NORTH COUNCIL , i.' ---,,sr r\1/2 NI' j 13. ~ REPORT

To: THE COUNCIL I Subject: SIXTH REVIEW OF PARLIAMENTARY CONSTITUENCIES: STATUTORY From: HEAD OF CENTRAL SERVICES CONS ULTAT I0N - WORK IN G GROUP RECOMMENDATIONS

1. Purpose of Report

1.I The report provides, for the consideration of the Council, a draft submission as formulated by the United Kingdom Constituencies Working Group, for the statutory consultation on the Sixth Review of United Kingdom Parliamentary Constituencies.

2. Background

2.1 The Policy and Resources Committee, at its meeting on 1 December, having considered a report (copy attached as Appendix 1) on the Sixth Review of United Kingdom Parliamentary Constituencies - Statutory Consultation, agreed that a Working Group comprising Councillors Maginnis, McCabe, Ross, Smith and Welsh be established to formulate the Council's response.

2.2 The attached report sets out the background to and criteria for the constituency review. As indicated in the report, a constituency requires to have an electorate not less than 72,810 and not greater than 80,473. The relevant electorate of as at 1 December 2010 was 248,333. It is, accordingly, 42,907 electors short of the minimum number required for four constituencies and 6,914 electors in excess of the maximum number permitted for three constituencies.

2.3 The constituencies as proposed by the Boundary Commission are as set out in Section 3 of the attached report. It will be noted that

0 ward is included in a constituency comprising principally East wards

0 Ward No. 19 () is split between the proposed Airdrie and South Constituency and , and Constituency

and

0 The town of Coatbridge is divided between two of the proposed constituencies.

3. Internal Consultation

3.1 In response to a letter to all Councillors inviting views on the Boundary Commission proposals, submissions have been received suggesting that the proposed division of Murdostoun be varied to include, within Motherwell, Wishaw and Bellshill Constituency, the area and to include within the Airdrie and Constituency the Cleland area.

UK Parliamentary Constituencies.doc 2

3.2 In addition, representations have been received opposing the splitting of Kilsyth from and the division of Coatbridge.

4. Working Group Proposals

4.1 Having considered the initial proposals formulated by the Boundary Commission, and having taken account of submissions received as a result of the internal consultation, the Working Group agreed

0 That, with regard to the proposals as formulated by the Boundary Commission, the proposed division of Murdostoun Ward is inappropriate and should be varied to remove from Motherwell, Wishaw and Bellshill Constituency and include in Airdrie and Coatbridge South Constituency the Cleland area and to remove from Airdrie and Coatbridge South Constituency and include in Motherwell, Wishaw and Bellshill Constituency the Cambusnethan area;

That, further, the initial proposals required to be fundamentally varied and that, in so far as affecting North Lanarkshire, the constituencies should be as follows

> Cumbernauld, Kilsyth and Constituency - comprising, from North Lanarkshire: Kilsyth, , Cumbernauld South and Abronhill, Kildrum and The Village wards and, from : Kirkintilloch East and , and Kirkintilloch South, Campsie and Kirkintilloch North and part of North and Torrance wards;

> Coatbridge, and Baillieston Constituency - comprising, from North Lanarkshire: Strathkelvin, , and Coatbridge South wards and, from the City of : Baillieston ward;

> Airdrie, and Murdostoun Constituency - comprising , , , , and and part of Murdostoun and wards;

> Motherwell, Wishaw and Bellshill Constituency - comprising , Bellshill, , Motherwell South East and , Wishaw and part of Murdostoun and Motherwell North wards.

4.2 A draft submission reflecting the Working Group's proposals is attached as Appendix 2 of this report.

5. Recommendation

5.1 It is recommended that the Council note the initial proposals formulated by the Boundary Commission for as part of the Sixth Review of United Kingdom Parliamentary Constituencies, note the recommendations of the United Kingdom Constituencies Working Group and approve for submission the attached consultation submission.

9

FHkof *' rrfCentral services

Members seeking further information on the contents of this report are asked to contact John Fleming, Head of Central Services on Extension 2228.

UK Parliamentary Constituenciesdoc APPENDIX 1

NORTH LANARKSHIRE COUNCIL

REPORT

To: POLICY AND RESOURCES Subject: SIXTH REVIEW OF UNITED COMMITTEE KINGDOM PARLIAMENTARY CONSTITUENCIES - STATUTORY CONSULTATION From: HEAD OF CENTRAL SERVICES

Date: 3 November 201 I Ref: JAFllL

1. Purpose of Report

1.I The report advises of the sixth review of United Kingdom Parliamentary constituencies; of the initial proposals formulated by the Boundary Commission for Scotland; and of the statutory consultation provisions and recommends procedures for consideration of those proposals and the submission of a consultation response on behalf of the Council.

2. Background

2-1 Following the amendment of the Parliamentary Constituencies Act 1986 by the Parliamentary Voting System and Constituencies Act 2011 , there requires to be a review of United Kingdom Parliamentary constituencies to reduce the total number to 600, of which 52 are to be in Scotland. Of the 52 Scottish Parliamentary constituencies, one must be a constituency covering the combined extent of Islands and Council area and one must be a constituency covering Na H-Eileanan an lar (the Western Isles) Council area.

2.2 The electorate of the remaining 50 constituencies requires to be no less than 95% and no more than 105% of the United Kingdom electoral quota which is 76,641. The maximum electorate for a constituency is, accordingly, 80,473 and the minimum electorate 72,810. Subject to that requirement, the Boundary Commission may take into account, to such extent as they think fit,

0 Special geographical considerations, including, in particular, the size, shape and accessibility of a constituency;

0 Local government boundaries as they exist on the most recent ordinary Council-election day before the review date;

0 Boundaries of existing constituencies;

Any local ties that would be broken by changes in constituencies;

and

0 The inconveniences attendant on such changes.

2.3 The Boundary Commission for Scotland have now published their initial proposals and the statutory consultation period will close on 4 January 2012.

6th Review UK Parliamentary Constituencies.doc 2

3. Initial Proposals

3.1 The initial proposals, in so far as affecting North Lanarkshire, are as follows:

0 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 - 79,827

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 ); 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 (); Electorate - 79,21 I- of which the electorate for Ward No. 1 (Kilsyth) is 9,293 and

0 Motherwell, Wishaw and Bellshill Burgh 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 - 79,551.

4. Consultation Provisions

4. I The initial proposals are subject to a 12 week consultation which ends on 4 January 2012. At any time during that period, representations may be made either in support of or opposing the initial proposals.

4.2 During the 12 week consultation period there will be five public hearings

0 In on 14 November 2011 - focusing on the City of Edinburgh; ; ; ; ; and ;

0 In on 16 November - focusing on ; East ; East ; North Lanarkshire; ; and :

0 In Glasgow on 22 November - focusing on ; Glasgow City; East Dunbartonshire; ; ; Renfrewshire; and ;

0 In Inverness on 24 November 2011 - focusing on City; ; ; and ; and In on 29 November 201 1 - focusing on Angus; ; Dundee City; : ; and .

6th Rc\,iew UK Parliamentary Connitucncics.doc 3

The purpose of those hearings is to explain the initial proposals and to give an opportunity for parties to make representations. Each hearing will be chaired by a Sheriff Principal and will last for 1-2 days. It is, however, not a requirement that any party seeking to make representations do so at one of those hearings: it is competent for a party to make no representations at any hearing and, still, make written representations within the 12 week consultation period.

4.3 Following the 12 week consultation period, the Boundary Commission for Scotland will publish on its website the representations received and the record of the public hearings and will invite written comments on them during a further period of four weeks. The 8oundary Commission for Scotland will, thereafter, consider all representations received, the proceedings of the public hearings, any scrutiny comments made concerning representations and any other relevant information. Having done so, the Commission will make any amendments to the initial proposals they consider necessary and, if the initial proposals are amended, will publish the revised proposals for an eight week public consultation and invite representations on the revised proposals. There will be no public hearings in connection with the revised proposals and, after taking account of any representations received regarding the revised proposals, the Boundary Commission will submit recommendations to the Secretary of State for Scotland which may include further amendment of the revised proposals.

4.4 Once each of the Boundary Commissions within the United Kingdom has submitted its report, Ministers are responsible for submitting to the United Kingdom Parliament a draft Order in Council giving effect to the recommendations - and once the Order in Council completes the legislative process, the new provisions will come into operation from the next general election to the United Kingdom Parliament.

4.5 Subsequent reviews must result in reports being submitted every five years after 1 October 2013.

5. Proposals

5.1 The Council was represented at the hearings in Lanark on 16 November 2011 and Glasgow on 22 November 2011 - but refrained from submitting representations at those hearings.

5.2 It is proposed that the Committee appoint a Working Group to give consideration to the initial proposals in light of the proceedings at the hearings on 16 November and 22 November and that, if the Working Group has not formulated proposals for consideration by the Council at its meeting on 15 December, there be delegated to the Executive Director of Corporate Services, following consultation with the Working Group, authority to determine whether representations on behalf of the Council with regard to the initial proposals should be made and if so, authority to formulate and submit such representations.

6th Review UK Parliarnenlary Constituencia.doc 4

6. Recommendation

6.1 It is recommended that the Committee note the contents of this report and give consideration to the foregoing proposals.

‘Hydof Central Services

Members seeking further information on the contents of this report are asked fo contact John Fleming, Head of Central Services on Extension 2228.

61h Re\ ic\\ LJK Pnrliamentq Conrfituenciesdoe APPENDIX 2

UNITED KINGDOM PARLIAMENTARY CONSTITUENCY BOUNDARIES - SIXTH REVIEW: CONSULTATION ON INITIAL PROPOSALS

North Lanarkshire Council has given consideration to the initial proposals formulated by the Boundary Commission for Scotland as part of the Sixth Review of United Kingdom Parliamentary Constituencies.

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

0 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 (AS1 7); NL157 (AS80) and NL162 (ML82) and, from Motherwell North ward, polling districts NL128 (HB61), NL129 (HB66); NL136 (ML22); NL138(HB65) and NL139(HB69);

0 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 (ML11); 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 ; Bearsden North; Bearsden South; Bishopbriggs South and the southern part of Bishopbriggs North and Torrance together with the West Dunbartonshire wards of ; and . It will permit, also, recognition of the links between the West Dunbartonshire wards of , 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.