East Northants Council wants constituencies re-named as part of Boundary Commission review

Members of the council’s policy and resources committee agreed the council’s submission to the Local Government Boundary Commission on future warding arrangements for the Parliamentary constituencies at its meeting this week.

Members agreed to respond to the current Boundary Commission Review consultation with two requests:

- That there should be minimum disruption to electors across North Northamptonshire as a result of any boundary changes

- That the two constituencies covering East Northamptonshire should be renamed ‘Corby & East Northamptonshire’ and ‘Wellingborough & Rushden’

Council leader Steven North said: “We believe that, unless absolutely necessary, constituencies should remain as close to how they are currently configured as possible to avoid confusion for residents and that the two constituencies in our district should be properly recognised in council and geographical terms.

“A more accurate naming of the constituencies would help to identify the invaluable contribution that local residents and our communities make to constituency life.”

The review includes a proposal to move the Irthlingborough John Pyel and Irthlingborough Waterloo wards to the Wellingborough constituency.

Town and parish councils in East Northamptonshire will be contacted shortly to make them aware of the boundary review, of the district council’s proposals and to encourage them to take part in the consultation.

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.