SANDFORD Parish Council has announced that it is to object to proposed Boundary Changes and the creation of the Newbrooke and Sandford District Council Ward.

Sandford Parish Council says it has received details from the Boundary Commission, that a further recommendation is now being suggested to form a new District Parish of “Newbrooke and Sandford”.

The Boundary Commission gave notice of draft proposals for six new wards in the rural west of Mid Devon.

The 14-page report on the draft recommendations explained that it received 68 submissions after the February report was published. Forty were from local residents.

It adds that the Mid Devon District Council Liberal Democrat Group and the Central Devon Liberal Democrats “outlined significantly different boundaries to those we had proposed in our draft recommendations in the rural west of the district”.

“Accordingly we have been persuaded to amend our proposals and publish further draft recommendations for the wards of Morchard, Newbrooke and Sandford, Taw Vale, Upper Yeo and Taw, Way, and Yeo.”

The proposed Newbrooke and Sandford ward would include – Sandford, Newton St Cyres, Shobrooke, Venny Tedburn, Upton Pyne, Hookway and Efford.

The recommendations were based on Sandford’s Community Links:

1 School federations

2 Shared social amenities (e.g. pubs, halls, leisure groups etc)

3 Shared church ministries

4 Shared political arrangements and interests (e.g. shared parish clerks, multi-parish interest and action groups).

5 Poor public transport links between Sandford and Morchard Bishop

6 Public transport links with Shobrooke.

Sandford Parish Council says it is unhappy over the way this proposal has been dealt with.

Malcolm Vallance, parish clerk, explained: “There has been no consultation, and many of the highlighted community links were wholly incorrect (e.g. the village has a frequent bus service linking Morchard, Sandford, and on into Exeter).”

Sandford Parish Council has agreed that it will put a formal response together, objecting to the proposal, in very strong terms, and this would be presented at its next meeting for submission to the Boundary Commission in time for the November 9 deadline.

The proposed changes also include the expansion of the Taw Vale ward to include Nymet Rowland parish.

The public is invited to comment on the proposed changes.

The Commission has a dedicated section on its website where people can see the detail of the proposals and comment on the names of wards, their boundaries and the number of councillors per ward: https://consultation.lgbce.org.uk/node/18162 .

People can also give their views by e-mail at [email protected], and by post: Review Officer (Mid Devon), LGBCE, PO Box 133, Blyth NE24 9FE.

The full report and maps can be read through the district council website: www.middevon.gov.uk or the Commission website: www.lgbce.org.uk (Local Government Boundary Commission for England).