Balance of power between urban and rural trustees preserved on TVDSB

A pitch to shake-up the electoral boundaries represented by public school board trustees was withdrawn.

On Tuesday, the Thames Valley District School Board (TVDSB) discussed a motion that would have merged some City of London wards with adjacent rural areas in order to more evenly distribute the number of public school constituents represented by each trustee.

Currently, the board consists of 13 elected trustees representing:

•  one seat for First Nations
•  six rural seats (Two each from Elgin County, Middlesex County, and Oxford County)
•  six urban seats (from the City of London)

The changes were proposed by Trustee Laura Gonzalez and seconded by Trustee Corrine Rahman.

“So that there is more representation based on electoral quotient,” explained Rahman. “We have the opportunity to provide better service.”

But their colleagues preferred the status quo, a six-six urban/rural balance of power.

“We have bigger issues with our rural partners, and we do not need to start making changes that are going to make a bigger divide,” warned Trustee Peter Cuddy.

Trustee Graham Hart reminded colleagues that the urban-rural balance of power was intentionally created during amalgamation.

“It was very clear in those discussions in the late 90’s that none of the other three populations or student groups wanted to be dominated by London,” explained Hart.

A decision about maintaining or changing the distribution of trustee seats must be made by March 31 of each election year.