Proposed changes to constituency ditched
PROPOSED boundary changes to a Borders parliamentary constituency have been ditched.
There are currently two Scottish Parliament constituencies which include the region – the Ettrick, Roxburgh, & Berwickshire County Constituency and the Midlothian South, Tweeddale & Lauderdale County Constituency.
Boundaries Scotland’s provisional proposals made no changes to Ettrick, Roxburgh & Berwickshire.
But changes were proposed to the current Midlothian South, Tweeddale & Lauderdale County Constituency.
The plan was to create a Clyde Valley & Tweeddale County Constituency instead, incorporating the existing Tweeddale East and West, Galashiels and District and Leaderdale and Melrose wards within Scottish Borders Council.
The local authority objected to the changes with concerns raised they would damage the historic and geographical links between the Borders and Midlothian.
A public inquiry into the proposed changes was held at Peebles Hydro Hotel in January.
Now it has emerged that Boundaries Scotland has abandoned the changes impacting the Borders’ wards and is to retain the status quo.
A report to a meeting of Scottish Borders Council on Thursday, April 25, says: “The revised proposals make no changes to the Ettrick, Roxburgh & Berwickshire County Constituency.
“However, the position regarding the proposed amendments to the Midlothian South, Tweeddale & Lauderdale County Constituency and the creation of the new Clyde Valley & Tweeddale County Constituency has changed significantly.
“In effect that proposal has been dropped and instead the revised proposals are that the Midlothian South, Tweeddale & Lauderdale County Constituency is retained with only a very slight change to its boundary.
“This new position is broadly consistent with the position advocated for by Scottish Borders Council in response to the origi
nal consultation. It is, therefore, considered that the council need take no further action in response to the revised proposals now published.
“The only change proposed to
the constituency boundary affects settlements in Midlothian.”
The SNP’s Christine Grahame currently represents the Midlothian South, Tweeddale & Lauderdale County Constituency.