Following our complaints about the last minute changes to the Cambridgeshire boundary review, which split parts of the St Matthew’s Area from Petersfield into the County Council Abbey Ward, we got a response!

“At its meeting on 15 March, the Commission acknowledged that, despite following the statutory procedure governing reviews and its own guidance, some residents and groups could feel that there had been insufficient opportunity for their views to be communicated during the consultation process. Accordingly, the Commission has agreed to hold a new phase of public consultation on new electoral arrangements for Cambridgeshire County Council.

The consultation will open on 10 May 2016 and close on 20 June 2016. The Commission will re-publish the boundary proposals it agreed in February and invite local people and organisations to comment on them. Publication of these recommendations will give local people and groups the chance to comment on the boundary proposals for the whole county. Once the consultation has closed, the Commission will carefully examine all the evidence presented, both that received during this period and earlier submissions. The Commission has an open mind about potential changes to its recommendations as a result of the consultation. It will welcome views in support of the proposals and suggestions for alternative boundaries that meet the criteria set out in law. It will then publish final recommendations in September 2016.”

So this is good news. We don’t know yet how to improve the proposals – the number data that the decision was based on isn’t available to us yet – but we hope to propose ideas & discuss with local councillors.

We’re more than happy to hear from anyone and as usual hope we can use the small amount of credibility that the PACT name gives us to champion some good suggestions.