Hexham

[john07]

May 14, 2021 20:29:56 GMT Clark said:

Didn't realise how strongly Tory Ponteland was until I saw some recent local election results

Have you ever been there?

My daughter's in-law’s live there. They have a tennis court and an orchard beyond their back garden.

[Clark]

Never been. I think a lot of the Newcastle footballer reside there

[bjornhattan]

May 17, 2021 19:18:11 GMT Clark said:

Never been. I think a lot of the Newcastle footballer reside there

Yes, they tend to live in Darras Hall, a large and extremely affluent housing estate which forms the southern part of Ponteland. All four wards also have rural hinterland including various villages such as Stannington, Stamfordham, and Heddon. These villages are perhaps slightly downmarket compared to Ponteland, but still very nice places to live.

[where2travel]

May 17, 2021 19:34:44 GMT bjornhattan said:

May 17, 2021 19:18:11 GMT Clark said:

Never been. I think a lot of the Newcastle footballer reside there

Yes, they tend to live in Darras Hall, a large and extremely affluent housing estate which forms the southern part of Ponteland. All four wards also have rural hinterland including various villages such as Stannington, Stamfordham, and Heddon. These villages are perhaps slightly downmarket compared to Ponteland, but still very nice places to live.

I did wonder why Ponteland, with a population barely more than 10,000, would have four wards. It's slightly odd the way the small town centre is carved up four ways into the four different wards, each which then has a huge hinterland.

[jamie]

May 17, 2021 20:00:14 GMT where2travel said:

May 17, 2021 19:34:44 GMT bjornhattan said:

Yes, they tend to live in Darras Hall, a large and extremely affluent housing estate which forms the southern part of Ponteland. All four wards also have rural hinterland including various villages such as Stannington, Stamfordham, and Heddon. These villages are perhaps slightly downmarket compared to Ponteland, but still very nice places to live.

I did wonder why Ponteland, with a population barely more than 10,000, would have four wards. It's slightly odd the way the small town centre is carved up four ways into the four different wards, each which then has a huge hinterland.

The town has an electorate of 3 wards which with some redrawing of the polling districts could support 3 wards. However, the current arrangement has been going for a while now and presumably relates to difficulty in sticking the outlying settlements in other wards. I personally think it would be worth it, but we will have to wait for another boundary review to make that argument. 

[Deleted]

May 17, 2021 20:34:43 GMT jamie said:

May 17, 2021 20:00:14 GMT where2travel said:

I did wonder why Ponteland, with a population barely more than 10,000, would have four wards. It's slightly odd the way the small town centre is carved up four ways into the four different wards, each which then has a huge hinterland.

The town has an electorate of 3 wards which with some redrawing of the polling districts could support 3 wards. However, the current arrangement has been going for a while now and presumably relates to difficulty in sticking the outlying settlements in other wards. I personally think it would be worth it, but we will have to wait for another boundary review to make that argument. 

Could you do a three-member "Ponteland proper" and a one- or two-member "Ponteland outer"?

[bjornhattan]

May 18, 2021 0:18:11 GMT @europeanlefty said:

May 17, 2021 20:34:43 GMT jamie said:

The town has an electorate of 3 wards which with some redrawing of the polling districts could support 3 wards. However, the current arrangement has been going for a while now and presumably relates to difficulty in sticking the outlying settlements in other wards. I personally think it would be worth it, but we will have to wait for another boundary review to make that argument. 

Could you do a three-member "Ponteland proper" and a one- or two-member "Ponteland outer"?

The communities around the edge of Ponteland have little to do with each other - travelling from Heddon to Stannington without going through Ponteland (or Newcastle) would be very difficult. It would be better to move those villages into other divisions. For example, Heddon would fit very well with Wylam and Ovingham in Bywell division, while Stamfordham and Matfen could also go into Bywell, or possibly Humshaugh. The villages along the A696 probably should stay in Ponteland (since it's the only place they have a decent road connection to other than Otterburn) but at a push they could either join Stamfordham and Matfen in whichever division you put them, or perhaps go into Longhorsley.

Stannington is a bit trickier, because to the south you have the boundary with Newcastle (which you can't cross) and to the east you have the boundary with Bedlington and Cramlington (which you probably don't want to cross). I suppose a division consisting of Stannington and the various villages in Longhorsley division to the south/west of Morpeth (Mitford, Clifton, Hepscott, etc) might not be too far from quota.

[jamie]

May 18, 2021 1:07:11 GMT bjornhattan said:

May 18, 2021 0:18:11 GMT @europeanlefty said:

Could you do a three-member "Ponteland proper" and a one- or two-member "Ponteland outer"?

The communities around the edge of Ponteland have little to do with each other - travelling from Heddon to Stannington without going through Ponteland (or Newcastle) would be very difficult. It would be better to move those villages into other divisions. For example, Heddon would fit very well with Wylam and Ovingham in Bywell division, while Stamfordham and Matfen could also go into Bywell, or possibly Humshaugh. The villages along the A696 probably should stay in Ponteland (since it's the only place they have a decent road connection to other than Otterburn) but at a push they could either join Stamfordham and Matfen in whichever division you put them, or perhaps go into Longhorsley.

Stannington is a bit trickier, because to the south you have the boundary with Newcastle (which you can't cross) and to the east you have the boundary with Bedlington and Cramlington (which you probably don't want to cross). I suppose a division consisting of Stannington and the various villages in Longhorsley division to the south/west of Morpeth (Mitford, Clifton, Hepscott, etc) might not be too far from quota.

I haven’t had a proper look at redrawing the boundaries, but your suggestions above are good evidence that it would be hard work getting most of the villages removed from Ponteland wards. They make up a ward themselves but cannot be paired. They could be added to neighbouring wards, but this would mean big knock on effects. I personally think ending the 4 way split of Ponteland would be worth it, but I understand why it will probably remain, particularly due to minimum change. 

[Merseymike]

Given that they would all still return Conservative councillors maybe best just to leave be?

[aargauer]

May 17, 2021 19:34:44 GMT bjornhattan said:

May 17, 2021 19:18:11 GMT Clark said:

Never been. I think a lot of the Newcastle footballer reside there

Yes, they tend to live in Darras Hall, a large and extremely affluent housing estate which forms the southern part of Ponteland. All four wards also have rural hinterland including various villages such as Stannington, Stamfordham, and Heddon. These villages are perhaps slightly downmarket compared to Ponteland, but still very nice places to live.

Much more so for anyone with taste than Darras Hall, which is very .... Cheshire.

[bjornhattan]

Jun 12, 2022 22:18:46 GMT aargauer said:

May 17, 2021 19:34:44 GMT bjornhattan said:

Yes, they tend to live in Darras Hall, a large and extremely affluent housing estate which forms the southern part of Ponteland. All four wards also have rural hinterland including various villages such as Stannington, Stamfordham, and Heddon. These villages are perhaps slightly downmarket compared to Ponteland, but still very nice places to live.

Much more so for anyone with taste than Darras Hall, which is very .... Cheshire.

In fairness, I'd consider Hexham to be the nicest place to live in the seat - being a large enough town to have all the everyday essentials, but still small enough to have a strong sense of community spirit. But sadly, judging by the property prices it seems like the consensus is against us!

[aargauer]

Jun 12, 2022 22:34:12 GMT bjornhattan said:

Jun 12, 2022 22:18:46 GMT aargauer said:

Much more so for anyone with taste than Darras Hall, which is very .... Cheshire.

In fairness, I'd consider Hexham to be the nicest place to live in the seat - being a large enough town to have all the everyday essentials, but still small enough to have a strong sense of community spirit. But sadly, judging by the property prices it seems like the consensus is against us!

Theres something for everyone in the seat. Although for the type of person who wants that small intimate feeling but still with amenities and public transport id go for Corbridge over Hexham.

[Pete Whitehead]

Hexham gains the large rural Longhorsley ward (currently divided between Berwick and Wansbeck) but more voters in the Callerton & Throckley ward in Newcastle. The net effect is slightly to Labour's benefit

2019 Notional results on new boundaries

Con	28287	52.9%
Lab	17616	32.9%
LD	5026	9.4%
Grn	1837	3.4%
BxP	693	1.3%
Oth	6	0.0%
Majority	10671	20.0%