By Carmelo Garcia – Local Democracy Reporter
A public meeting is being held to get residents’ views on the idea of uniting a community overlooked by the county’s world-famous cheese-rolling site Cooper’s Hill but which is split by “bonkers” boundaries.
Coopers Edge which is a suburb on the edge of Gloucester is divided between the districts of Stroud and Tewkesbury and it also comes under three different parish councils, Brockworth, Hucclecote and Upton St Leonards.
The boundary lines have previously been described as “bonkers” and in some cases cut through the middle of some people’s homes.
Local government is being reorganised in Gloucestershire which would see district authorities such as Tewkesbury and Stroud merged with Gloucestershire County Council to make way for one or two unitary councils.
Some of Coopers Edge’s boundary woes could be solved if a single unitary council for the county is chosen or the City Council’s Greater Gloucester model is selected.
However, there are fears that if the Government splits the county into East and West unitary councils these divisions would be entrenchened further.
Tewkesbury Borough Council is also currently undertaking a community governance review for the parishes in the borough and it is anticipated that Stroud will also run a review for its district.
Civic chiefs in Coopers Edge say that while neither of these offer an immediate opportunity to create a single parish due to Coopers Edge being across the boundary between the two councils, it does provide an opportunity to demonstrate community support for a single parish council.
And now an online survey has been launched to get people’s views on the idea and a public meeting will take place at 10am on Saturday, May 30, at Coopers Edge Community Centre in Typhoon Way, GL3 4DY.
Chas Townley, who is a parish councillor in Hucclecote, said: “We want to get residents’ views on the idea of creating a single parish for Coopers Edge, which many believe would help develop a stronger community and a brighter future.
“We are running a survey to gather residents’ views and this can be found on-line.
“The Coopers Edge Liaison Committee will also be reporting back on progress with getting community assets like highways and public open spaces adopted.”
The survey can be found online here.
All responses to the survey that the committee is running will initially be presented to Tewkesbury Borough for the community governance review consultation which closes on June 26.