Colney Heath bids for unity (From St Albans & Harpenden Review)

Colney Heath bids for unity

8:50am Thursday 11th March 2010 in

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VILLAGERS are hoping the forthcoming General Election may offer a chance to realise a long-cherished ambition - uniting the whole of Colney Heath in one parish.

District and parish councillor Chris Brazier, a fervent and loyal Liberal Democrat, said: "Obviously I would love Nick Clegg to win, but a Conservative victory might give us a chance to change the boundary, which would be a very good thing for Colney Heath.

"We have been trying to get it done for years."

The boundary with neighbouring North Mimms Parish, part of the borough of Welwyn Hatfield, excludes about 35 homes in Bullens Green Lane and nine on the east side of Franklin Close.

This quirk of geography makes it almost impossible for the excluded families to win places in popular St Albans secondary schools, increases their council tax and obliges them to travel to Welham Green to vote, while their MP is not Anne Main, but Grant Shapps.

Assistant parish clerk Kim Parker-Mead, who lives in one of the affected homes in Franklin Close, said: "I am someone who is interested in politics but I have never voted since I moved to the village seven years ago."

Previous attempts to win over the Electoral Commission have foundered thanks to opposition from both North Mimms Parish Council and Welwyn Hatfield Borough Council.

Councillor Brazier said: "I don't blame them at all - if they lose those homes they lose quite a bit of council tax.

"It is quite a big issue for Colney Heath.

"It affects a lot of things - school places, voting, refuse collection and council tax.

"If somebody in Colney Heath comes to me with a problem I will always try to help, but many people don't realise I am not their councillor."

The Electoral Commission has no plans to review local authority areas in the near future, but Tory leader David Cameron wants to reduce the number of MPs to restore public trust.

Councillor Brazier said: "To reduce the number of MPs they will have to change the constituency boundaries and my hope is there will be a chance to change the parish boundaries as part of that."

Gareth Nicholson of the Electoral Commission said: "Because the parish boundary is shared with the external boundary of two district councils, it's more complicated than simply moving the line on a map.

"Parishes shouldn't straddle district councils. If the boundary is to be moved we would have to carry out a boundary review of both the district councils.  

"If we changed that boundary, it could have knock-on effects elsewhere in both districts as it could mean that councillors have to represent more or fewer residents.

"That could affect electoral equality.

"In all of our work we consult extensively with local people and organisations to try and obtain locally-generated proposals on which we can base decisions."