REDDITCH MP Rachel Maclean writes for the Redditch Standard:
OVER the years you’ve probably seen a lot of talk about reforming the size of constituency boundaries so that every MP represents roughly the same number of constituents.
Well, there’s been another boundary review. Unlike the last one, the aim of this review wasn’t to reduce the number of MPs; the number of MPs will be staying the same at 650, but instead to ensure each constituency contains the same number of voters. Currently, there are huge disparities in the size of parliamentary constituencies.
The current review requires that every recommended constituency across the UK – apart from five specified exceptions – must have an electorate that is no smaller than 69,724 and no larger than 77,062. This means we will see changes to the Redditch constituency.
The review has found its current size is too small, so according to the review’s initial proposals, the constituency of Redditch County will gain Dodderhill, Harvington and Norton from Mid Worcestershire.
This will see around 4,400 voters join our constituency. Apart from gaining three areas from Mid Worcestershire, the rest will remain the same.
We’re currently on stage 2 of this process with the independent commission carrying out an eight-week consultation on their initial proposals.
Towards the end of next year, the boundary review will then publish its revised recommendations and then in 2023, the recommendations will be set out in a published report to the Speaker of the House of Commons, who will lay it before Parliament.
Whatever happens and whatever the independent boundary review’s final recommendations suggest, the size of our constituency has to increase.
All this work is being carried out by an independent commission to ensure fairness and to rightly remove the decision-making process from politicians.
Rachel Maclean MP
