Proposed Bromsgrove boundary changes would see Cofton and Lickey to Redditch and Rubery into Birmingham Northfield - The Bromsgrove Standard

Proposed Bromsgrove boundary changes would see Cofton and Lickey to Redditch and Rubery into Birmingham Northfield

Bromsgrove Editorial 13th Sep, 2018 Updated: 13th Sep, 2018   0

SEVERAL areas which have been in Bromsgrove’s Parliamentary constituency for decades are being moved to other electoral areas under the finalised proposals outlined by the Boundary Commission of England.

The changes, which will have to be agreed by Parliament, are being put forward in a bid to cut to the number of MPs from 650 to 600 and to make all the constituencies a similar size.

Each one, with the exception of two on the Isle of Wight, would have a minimum electorate of 71,031 and a maximum of 78,507.

A new ‘Bromsgrove and Droitwich’ constituency would see Cofton Hackett, Lickey, Alvechurch and Hopwood all moved into Redditch, a seat currently held by Rachel Maclean.




Rubery would move into Birmingham Northfield where the current sitting MP is Richard Burden and Hanbury would be included into an Evesham constituency.

Frankley, which is currently in Birmingham Northfield, would move into Bromsgrove and Droitwich.


The review of Parliamentary constituencies was announced in February 2016 and final recommendations were presented to Government on September 5.

 

The Commission said the alterations were being made in a bid to make constituencies fairer and more equal whilst trying to reflect geographic factors and local ties.

The review involved regularly consulting members of the public for their views on their local area.

Bromsgrove MP Sajid Javid said: “In an ideal world I wish my constituency boundaries would remain as they are.

“However it is crucial that we have fairness in our voting system and for this reason, boundaries must be redrawn.

“Whether or not these changes pass through Parliament, I will continue to fight hard for Bromsgrove, in whatever form it takes.”

Labour councillor Peter McDonald said: “They don’t make any sense at all.

“It’s a dog’s dinner but hopefully with everything that is going on in Government, it won’t make it past the first hurdle.

“There’s no sense of logic to it all, apart from to reduce the number of MPs.

“A lot of the time you will have to have MPs in discussions with two different local authorities.”

  • WHAT do you think? Are you happy with the proposed constituency changes? Maybe you do not mind either way. Send us your views to [email protected]

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