AGENDA ITEM
COMMITTEE: ADMINISTRATION
DATE: 1ST JUNE 2004
SUBJECT: REVIEW OF PARLIAMENTARY CONSTITUENCY BOUNDARIES
REPORT BY: CHIEF EXECUTIVE (HEAD OF LOCAL DEMOCRACY)
CONTACT OFFICER: MICK IRELAND, ELECTORAL SERVICES MANAGER 546088
IMPLICATIONS:
LEGAL COMMUNITY SAFETY
EQUALITIES ENVIRONMENT
FINANCIAL CONSULTATIONS
STAFFING OTHER
WARDS AFFECTED: ALL
PURPOSE
1. The purpose of this report is to advise the Committee of the decisions of the Boundary Commission for England following their review of the parliamentary boundaries in Luton and Bedfordshire.
RECOMMENDATION(S)
2. Administration Committee is recommended to note the report.
BACKGROUND
3. On 28th October 2003 the Boundary Commission for England held a public inquiry into the Parliamentary Boundary Commission’s provisional recommendations for parliamentary constituency boundaries in the counties of Bedfordshire and Luton.
Page 1 of 3 4. As far as Luton was concerned the inquiry considered representations from the Council, political parties and individuals about the provisional recommendations of the Commission which were:-
Luton North Borough Constituency to comprise the following ten wards of the Borough. Barnfield, Bramingham, Challney, Icknield, Leagrave, Lewsey, Limbury, Northwell, Saints and Sundon Park.
Luton South Borough Constituency to comprise Biscot, Crawley, Dallow, Farley, High Town, Round Green, South, Stopsley and Wigmore wards and the Caddington, East Hyde and Slip End Ward of South Bedfordshire District Council.
5. The Council’s submission, approved by Administration Committee of 3rd April 2003 was as follows:
That the Council be recommended to instruct the Chief Executive (Head of Local Democracy) to make the following representations to the Boundary Commission for England:
(i) That the provisional recommendations of the Boundary Commission for England for Parliamentary Constituencies in the Counties of Bedfordshire and Luton in relation to Luton North Parliamentary Constituency be supported, but that the proposals for Luton South Parliamentary Constituency be not supported.
(ii) That in respect of the Luton South Parliamentary Constituency the Commission be advised that it is the view of this Council, given Luton’s Unitary Status, that Rule 4 of Schedule 2 of the Parliamentary Constituencies Act 1986 with regard to County boundaries should be adhered to and that, therefore, the South Bedfordshire District Ward of Caddington, Slip End and Hyde should not be included in the Luton South Parliamentary Constituency, furthermore:-
(i) Arguments that the rule should be departed from to avoid excessive disparity are not sufficiently strong.
(ii) The concept of there being strong ties between Caddington, Slip End, Hyde, and Luton South are rejected. The rest of Luton South is demonstrably urban. Together with Luton North it has a clear and separate identity from the rest of Bedfordshire.
(iii) The boundaries for much of Luton’s business are the Borough boundaries. The local strategic partnership, the Primary Care Trust, the police Division are all co-terminus with Borough boundaries, Caddington is the anomaly.
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REPORT
6. The decision of the public inquiry has now been circulated and the Commission’s provisional recommendations for Luton have been confirmed. This means that the only change to the current boundaries is that properties in Bennington Close, Harvey’s Hill, Lippitts Hill and Fairford Avenue will move from Luton South to Luton North Constituency.
7. Members are reminded that under the old polling districts these properties were in Stopsley Ward but under the new polling districts they are in Barnfield Ward.
8. The Inquiry Inspector did make reference to the properties off Cromer Way currently in the area of South Bedfordshire District Council in his final report but somewhat perversely came to the view that the residents of these properties had an affiliation to South Bedfordshire and not Luton. Seemingly they chose to live in those properties because they were in South Bedfordshire and not in Luton.
9. It would seem that this anomaly will continue until there is a review of local government boundaries.
PROPOSAL/OPTION
10. It is proposed that the Committee should note the report.
LIST OF BACKGROUND PAPERS LOCAL GOVERNMENT ACT 1972, SECTION 100D
11. Papers relating to public inquiry into parliamentary constituency boundary in Luton and Bedfordshire dated 28th October 2003
12. News release from the Boundary Commission for England dated 21st April, 2004.
13. Minutes of Administration Committee held on 3rd April 2003
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