A BEWSEY and Whitecross councillor has labelled some of the proposed ward changes put forward by the Local Government Boundary Commission for England as 'bizarre'.

If the recommendations are approved, Poplars and Hulme will take away a segment of Bewsey and Whitecross, parts will be lost to Great Sankey South and areas of Latchford West, including Walton Locks, will be gained.

Cllr Steve Parish (LAB – Bewsey and Whitecross) admits he was not entirely pleased with the recommendations to add areas close to the Manchester Ship Canal to his ward.

"That really does seem bizarre as it's hard to imagine what community links the commission had in mind between Lower Walton and the rest of the ward," he said.

"The next nearest voters in the ward are well over a mile away!

"Although the ship canal seems a natural boundary, the River Mersey itself was the historical divide, and the new houses are known as Walton Locks so I think they might as well be part of the discussion over what happens south of the canal."

However, Cllr Parish, along with fellow councillors Pat Wright and Jeff Richards, did expect some of the proposals.

"We had expected Sankey Bridges and Saxon Park to be removed from the ward to Great Sankey South to help balance numbers," he added.

"We've worked hard with residents to get Arpley tip closed, so it will seem strange not to have that link but Great Sankey South councillors have also opposed the tip so there’s plenty of continuity."

Lymm's Liberal Democrat councillor Bob Barr has hit out at the proposal to split the ward into North and South, with the North being put in with Thelwall.

"I am very surprised by the scale of the changes being proposed," he said.

"With all party support, Warrington Council put forward a proposal for minimal change.

"This was the right thing to do because there is huge uncertainty over housing numbers in the commission's base year of 2021.

"Any major revision should be delayed until we have more clarity on housing numbers."