BLACKMINSTER’S FUTURE – Part Transfer to Badsey Proposed
The transfer of the part of Blackminster lying to the south of the Great Western Railway line from the parish of Offenham to the parish of Badsey will be recommended by the General Purposes Committee to Worcestershire County Council on Monday.
The transfer will involve 80 of the 100 residents and 113 of the 193 acres of Blackminster but only £221 of the £700 rateable value, and it is suggested that the wishes of the inhabitants may thus be satisfied without unduly disturbing the finances of Offenham parish.
The recommendation follows an inquiry by two county councillors on September 26 into the request of Badsey Parish Council for the transfer of the whole of Blackminster from Offenham, which was supported by the residents of Blackminster. The request had originally been made for the transfer of the part to the south of the railway line but had later been extended.
Evidence at the inquiry was given on behalf of Badsey Parish Council and the electors of Blackminster, that the Blackminster residents had more community of interest with Badsey than with Offenham, since a hill divided them from the latter. Transport services in the Badsey direction were better and natural inclination favoured social integration with Badsey, while it was considered that Blackminster would be more likely to get street lighting if it was included in Badsey parish.
OFFENHAM OBJECTION
On behalf of Offenham parish it was said that the transfer of the whole of Blackminster would involve a considerable loss of population, area and rateable value to Offenham and that the transfer was not in the general public interest.
Sentimental reasons were submitted for both sides.
The Committee will recommend to the Council the submission of the necessary order to the Ministry of Health, the terms of the order to be drafted and brought before a later meeting of the Council.
The present ecclesiastical boundary between the parishes corresponds with the civil boundary, so that if the transfer be approved some residents of the civil parish of Badsey will remain in the ecclesiastical parish of Offenham.