Consultation on Local Government Boundary Commission Review draft proposals – this affects Portswood Ward!

Councillor John Savage, Councillor for Portswood Ward, explains the Local Government Boundary Commission’s draft proposals in more detail below, and how they will affect Portswood.

Due to an increase in the population of Southampton particularly in the city centre, the Boundary Commission has recommended: an increase in the total number of council wards in Southampton, and consequently that many of the wards would require a redrawing of the ward boundaries.

As a result, City Councillors of both parties went through an exercise to devise the location of one new ward and have drawn up suggested new ward boundaries. This was voted through unanimously at a full council meeting. This has been largely accepted by the Boundary Commission and the draft proposal has been published for consultation with residents and local groups.

In summary, a new ward has been created. We will now have Bargate north and Bargate south. The growth in population, particularly in the city centre, results in the redrawing of the ward boundaries towards the city centre. For Portswood ward this will essentially mean that the boundaries will move about 200m southwards.

https://www.southampton.gov.uk/news/article/hys-new-political-map

The draft ward maps can be viewed online and you can give your views by clicking on the link to “have your say”, but the boundaries can be summed up as follows:

At the northern boundary, the east side of university road and the university buildings will move into Swaythling ward along with all the homes on the north side of Wellbeck avenue including the roads to the north. eg. Hartley, Merton, Upper Shaftsbury, Somerset and Northcote. Interestingly, Portswood rec. will then be in Swaythling. The ward boundary continues down the length of Arnold road with the houses on the west of the Arnold remaining in Portswood but those on the East now being included in Swaythling. St Denys remains unchanged with Belgrave road industrial estate remaining in Portswood and the boundary down the length of the river Itchen keeping it within Portswood ward. The southern boundary extends from Horseshoe bridge road, across Thomas Lewis way into Dukes road, with a short westerly dog-leg to pick up Spring crescent. Here everything to the southwest curve of Spring crescent will be in Bevois ward. The boundary then extends into Avenue road, up to the Avenue which forms the western boundary of Portswood. This means that all homes and businesses on the north side of Avenue road, including, Alma, Gordon, Livingstone and the Waitrose supermarket (previously in Bevois) will now be in Portswood ward.

As mentioned these are still draft changes and you can comment on the proposals using the link above to check out where your ward will now be.

It is important to mention that as all the wards in the city may be subject to change, 2023 is likely to hold all-out elections where all 3 ward councillors for each of the 17 wards will be up for election and each voting resident will be able to make three votes to choose his or her ward councillors.