have also brought to our attention two planning application sites that are outside of the Bicester boundary, but which people think are in Bicester. 

Wretchwick Way planning application, 16/01268/OUT

We are currently considering an outline planning application for up to 1500 new homes at Wretchwick Way, marked by the letter L on the map. As shown by the blue lines on the map, if it was approved the homes would mainly be in Ambrosden, with some crossing the boundary into Blackthorn and Launton. 

It is sensible to consider whether to amend the parish boundary now, so that if the planning application is approved, all the houses will be in the same parish when they are built. 

There are four existing residential properties in the area marked L, which are currently in Ambrosden Parish.

Commercial development around Skimmingdish Lane – Area J

In 2019, outline planning permission was granted under planning application reference 19/02708/OUT, for employment units at Bicester Heritage. As shown on the map by the area marked J, this site is outside the Bicester parish boundary and actually sits within Launton. 

The Street Naming and Numbering team have brought this to our attention so that we can consider moving the parish boundary, so that this site is within Bicester rather than Launton. 

If the boundary was moved, depending on where it was moved to, one residential property could be affected.

Commercial development at Wendlebury Way – Area K 

In 2020, planning permission was granted under planning application reference 19/01740/HYBRID, for industrial offices and sports facilities on Wendlebury Way. As shown on the map by the area marked K, this site is outside the Bicester parish boundary and actually sits within Chesterton. 

The Street Naming and Numbering team have brought this to our attention so that we can consider moving the parish boundary, so that this site is within Bicester rather than Launton. No residential properties would be affected.

More details on what these changes would mean can be found in the consultation letter.

We have been asked by Chesterton Parish Council to consider changing where the parish boundary sits between Bucknell and Chesterton. We are also taking this opportunity to review the boundary between Bicester and Bucknell.

Chesterton Parish Council have requested that the boundary between Chesterton and Bucknell be moved so that two areas of land, shown on the map marked by the letters G and H, would change which parish they are in. Area G would become part of Chesterton parish, and area H would become part of Bucknell parish. 

Officers from our Planning department have also brought to our attention part of a planning approval site in Bicester which crosses the parish boundary into Bucknell. This is marked by the letter I on the map.  

Areas G and H

The parish boundary between Chesterton and Bucknell currently follows the B4030/Middleton Stoney Road, until it crosses the M40 when it picks up the treeline and the route of the Gagle Brook for a short distance. It then crosses the field and follows field boundaries to the point it joins with the Bicester parish boundary. 

Chesterton Parish Council have asked that we give consideration to straightening this section of the parish boundary so that it follows the B4030/Middleton Stoney Road. Area G, to the south of the road would become part of Chesterton Parish, and Area H, to the north of the road would become part of Bucknell Parish. No residential properties would be affected by this change. 

Area I 

In 2020 we granted outline planning permission for up to 1700 houses at north west Bicester, planning application reference 14/02121/OUT. This is area I on the map. 

A small part of this area crosses the parish boundary and sits within Bucknell parish. 

Any houses that are built on this part of the application site would be within Bucknell parish, with the rest of the development being in Bicester. It is sensible for us to consider moving this small area of land from Bucknell to Bicester, so that the whole development is in Bicester. 

Read the full consultation letter.

We have been asked by Epwell Parish Council to consider changing where the parish boundary sits between Epwell and Sibford Gower.

Epwell Parish Council have requested that the boundary be moved so that an area of woodland and some fields, shown on the map marked by the letter M, become part of Epwell Parish. The Parish Council feel that this area impacts on the Epwell, and they would like it to be part of their parish.   

Where would the boundary be moved to?

Parish boundaries have to be easy to identify, so that everyone knows where they are. They usually follow a feature such as a road, rivers or railways, or areas that provide a natural break between communities, like a park or recreation ground. 

In this case, Epwell Parish Council have requested that the boundary follow the line of the road to the left of the area of woodland, and then follow the drive that leads to Chilaway Farm. Chilaway Farm itself would remain in Sibford Gower parish.  

Read the full consultation letter.

We have been asked by Horley Parish Council to consider changing where the parish boundary sits between Horley and Hanwell, and between Horley and Wroxton.

Horley Parish Council have requested that two areas of land currently in neighbouring parishes, shown on the map marked by the letters N and O, become part of Horley parish. 

Area N – Old Forge, adjacent caravan site and scout camp

Horley Parish Council gave the following reason when requesting a change to the boundary between Horley and Wroxton, area N on the map:

“Currently the Old Forge and adjacent caravan site and scout camp have significant impact on Horley village. However as these come under the jurisdiction of Wroxton Parish, Horley Parish Council has little say in any new development or activities that occur and is reliant on Wroxton Parish Council for information and action”.

Area O – Land between Sorbrook and Warwick Road

Horley Parish Council have the following reason when requesting a change to the boundary between Horley and Hanwell, area O on the map:

“Because of the contours of the land the area between Sorbrook and Warwick Road has significant visual impact to the residents of Horley. Once again Horley Parish Council is dependent on the goodwill of another Parish Council, in this case Hanwell. There have been cases where temporary installations and developments have affected the visual outlook from Horley itself”.

Where would the boundary be moved to?

Horley Parish Council have requested that the boundaries follow the treeline to the left of the scout camp, before following the road across to Hanwell and then the B4100/Warwick Road, north to the county boundary with Warwickshire.

Read the full consultation letter.

Kidlington Parish Council have asked us to consider two options:

1. Merging the parish councils of Kidlington and Gosford & Water Eaton; or
2. Changing where the parish boundary sits between the two parishes. 

At the moment, Kidlington and Gosford & Water Eaton are two separate parishes, with their own parish councils. 

• Kidlington Parish has approximately 6000 properties and the Parish Council has 15 councillors.
• Gosford & Water Eaton has approximately 650 properties, and the Parish Council has 8 councillors.

Each council decides how much money it needs to raise to fund the services it provides to residents in their parish. This is called a precept, and forms part of the Council Tax bill you receive each year from us. 

Option 1 - merger of parish councils

If the parish councils were merged, Kidlington Parish Council and Gosford & Water Eaton Parish Council would no longer exist and a new parish council would be established to provide services to residents. If the parish councils merged we would need to consider how many councillors would represent the merged area. The new parish council would need to decide how much money it would need to collect via the precept. 

Option 2 - possible change to the parish boundary

If merging the parish councils is not supported, Kidlington Parish Council would like us to consider moving the existing parish boundary, so that an area of Gosford & Water Eaton moves into Kidlington. 

The boundary currently runs along the A4260/Oxford Road. Kidlington Parish Council would like us to consider moving the boundary so that it runs along the Bicester Road instead. If this change were made, the properties in the area marked by the letter P on the map – Cromwell Way, Cleveland Close, Fairfax Road, Hampden Drive, Kingsway Drive, Oxford Road and Bicester Road - would move from Gosford & Water Eaton Parish Council to Kidlington Parish Council.

More details on what these changes would mean can be found in the consultation letter.

We have been asked by Begbroke Parish Council, Chesterton Parish Council and Somerton Parish Council to consider changing the number of parish councillors they have.

What are the rules about Parish Councillor numbers? 

The legal minimum number of parish councillors for each parish council is five. Apart from this minimum number, there is no further requirement for the number of parish councillors to be proportionate to the electorate size.

Each area should be considered on its own merits, taking into account the broad pattern of existing council sizes. For rural parish councils in Cherwell the average number of parish councillors is seven.

The National Association of Local Councils (NALC) published guidance in 1988 that suggested the following, based on the electorate of each parish:

The Aston Business School carried out research that was published in 1992, which found that actual levels of representation were as follows:

Begbroke Parish Council – increase from six parish councillors to seven

Begbroke Parish Council have asked that their number of parish councillors be increased. They currently have six, but would like this increased to seven. 

The Parish Council have made this request due to the potential increase in housing in the area, and to give them more resilience if Councillors are unable to attend meetings, for example due to personal circumstances or illness.  

Begbroke Parish Council last held elections in 2019, when there were five candidates for six vacancies. The parish council filled the remaining vacancy in June 2019, and since then have had one parish councillor resign in September 2021. As of November 2021, this vacancy has not yet been filled. 

The electorate for Begbroke Parish as at 1 December 2020 (annual publication of the new Electoral Register) was 644. 

Chesterton Parish Council – increase from seven parish councillors

Chesterton Parish Council have asked that their number of parish councillors be increased. They currently have seven, but would like this increased to at least eight parish councillors, with the exact number to be considered as part of this review. The Parish Council have made this request due to an increase in workload as a result of several major developments in the parish, including the Great Wolf Resort and development around Himley Village. 

Chesterton Parish Council last held elections in 2019, when there were seven candidates for seven vacancies. Three resignations have occurred since then, two in March 2020 and one in July 2021. All three vacancies been filled. 

The electorate for Chesterton Parish as at 1 December 2020 (annual publication of the new Electoral Register) was 825. 

The Chesterton parish boundaries are also being reviewed during this Community Governance Review. The details can be found in separate documents which are available via our website www.cherwell.gov.uk/communitygovernance or on request to the Democratic and Elections Team democracy@cherwell-dc.gov.uk. 

Somerton Parish Council – increase from five parish councillors to six

Somerton Parish Council have asked that their number of parish councillors be increased. They currently have five, but would like this increased to six. 

The Parish Council have made this request due to an increase in workload.  

Somerton Parish Council last held elections in 2019, when there were six candidates for five vacancies. There have been no resignations since then. 

The electorate for Somerton Parish as at 1 December 2020 (annual publication of the new Electoral Register) was 249.

Read the full consultation letter.