New parish for Stoke Lodge clears final hurdle

Stoke Lodge councillors (l-r) Andy Alsop, Sarah Pomfret and Brian Hopkinson.

The creation of a new parish council for Stoke Lodge cleared its final hurdle this evening (Wednesday 22nd May) after councillors voted in favour of the move.

South Gloucestershire Council carried out a ‘Community Governance Review’ after campaigners from Stoke Lodge and The Common, Patchway, handed in a petition last year signed by over 500 local residents calling for the creation of a new parish council.

894 consultation leaflets were issued to Stoke Lodge households and 720 were returned and verified – an 80% response rate.

And of the verified responses, more than 80% indicated a wish to have a new parish council created.

Councillors on the authority’s Regulatory Committee recommended approval to the creation of a new Stoke Lodge parish council at their meeting in December and final sign-off was given at this evening’s special meeting of all councillors.

Stoke Lodge and The Common currently form part of Patchway parish, although they are separated from the rest of Patchway by the A38 dual-carriageway.

South Gloucestershire Conservative councillors for Bradley Stoke Central and Stoke Lodge, Sarah Pomfret and Brian Hopkinson, who are also both Patchway town councillors for Stoke Lodge, said:

“We’re delighted that councillors voted in line with the landslide consultation result to create a new parish council for Stoke Lodge and the Common.”

“Stoke Lodge residents have expressed in their hundreds how they are fed up with being taken for granted and treated as Patchway Town Council’s cash cow and how they want their own parish council to better reflect their community.”

“Labour-run Patchway Town Council charges the second highest council tax in South Gloucestershire – a household living here in a Band D property will pay over £100 more every year than the average for a South Glos Band D property.”

“We have always believed that Stoke Lodge and the Common is a distinct community that deserves fair representation and fair taxation in the form of our own parish council, which is why we are delighted with this vote.”

They added:

“Thank you to everyone who has supported the campaign – there is still more to do to prepare for our new parish council to come into being.”

Councillors also agreed at the meeting to create a new Emersons Green Town Council, but to leave the Kingswood area unparished.

The first elections for the new parish councils will happen in 2015 in line with all other South Gloucestershire district and parish elections.

Photo: Stoke Lodge councillors (l-r) Andy Alsop, Sarah Pomfret and Brian Hopkinson.

3 comments

  1. Why is it wrong…..surely it’s about people having the right to vote what happens in the community they care for?

    Patchway has been for too long obsessed with it’s own problems on the other side of the A38, not caring for the problems of the forgotten part which will now get it’s own identity and a chance to move on.

    Good news for Stoke Lodge at last!

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