Days left to speak out on boundaries
THERE are just days left for residents to have their say on a shake-up of Parliamentary boundaries which could cut Halton in two.
Widnes would be joined with Halewood, and Runcorn with Helsby under the new proposals.
The Boundary Commission for England (BCE) unveiled plans last year for a radical overhaul of constituencies to ensure that the number of voters in each area is more equal.
If given the go-ahead, the change means some constituencies will cease to exist and others drastically redrawn. Although Halton would still continue to exist as borough under one council and individual council wards would remain the same, it would divide the borough at a Parliamentary level, with Widnes and Runcorn each having their own MP.
Under the proposals, which could take effect from 2023, the electoral constituency of Halton - which is currently held by
Labour’s Derek Twigg – would disappear and be replaced by a new constituency of Widnes and Halewood.
The constituency of Weaver Vale – which includes parts of east Runcorn and is currently held by Labour’s Mike Amesbury – would also disappear, with part of it forming a new Runcorn and Helsby constituency, with the remainder of Weaver Vale going towards forming a new constituency of Northwich.
Residents now only have until
April 4 to make their feelings known, with the final proposals due to be presented to Parliament in July next year.
In comments submitted online to the consultation, Derek Twigg MP said: “I support the commission’s proposal for two separate constituencies which will enable the whole of Runcorn to be in one Parliamentary constituency, rather than split as it is now. I also welcome the proposal to have the whole of Widnes in one Parliamentary seat.
“The proposals take good account of community interest and connections. Having two MPs representing seats in the Borough of Halton has been beneficial to Halton and these proposals continue this.”
In its online submission, Halton Labour Group said it was also supportive.
In her online response, Maria Eagle, current Labour MP for Garston and Halewood, said: “Whilst I very much regret the proposed severing of Halewood from the Liverpool part of my constituency, I can see that there are strong arguments for it. In particular, there is an historic association between the Halewood part of my constituency and Widnes. They have been part of one Parliamentary Constituency before and so it is hard to argue that they are completely incompatible.”
She added: “Whilst there is no doubt that bisecting local authority boundaries makes representation more difficult, my current constituency already bisects local authority boundaries.”
Views can be submitted online at bcereviews.org.uk.