The Boundary Commission's final decision regarding Weston Green ward is that it whould be joined with the bulk of the current Hinchley Wood ward. Weston Green will have 45% of the new ward's electors, compared with Hinchley Wood's 55%.
The new ward will have three councillors - one less than in the present two two-councillor wards. Although it would have been preferable not to be merged into a larger ward, Weston Green is fortunate in that Hinchley Wood has a strong and long-established Residents' Association whose aims accord very much with our own RA.
For the May 2016 elections, the Executive committees of the two RAs have agreed to sponsor three candidates jointly under the banner, Hinchley Wood & Weston Green Residents' Associations. By virtue of its larger electorate, two of those will be from Hinchley Wood. Both RAs however are keen to stress that, no matter where the councillors live, they will represent all residents of the new ward equally, and the Associations will be working very closely together. Weston Green will still be a core part of the TDWG Residents' Association.
At our AGM on March 15 the Executive will recommend that the Thames Ditton and Weston Green Residents’ Association adopts existing Weston Green CouncillorTannia Shipley to stand for election in Hinchley Wood & Weston Green ward, alongside existing Hinchley Wood councillors Nigel Haig-Brown and Janet Turner. Councillor Ruth Bruce who has worked tirelessly on behalf of Weston Green residents for the past four years will not stand for re-election; she is going to take up a new role as Director of a London based charity.