POLICY and RESOURCES Subject: SIXTH REVIEW of UNITED COMMITTEE KINGDOM PARLIAMENTARY CONSTITUENCIES - REVISED PROPOSALS From: HEAD of CENTRAL SERVICES
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NORTH LANARKSHIRE COUNCIL To: POLICY AND RESOURCES Subject: SIXTH REVIEW OF UNITED COMMITTEE KINGDOM PARLIAMENTARY CONSTITUENCIES - REVISED PROPOSALS From: HEAD OF CENTRAL SERVICES Date: 13 September 2012 Ref: JAFAL 1. Purpose of Report 1.1 On Thursday, 13 September 2012 the Boundary Commission for Scotland published its revised proposals for United Kingdom Parliamentary Constituencies for an eight week final public consultation period. This report advises the Committee of those revised proposals and makes recommendations on action in response to the final consultation. 2. Background 2.1 At its meeting on 1 December 201 1, the Committee noted the statutory requirement for a review of United Kingdom Parliamentary Constituencies, the initial proposals formulated by the Boundary Commission for Scotland and the consultation arrangements. The Committee then agreed to appoint a Working Group to give consideration to the initial proposals and, at its meeting on 15 December 2011, the Council noted the recommendations of the Working Group and approved, for submission, a consultation response. 2.2 At its meeting on 1 December 2011 the Committee noted also that, following the initial twelve week consultation period, the Boundary Commission for Scotland would publish on its website the representations received and the record of the public hearings and would invite written comments during a further period of four weeks. This was done and, at its meeting on 14 March 2012, the Council noted the consultation responses and approved a submission which, with the benefit of additional considerations arising from the consultation responses, adhered to the initial consultation submissions made by the Council. 2.3 Having considered all responses, the Boundary Commission for Scotland has now published revised proposals for an eight week final public consultation period. The final consultation period ends on Wednesday 7 November 201 2. 3. Revised Proposals 3.1 The revised proposals, in so far as affecting North Lanarkshire, are as follows: Airdrie and Coatbridge South County Constituency comprising electoral wards 7 (Airdrie North); 8 (Airdrie Central); 10 (Coatbridge South); 11 (Airdrie South); 12 (Fortissat); 15 (Mossend and Holytown); and part of Ward 19 (Murdostoun); Electorate 79,392 6th Review Revised Proposals.doc 52 2 0 Cumbernauld and Coatbridge North Burgh Constituency comprising electoral wards 2 (Cumbernauld North); 3 (Cumbernauld South); 4 (Abronhill, Kildrum and The Village); 5 (Strathkelvin); 6 (Coatbridge North and Glenboig); and 9 (Coatbridge West); Electorate 79,687 0 East Dunbartonshire and Kilsyth County Constituency comprising electoral wards 1 (Kilsyth); and the whole area of East Dunbartonshire with the exception of electoral ward No. 2 (Bearsden); Electorate 79,211 and Motherwell, Wishaw and Bellshill constituency comprising electoral wards 13 (Thorniewood); 14 (Bellshill); 16 (Motherwell West); 17 (Motherwell North); 18 (Motherwell South East and Ravenscraig); 20 (Wishaw); and the remaining part of Ward No. 19 (Murdostoun); Electorate 79,986 3.2 In response to the initial consultation the Council submitted representations as detailed in the appendix to this report. Of those representations, the Council’s suggestions regarding the areas of Ward 19 (Murdostoun) to be contained within the Motherwell, Wishaw and Bellshill Constituency and the Airdrie and Coatbridge South Constituency have been accepted and are reflected in the Boundary Commission revised proposals. Otherwise, however, the Council’s proposals have not been accepted. The Boundary Commission’s proposals for a Cumbernauld and Coatbridge North Burgh Constituency and East Dunbartonshire and Kilsyth County Constituency remain unchanged. 4. Final Consulation 4.1 The further consultation period, which terminates on 7 November 2012, affords the Council an opportunity to make final submissions on the proposals for United Kingdom Parliamentary Constituencies. The Committee is, accordingly, asked to note the revised proposals for United Kingdom Parliamentary Constituencies affecting North Lanarkshire and to make recommendations to the Council on a consultation response. ’ HdofCentral Services Members seeking further information on the contents of this report are asked to contact John Fleming, Head of Central Services on Extension 2228. 6th Review Revised Roposals.doc 53 3 APPENDIX UNITED KINGDOM PARLIAMENTARY CONSTITUENCY BOUNDARIES - SIXTH REVIEW: CONSULTATION ON INITIAL PROPOSALS With regard to the detail of the constituencies proposed by the Boundary Commission, the Council submits that the proposed split of Ward 19 (Murdostoun) does not reflect local ties - particularly the local ties between the Cambusnethan area and the town of Wishaw. A more appropriate split would be the inclusion of polling districts NL154 (ASOI); NL155 (AS16); NL156 (AS17); NL157 (AS80) and NL162 (ML82) within the proposed Airdrie and Coatbridge South Constituency and NL158 (ML37); NL159 (ML38); NL160(ML41); and NL161(ML46) within the proposed Motherwell, Wishaw and Bellshill Constituency. Fundamentally, however, the Council considers that the proposal to sever Ward 1 (Kilsyth) from its natural ties with the town of Cumbernauld and the proposal to split the town of Coatbridge between two separate Parliamentary Constituencies are unacceptable. It is, accordingly, the Council’s recommendation that the constituencies, as affecting the area of North Lanarkshire, should be as follows Cumbernauld, Kilsyth and Kirkintilloch - comprising from North Lanarkshire, Kilsyth, Cumbernauld North, Cumbernauld South and Abronhill, Kildrum and The Village wards and, from East Dunbartonshire, Kirkintilloch East and Twechar, Lenzie and Kirkintilloch South, Campsie and Kirkintilloch North and the northern part of Bishopbriggs North and Torrance wards; 0 Coatbridge, Strathkelvin and Baillieston - comprising, from North Lanarkshire, Strathkelvin, Coatbridge North, Coatbridge West and Coatbridge South wards and, from the City of Glasgow, Baillieston ward; Airdrie, Shotts and Murdostoun - comprising Airdrie North, Airdrie Central, Airdrie South, Fortissat and Mossend and Holytown wards, together with, from Murdostoun ward, polling districts NL154 (ASOI); NL155 (AS16); NL156 (AS17); NL157 (AS80) and NL162 (ML82) and, from Motherwell North ward, polling districts NL128 (HB61), NL129 (HB66); NL136 (ML22); NL138(HB65) and NL139(HB69); Motherwell, Wishaw and Bellshill Constituency - comprising Thorniewood, Bellshill, Motherwell West, Motherwell South East and Ravenscraig and Wishaw wards and, from Motherwell North Ward, NL130 (ML06); NL131 (ML19); NL132 (ML23); NL133 (MLI 1); NL134 (ML20); NL135 (ML21); NL137 (ML24); and NL140 (HB80) and, from Ward 19 (Murdostoun) NL158 (ML37); NL159 (ML38); NL160 (ML41) and NL161 (ML46). This proposal will permit the reunification of a Dunbartonshire Constituency comprising the East Dunbartonshire wards of Milngavie; Bearsden North; Bearsden South; Bishopbriggs South and the southern part of Bishopbriggs North and Torrance together with the West Dunbartonshire wards of Lomond; Leven and Kilpatrick. It will permit, also, recognition of the links between the West Dunbartonshire wards of Dumbarton, Clydebank Central and Clydebank Waterfront and the adjoining Glasgow wards and will permit a realignment of the boundaries of the Glasgow constituencies to incorporate those wards and to take account, more fully, of local ties. 6th Review Revised Proposakdoc 54 .