Alexandra Ward as it is at present, and the new Alexandra Park Ward with Fortis Green and Muswell Hill wards (the latter slightly reconfigured).
Alexandra Park ward will be slightly smaller than the current ward – 3 or 4 roads which were at the Muswell Hill end of the ward have been moved to Fortis Green ward.
Why the changes? You may remember that back in 2019 the Local Government Boundary Commission reviewed the ward sizes in Haringey, because new developments in the east of the borough would increase the total size of the electorate. Each councillor has to represent an equivalent number of residents, and since the wards to the west of the East Coast mainline already had fewer residents relative to the rest, it was proposed to abolish two wards here - namely Alexandra and Fortis Green - and reconfigure Muswell Hill ward as MH north and south, creating extraordinary amoeboid shapes for these (see link below). Since the Council (endorsed by the LGBC) wanted to keep the current number of wards, each having 3 councillors, there was no other option than to abolish one or two.
The LGBC did point out, however, that they are dependent on submissions from those who know the areas concerned for the relevant facts. Many local residents objected to their scheme, presenting them with an alternative in which Alexandra Park and Muswell Hill wards would have 2 councillors rather than 3 (thanks to Cllr. Nick da Costa for suggesting that we propose 2-councillor wards - as he pointed out, there were several such wards in Haringey when the LGBC last did a review, in 1999). Result - the LGBC changed its mind! Their resulting choice for all three wards is similar to what we proposed. Here are extracts from their final report:
"the approach proposed by local residents of the Alexandra Park area ... was supported by 58 residents proposing a two-councillor Alexandra ward, with many referring to an Alexandra Park Neighbours’ map... a great deal of evidence was provided which related to community identity and association to local services, facilities and events in the Alexandra Park area. In noting detailed comments about the use and management of the Albert Road recreation ground and the significance of Rhodes Avenue Primary School, the Alexandra Park School and Alexandra Palace to the local community, we are persuaded of the merits of the residents’ proposals...
48 We recommend that instead of a uniform pattern of three-councillor wards, there should be two-councillor Alexandra Park and Bounds Green wards...
Fortis Green and Muswell Hill
49 There was considerable disparity in the proposals we received [some favouring the creation of Muswell Hill East and West wards] …
the perception of a community preference for the retention of Fortis Green and Muswell Hill wards was evidenced by the substantial support for the Alexandra Park Neighbours’ scheme which placed, alongside their two-councillor Alexandra ward, a three-councillor Fortis Green ward and two-councillor Muswell Hill ward. ...Those wards would broadly reflect the current wards for those areas with the exception of the Priory Road area which we consider should form part of our Hornsey ward described below...
59 Our final recommendations for this area provide for a three-councillor Fortis Green ward and two-councillor Muswell Hill ward ..."
Here are some responses on APN to the initial proposals, and suggestions for a different scheme.
Replies