Boundary Commission proposing radical alterations to current structure

Proposed new ward boundaries for Acton

Radical changes are being proposed to the current ward boundaries in the Acton area which will see a new North Acton ward created. If the changes proposed by the Boundary Commission are accepted there will be 12 councillors sitting on Ealing Borough Council with ‘Acton’ in the name of their ward. A consultation has begun on these changes.

The new North Acton constituency will comprise electors from the former East Acton, Acton Central and South Acton wards. The northern boundary of East Acton ward would move to the railway line, with electors north of the railway line forming part of the new North Acton ward. The western boundary between East Acton and the new ward Central ward will follow the A4000 Horn Lane, before turning east to run to the rear of properties on Grafton Road and Goldsmith Avenue, before meeting the current ward boundary at Acton Central Station.

The southern boundary will follow the railway line, before turning south along Horn Lane, running to the rear of properties along Acacia Road, Cumberland Park and Woodhurst Road, before returning to the A4000. They have made a small modification to the proposed boundary here, to extend it behind Lantry Court, which will be included within South Acton ward for reasons of access. The boundary then continues along the centre of Uxbridge Road before turning north behind properties on Twyford Crescent. The boundary continues north behind Twyford Avenue until it meets the railway.

The submissions received by the commission from the Council and Conservative Group for South Acton were the same. They proposed that the boundary between North Acton and South Acton should deviate from the High Street, to run behind the police station, Rufford Tower and Moreton Tower, before moving east behind the properties on Stuart Road and Shakespeare Road. Their proposed boundary then turns south to the rear of Milton Road before meeting the railway line. Electors in this area would move from the existing Acton Central ward to South Acton ward. The proposed boundary would move to the A4020 Uxbridge Road, with electors north of this in Twyford Crescent, Twyford Avenue, Chatsworth Gardens, Buxton Gardens and 2–14 Barlow Road moving from South Acton into North Acton ward.

Suggestions that the current Southfield ward should be renamed 'North Chiswick' have been rejected and the commission prefer Ealing Council’s proposal that it should be renamed 'Acton Green'.

They say, ''On balance, we are persuaded by the Council's argument that the name Acton Green gives a degree of continuity to the names of the wards across the Acton area. However, we would be particularly interested to receive feedback from local residents and organisations about the most appropriate ward name for this area.'

The new Acton Green ward would be the largest in population terms in the borough based on projections to 2024 with 11,560 electors.

This would be 5% more than the average for wards in Ealing. It would have a slightly altered boundary which would now run along the centre of the Vale A4020 all the way to the borough boundary with Hammersmith and Fulham. Electors in Agnes Road, Cowley Road, Swainson Road, Elizabeth Gardens, Davis Road, Valetta Road and Oldfield Road would be incorporated into the ward.

In the rest of Ealing it is proposed that the current ward set up would also undergo a variety of name and boundary changes with Northfield ward becoming South Ealing, Elthorne - Hanwell Broadway, Hobbayne - North Hanwell, Cleveland - Pitshanger and Central Greenford would become known as Greenford Green. In Southall a new ward would be created by dividing the current Southall Broadway into two and introducing West Southall.

The draft recommendations are for 22 three-councillor wards and two two councillor wards in Ealing an increase of one councillor from the current number of 69.

The Commission said, “We consider that our draft recommendations will provide for good electoral equality while reflecting community identities and interests where we received such evidence during consultation.”

The types of questions the Commission is asking residents at this stage are:

Do the proposed wards reflect local communities?
How do you think the proposals can be improved whilst maintaining electoral equality?
Are the names of the proposed wards right?

Councillor Gareth Shaw, chair of Ealing Council’s boundaries panel said: “I would encourage all residents to take part in the consultation. It is very important residents have their say on the ward names, boundaries and whether or not they properly represent their local communities.”

Ealing Council will be making its own submission to the commission by the end of March.

Residents have from 5 February until 15 April 2019 to have their say about where ward boundaries for Ealing should be drawn. The Commission will consider all submissions and aims to publish its final recommendations in July 2019. Once the Commission agrees its final recommendations it will lay a draft order in both Houses of Parliament. Parliament will then have 40 days in which to consider the recommendations. If both Houses are satisfied with the recommendations, the draft order will be ‘made’ and the new wards will come into effect at the council elections in May 2022.

If you would like to make a submission to the Commission email: reviews@lgbce.org.uk or have your say directly through the Commission’s consultation portal.

13th February 2019