Community Governance Review - stage 2 - Biggleswade

Responses from consultation

Town council: see Appendix B (pages 222 to 230) (PDF)

9 responses

Comments:

“Too many cooks spoil broth. You all fight against each other and nothing gets resolved.”

Feedback received through the public consultation, indicated a preference to retain the current level of representation and to make no other changes. This view has been considered alongside the Working Group’s rationale to ensure that any final draft recommendation reflects the aim of the terms of reference as well as the views of the community.

Draft recommendations

  1. that the parish name of Biggleswade should remain unchanged
  2. that the number of parish councillors on Biggleswade Town Council remain unchanged with Holme Ward 5, Ivel Ward 4 and Stratton Ward 6
  3. that the boundary is changed to move the property Brook Cottage from the Biggleswade Ward (Holme) into the parish of Langford (see map)
  4. rejected the proposals to extend the Biggleswade parish boundary into the parishes of Dunton, Edworth, Sutton and Northill

Reason for recommendations

  1. that the parish name of Biggleswade remains unchanged
  2. that the number of parish councillors on Biggleswade Town Council remains unchanged
  3. the boundary changes also provide the opportunity to re-draw parish boundaries that have become anomalous
  4. large-scale changes of boundaries would not be appropriate at this time
Biggleswade CGR
Parish and ward information (Biggleswade – Holme ward)
Biggleswade (Holme ward) parish topic Value
Current number of councillors 5
Working group proposed number of councillors 5
Electorate as of 1 May 2025 5,266
Current ratio of electors to councillors 1,053
Forecast electorate for 2030 5,319
Revised ratio of electors to councillors 1,064
Parish and ward information (Biggleswade – Ivel ward)
Biggleswade (Ivel ward) parish topic Value
Current number of councillors 4
Working group proposed number of councillors 4
Electorate as of 1 May 2025 5,135
Current ratio of electors to councillors 1,284
Forecast electorate for 2030 5,376
Revised ratio of electors to councillors 1,344
Parish and ward information (Biggleswade – Stratton ward)
Biggleswade (Stratton ward) parish topic Value
Current number of councillors 6
Working group proposed number of councillors 6
Electorate as of 1 May 2025 6,590
Current ratio of electors to councillors 1,098
Forecast electorate for 2030 6,609
Revised ratio of electors to councillors 1,102
Biggleswade Holme ward – seats and candidates
Number of seats 5
Number of candidates in 2023 5
Number of candidates in 2019 5
Number of candidates in 2015 3
Number of candidates in 2011 6
Biggleswade Ivel ward – seats and candidates
Number of seats 4
Number of candidates in 2023 6
Number of candidates in 2019 5
Number of candidates in 2015 8
Number of candidates in 2011 10
Biggleswade Stratton ward – seats and candidates
Number of seats 6
Number of candidates in 2023 4
Number of candidates in 2019 5
Number of candidates in 2015 5
Number of candidates in 2011 7