Initial proposals for new Parliamentary constituency boundaries in the Eastern region Contents Summary 3 1 What is the Boundary Commission for England? 5 2 Background to the 2018 Review 7 3 Initial proposals for the Eastern region 11 Initial proposals for the Cambridgeshire, Hertfordshire 12 and Norfolk sub-region Initial proposals for the Bedfordshire sub-region 15 Initial proposals for the Essex sub-region 16 Initial proposals for the Suffolk sub-region 18 4 How to have your say 19 Annex A: Initial proposals for constituencies, 23 including wards and electorates Glossary 42 Initial proposals for new Parliamentary constituency boundaries in the Eastern region 1 Summary Who we are and what we do What is changing in the Eastern region? The Boundary Commission for England is an independent and impartial The Eastern region has been allocated 57 non-departmental public body which is constituencies – a reduction of one from responsible for reviewing Parliamentary the current number. constituency boundaries in England. Our proposals leave six of the 58 existing The 2018 Review constituencies unchanged. We have the task of periodically reviewing As it has not always been possible to the boundaries of all the Parliamentary allocate whole numbers of constituencies constituencies in England. We are currently to individual counties, we have grouped conducting a review on the basis of rules some county and local authority areas set by Parliament in 2011. The rules tell into sub-regions. The number of us that we must make recommendations constituencies allocated to each sub-region for new Parliamentary constituency is determined by the electorate of the boundaries in September 2018. They combined local authorities. also result in a significant reduction in the number of constituencies in England Consequently, it has been necessary to (from 533 to 501), and require that every propose some constituencies that cross constituency – apart from two specified county or unitary authority boundaries. exceptions – must have an electorate that is no smaller than 71,031 and no larger than 78,507. Initial proposals We published our initial proposals for the new Parliamentary constituency boundaries in England on 13 September 2016. Information about the proposed constituencies is now available on our website. Initial proposals for new Parliamentary constituency boundaries in the Eastern region 3 Sub-region Existing allocation Proposed allocation Bedfordshire 6 6 Cambridgeshire, Hertfordshire and Norfolk 27 27 Essex 18 17 Suffolk 7 7 In Cambridgeshire, Hertfordshire and How to have your say Norfolk, it has been necessary to propose two constituencies that cross county We are consulting on our initial proposals boundaries. We have proposed one for a 12-week period, from 13 September constituency that contains electors from 2016 to 5 December 2016. We encourage both Cambridgeshire and Norfolk, which everyone to use this opportunity to help combines the village of Littleport and the us shape the new constituencies – the town of Downham Market. We have also more views we hear, the more informed our proposed one constituency that contains decisions will be when considering whether electors from both Cambridgeshire and to revise our proposals. Hertfordshire, which combines three wards from the district of South Cambridgeshire Our website at www.bce2018.org.uk has in a constituency with the towns of more information about how to respond as Letchworth and Royston. well as details of where and when we will be holding public hearings in your area. You In Bedfordshire, Essex and Suffolk it has can also follow us on Twitter @BCE2018 or been possible to propose a pattern of using #2018boundaryreview. constituencies that is within the boundaries of each county. 4 Boundary Commission for England 1 What is the Boundary Commission for England? 1 The Boundary Commission for England (BCE) is an independent and You can find further information on our impartial non-departmental public body website, at www.bce2018.org.uk. You which is required to review Parliamentary can also contact us with any general constituency boundaries in England. We enquiries by emailing information@ conduct a review of all the constituencies boundarycommissionengland.gov.uk, in England every five years. Our role is to or by calling 020 7276 1102. make recommendations to Parliament for new constituency boundaries. 2 The Chair of the Commission is the Speaker of the House of Commons, but by convention he does not participate in the review. The current Deputy Chair, Mrs Justice Patterson, and two further Commissioners, take decisions on proposals and recommendations for new constituency boundaries. Further information about the Commissioners can be found on our website.1 1 At www.bce2018.org.uk Initial proposals for new Parliamentary constituency boundaries in the Eastern region 5 2 Background to the 2018 Review 3 We are currently conducting a review 5 This is a significant change to the old of Parliamentary constituency boundaries rules under which Parliamentary boundary on the basis of rules set by Parliament in reviews took place, in which achieving as 2011. 2 These rules require us to reduce the close to the average number of electors number of constituencies in the UK and in each constituency was an aim, but make more equal the number of electors in there was no statutory fixed permissible each constituency. This report covers only range. For example, in England, existing the work of the Boundary Commission for constituencies (drawn under the previous England (there are separate Commissions rules) currently range from 54,232 to for Northern Ireland, Scotland, and Wales) 105,448 electors. Furthermore, the current and, in particular, introduces our initial constituencies were constructed under the proposals for the Eastern region. last completed review, which relied on the data contained in the electoral registers for 4 The rules set out in the legislation 2000 and applied the earlier version of the state that there will be 600 Parliamentary rules. Achieving a more even distribution constituencies covering the UK – a of electors in every constituency across reduction of 50 from the current England, together with the reduction in number. This means that the number of the total number of constituencies, means constituencies in England must be reduced that a significant amount of change to the from 533 to 501. There are also other existing map of constituencies is inevitable. rules that the Commission has regard to when conducting the review – a full set 6 Our Guide to the 2018 Review of the rules can be found in our Guide to contains further detailed background the 2018 Review3 published in summer information, and explains all the policies 2016, but they are also summarised later and procedures that we are following in in this chapter. Most significantly, the rules conducting the review. We encourage require every constituency we recommend anyone wishing to be involved in the review (with the exception of two covering the Isle to read this document, which will give them of Wight) to contain no fewer than 71,031 a greater understanding of the rules and electors and no more than 78,507. constraints placed on the Commission, especially if they are intending to comment on our initial proposals. 2 The Parliamentary Voting System and Constituencies Act 2011, available at www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2011/1/contents 3 Available at www.bce2018.org.uk and at all places of deposit Initial proposals for new Parliamentary constituency boundaries in the Eastern region 7 The rules in the legislation 9 Although the first review under the new rules will unavoidably result in 7 As well as the primary rule that significant change, we have also taken constituencies must have no fewer than into account the boundaries of existing 71,031 electors and no more than 78,507, constituencies so far as we can. We have the legislation also states that, when tried to retain existing constituencies deciding on boundaries, the Commission as part of our initial proposals wherever may also take into account: possible, as long as the other factors can also be satisfied. This, however, has • special geographical considerations, proved difficult. Our initial proposals retain including in particular the size, shape just over 10% of the existing constituencies and accessibility of a constituency; in the Eastern region – the remainder are • local government boundaries as they new constituencies (although in a number existed on 7 May 2015; of cases we have been able to limit the • boundaries of existing constituencies; changes to existing constituencies, making and only minor changes as necessary to enable • any local ties that would be broken by us to comply with the rules). changes in constituencies. 10 Our proposals are based on the nine 8 In addition, in relation to local regions used for European elections (though government boundaries in particular, it it should be clear that our work has no should be noted that we are obliged to take effect on European electoral matters, nor is into account local government boundaries it affected by the recent referendum result). as they existed in May 2015, rather than any This report relates to the Eastern region. subsequent changes that may have been There are eight other separate reports made (or are due to be made). Our initial containing our initial proposals for the other proposals for the Eastern region (and the regions. You can find more details on our accompanying maps) are therefore based on website. While this approach does not local government boundaries as they existed prevent anyone from making proposals to us in May 2015. Our Guide to the 2018 Review that cross regional boundaries (for example, outlines further our policy on how, and to between the Eastern region and the London what extent, we take into account local region), very compelling reasons would need government boundaries.