Council ward boundaries: ‘Regret’ in Barnet at Golders Green carve up but Haringey councillors ‘relaxed’ with changes
Barnet's new ward boundaries according to the independent Boundary Commission. Picture: LGBCE / Ordnance Survey - Credit: Archant
New ward boundaries for Barnet and Haringey have been confirmed by the Independent Boundary Commission after public consultations.
Haringey's new ward boundaries according to the independent Boundary Commission. Picture: LGBCE / Ordnance Survey - Credit: Archant
In both boroughs the result is a move away from each ward having three councillors. The new electoral map will see smaller two-member wards to minimise the population differences. Despite proposals, turning Cricklewood and the Barnet edge of Muswell Hill into single-member wards was rejected. Instead, Golders Green, Cricklewood and Garden Suburb wards will all have two councillors, and a larger Childs Hill ward will have three.
Barnet's Labour opposition largely welcomed the changes, but said it "regretted" that the new Childs Hill ward will split Golders Green centre.
A local party spokeperson said: ""We particularly welcome the Commission's rejection of the Conservative proposal that two areas, South Friern (that they called Muswell Hill) and Cricklewood should be represented by only one councillor in each case. We are glad that the many new residents of Colindale will have the number of councillors they need and that the identities of Whetstone and Friern Barnet are recognised in new wards."
There was a similarly ambivalent response from Conservative group leader Cllr Dan Thomas. He said: "Over the course of the boundary review, the Conservative group made representations alongside hundreds of residents to try to ensure that wards retained their community identities while being electorally fair. While the Commission agreed with us on many of our representations, we have been left disappointed by some of their choices."
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In Haringey, both main parties are "relaxed" about the changes, which see Hornsey retain roads south of Tottenham Lane and the East Coast Main Line remain a border in the middle of Haringey.
But Muswell Hill and Alexandra Park will lose a councillor each as the commission seeks to more fairly distribute councillors across the borough as a whole.
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Cllr Joshua Dixon (Lib Dem, Alexandra) said his party were pleased to see both his ward and the Harringay ward retained.
To see the full arrangements for Haringey click here, and for Barnet click here.
The new arrangements for both boroughs will be in place for the 2022 local elections.
