Boundary changes could mean the new Grove Road estate in Tiptree would be part of the Birch, Layer Marney and Messing ward.

Parish councillors were told last night by borough councillor Mike Dale that this was an alternative proposal put forward by the Labour group.

Under new rules bought in by the Boundary Commission all borough councillors must serve approximately the same amount of voters. That means that Tiptree needs to lose about 1,000 voters and Birch, Layer Marney and Messing gain 1,000.

The original proposal had been for the Maypole Road estate, which has 953 voters, to change wards. This met with a number of objections.

"It is not right to move people who have long been a part of Tiptree into another ward," said Mr Dale.

"That is why the new Grove Road estate is being suggested. People have not moved in there yet so are not part of the village."

Mr Dale stressed the Boundary Commission project, which will come into force by elections 2004, was essentially a "number-crunching" exercise.

People who lived in Grove Road would still be a part of Tiptree and represented on the Parish Council. When it came to borough elections they would vote for the councillor for Birch, Layer Marney and Messing.

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