Council united against proposed changes to parliamentary boundaries in Wellingborough

Wellingborough Council held an extraordinary meeting last night (Tuesday) to consider their response to the current review of parliamentary boundaries before submitting their views by December 5.

If the proposals went ahead, Finedon ward would become part of the proposed Kettering parliamentary constituency, and Harrowden and Sywell ward would become part of the proposed Daventry and Lutterworth constituency.

It would also mean Wollaston and Bozeat wards would become part of the proposed Northampton South constituency, and Irthlingborough Waterloo and Irthlingborough John Pyel wards would become part of the proposed Wellingborough constituency.

Officers had recommended that the council raises a number of concerns with the Boundary Commission for England in relation to the review of parliamentary constituencies 2018, and members were unanimous in their opposition to the proposed changes.

Leader of Wellingborough Council Martin Griffiths told the Northants Telegraph: “The Boundary Commission recommendations were totally opposed by Wellingborough Borough Council.

“There was unanimous support cross party.”

Following yesterday’s meeting, the council’s views will now be submitted as part of the consultation into the Boundary Commission review.

The review is being carried out because Parliament has decided to reduce the number of constituencies, and therefore MPs, from 650 to 600.

In England, the number of constituencies will reduce from 533 to 501.

The Boundary Commission for England is the independent body considering where the boundaries of the new constituencies should be.

The commission will publish its draft recommendations on February 9 and a further period of consultation will last until April 4.

Final recommendations will be published in July 2017.

New wards will apply for the council elections in 2018.

For more details about the Boundary Commission review, go to website www.bce2018.org.uk.