What do Tess Daly of Strictly Come Dancing fame and Vivienne Westwood have in common? Many people will be scratching their heads, puzzled at such a question.So let’s put our readers out of their misery.
They are both from High Peak. Tess Daly comes from a small village in High Peak, named Birch Vale. Similarly, fashion giant Vivienne Westwood hails from the High Peak village of Tintwistle, just north of Glossop.
With all the other stories dominating the news agenda, from the currently changing US Government after the elections, to the international situation in the Middle East, and the domestic situation in the United Kingdom, many people may have missed the ongoing battle in the North West over the constituency of High Peak.
Is this a new idea?
The reader may think that this is a recent story, however it has a long historical tail dating back half a century to the 1970s, when the authorities decided against ‘incorporating the High Peak area of Derbyshire into Manchester’. So, how did the decision-makers arrive at such a decision not to incorporate High Peak into Manchester? The choice back then was motivated by what has been termed ‘geographic’ and ‘administrative’ considerations.
In 1974, the decision to ‘create metropolitan counties including Greater Manchester’ seems to have been motivated by local government changes targeted at ‘creating a more efficient and representative administrative unit’.
Best laid plans?
The modern-day problem with the High Peak constituency and the conflict over whether or not it should incorporated into Manchester traces its history back to 1974 when, to ‘minimise disruption to local communities and administrative functions the authorities’, the authorities made the decision, seemingly for the purposes of consistency, to ‘largely draw the updated boundaries along existing county and urban boundaries’.
There seems to have been a correlative and causative effect on the decision in 1974 to fix the boundaries in this way and the more modern-day contentious dispute over whether High Peak should be incorporated into Manchester. It meant that High Peak, ‘which had been historically part of the county of Derbyshire, was retained as part of the East Midlands region’.
Another contributing-factor for making the decision back then was the close-proximity of Peak District National Park. It traces its history back to 1951 covering the counties of Yorkshire, Derbyshire, and Cheshire’. Bulmer way back in 1977 observed that the Peak District’s ‘unique conservation status and landscape motivated the decision to retain the boundaries as it aimed to manage and protect the area’.
MP in favour of the change…
The problem has come back recently when on New Years Eve 2024 the Member of Parliament representing High Peak constituency Jon Pearce threw his weight and influence behind the idea of the borough council of High Peak amalgamating with the Greater Manchester area. Mr Pearce believes that ‘for too long High Peak has been the poor relation of Derbyshire’.
Some local residents are against…
However, support for the move by Jon Pearce to support High Peak eventually becoming part of Greater Manchester is not unanimous. One determined opponent is Alec Nicholls, who started a petition directly opposing Mr Pearce’s campaign.
He claimed that ‘High Peak is uniquely situated within the Derbyshire area’ and ‘has become the subject of a major political move to move the area to Greater Manchester’.
Mr Nicholls claimed relocation to the Greater Manchester area would interfere with the:
- identity
- culture
- community ties of High Peak
And finally, it may
- negatively impact some specific local interests, such as the local economy and environmental protection efforts’.
Why should High Peak remain in Derbyshire?
The campaigner observed the history of the High Peak and its ‘deep-rooted and cherished connection to the county of Derbyshire’ which is held dear by those residing in the area. Mr Nicholls thinks moving High Peak from its current classification in Derbyshire into Greater Manchester would be a ‘distressing proposition to many’. He is ‘demanding that the High Peak stays in Derbyshire’, believing if it does so it will ‘preserve its unique identity and historical ties’.
What is the support for remaining in Derbyshire?
At the time of writing, Mr Nicholls’ campaign to stop High Peak from being moved from its current constituency of Derbyshire to be made a part of Greater Manchester under a Unity Council has attracted the support of 1614. However, whilst this looks like a high number of supporters it looks short of the 73,900 people eligible to give their views. Additionally, it is unclear where the supporters who signed the petition are located.
So what can we do?
Anyone reading this article and feeling the need to, should sign the petition if they feel High Peak should remain part of Derbyshire. High Peak may soon become part of the North West under these forthcoming boundary changes with the introduction of the new Unitary Council. Mr Nicholls himself says, ‘Please sign this petition to support the cause’.
