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Boundary Commission Review for Parliamentary Boundaries – 2023

  News Release

Boundary Commission Review for Parliamentary Boundaries – 2023

Sedgemoor District Council
Corporate Relations Manager:  Claire Faun

Bridgwater House
Direct Dial:  01278 435320

King Square, Bridgwater

Somerset, TA6 3AR
e-mail: pressoffice@sedgemoor.gov.uk

General Enquiries:   0300 303 7800                                                                                twitter.com/SedgemoorDC

Date:  24 January, 2022

The Boundary Commission has the task of periodically reviewing all the Parliamentary constituencies in England. It is currently conducting a review on the basis of rules most recently updated by Parliament in 2020. These latest rules retain 650 constituencies for the UK Parliament as a whole and require constituencies that they propose or recommend to comply with strict parameters, in particular as far as the number of electors in each constituency is concerned.

Within Sedgemoor, there are two parliamentary constituencies – Bridgwater and West Somerset and Wells.   There was a consultation period between June and August 2021 whereby residents could have their say about potential changes to boundaries and names.  Sedgemoor District Council sent a formal response back to the Boundary Commission in July 2021.

There is now a further round of consultation for people to have their say.  Those wishing to make a spoken representation at a public hearing are strongly encouraged to book a timed slot in advance. To book, visit the dedicated public hearings page on the Boundary Commission website and click on your chosen hearing. You will then be invited to register via the booking platform Eventbrite. A step by step guide for booking via Eventbrite is published on the Boundary Commissions public hearings webpage.

Notes for Editor

 

This is a separate process from the Somerset Council, which will come into being on April 1, 2023 replacing Mendip District Council, Sedgemoor District Council, Somerset County Council, Somerset West and Taunton Council and South Somerset District Council.

 

The Boundary Commission for England (BCE) is an independent and impartial non-departmental public body, which is responsible for reviewing Parliamentary constituency boundaries in England.

The review process is heavily informed by public consultation. The BCE develops and publishes initial proposals for constituencies across England. Representations from the public about these proposals are then taken in writing and at public hearings in each region of England across two rounds of consultation. In light of all the views expressed about these initial proposals, the BCE may revise them and then conduct a further round of written consultation on the revised proposals.

The BCE is required to make a formal final report to the Speaker of the House of Commons before 1 July 2023, recommending any changes that it believes are appropriate to the distribution, size, shape, name or designation of constituencies in England. The current constituencies review is therefore referred to throughout this booklet as ‘the 2023 Review’.

The Government must turn the recommendations of the BCE (and those of the equivalent Commissions for the other three parts of the UK) into an ‘Order in Council’ that implements the recommendations. The constituencies set out in the Order will then be implemented for the next General Election after the date on which the legislation is approved.

 

Full details can be found here – Guide to the 2023 Review of Parliamentary constituencies | Boundary Commission for England (independent.gov.uk)

Claire Faun
Corporate Relations Manager
Sedgemoor District Council

Tel:        01278 435320

Email:  pressoffice@sedgemoor.gov.uk

Web:     http://sedgemoor.gov.uk

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