MP fights losing boundary battle over house prices Road is already in ward residents fear
ALABOUR MP has backed residents who fear their house prices will plummet if their road is moved into a less salubrious city ward.
But unfortunately for local MP Gisela Stuart and the Harborne householders, the street is already officially in the Quinton ward they fear.
The MP wrote to the Local Government Boundary Commission on behalf of residents in Croftdown Road saying she had been informed they were being moved into Quinton – but that they wanted to be in Harborne ward because house prices are likely to be higher.
But the Labour MP was mistakenly intervening on behalf of a road which is already in Quinton ward, even though it is historically regarded as Harborne.
And the Boundary Commission does not take account of house prices when dividing or naming new council wards.
Ms Stuart’s letter states: “One resident informs me of purchasing the house in recent years at a high price which is likely to decrease if moved into Quinton.”
Conservative campaigner in Quinton Georgina Chandler said: “After nearly 20 years of being the local MP, it’s amazing that Gisela Stuart still doesn’t know her way around the constituency.
“I’m also very sad that she supports the view that having a Quinton address is bad for the value of your home.
“She should be proud to represent Quinton, not waste time running down the area.”
Prominent Brexit campaigner Ms Stuart, defended the letter saying she was acting on behalf of her constituents who had asked her to raise their concerns. “It is not a personal opinion, but there are some residents who would prefer to be in Harborne ward than Quinton,” she said.
The commission is redrawing the political map of Birmingham by cutting the number of city councillors from 120 to 101 and turning large three-councillor wards into smaller one- and twomember wards.
Ms Stuart’s letter is one of 760 received by the Commission on its latest set of boundary proposals for Birmingham published in May.
The number is about a third of the 2,000-plus letters and petitions received by the commission following its first draft proposals in December.
And unlike the first round where many were outraged at proposals which split historic communities like
After nearly 20 years of being the local MP, it’s amazing that Gisela Stuart still doesn’t know her way around the constituency Conservative campaigner in Quinton Georgina Chandler
Moseley, Erdington and Hall Green, there are many letters of support from communities like Acocks Green, Alum Rock, Boldmere, Sparkbrook, Northfield and especially Moseley where there was most opposition last time.
But many in areas like Balsall Heath are still unhappy and have inundated the commission, calling for a further rethink before the final map is published next month.
Valerie Hart, writing on behalf of the Balsall Heath Local History Society said: “We are appalled at the proposal to impose a recommendation which would cut our community in half.”