Initial proposals for new Parliamentary constituency boundaries in Yorkshire and the Humber Contents Summary 3 1 What is the Boundary Commission for England? 5 2 Background to the 2018 Review 7 3 Initial proposals for Yorkshire and the Humber 11 Initial proposals for the Humberside sub‑region 12 Initial proposals for the North Yorkshire, West Yorkshire 13 and South Yorkshire sub‑region 4 How to have your say 21 Annex A: Initial proposals for constituencies, 25 including wards and electorates Glossary 35 Initial proposals for new Parliamentary constituency boundaries in Yorkshire and the Humber 1 Summary Who we are and what we do What is changing in Yorkshire and the Humber? The Boundary Commission for England is an independent and impartial Yorkshire and the Humber has non‑departmental public body which is been allocated 50 constituencies – responsible for reviewing Parliamentary a reduction of four from the current constituency boundaries in England. number. The 2018 Review Our proposals leave three of the 54 existing constituencies unchanged. We have the task of periodically reviewing the boundaries of all the Parliamentary As it has not always been possible to constituencies in England. We are currently allocate whole numbers of constituencies conducting a review on the basis of rules to individual counties, we have grouped set by Parliament in 2011. The rules tell some county and local authority areas us that we must make recommendations into sub‑regions. The number of for new Parliamentary constituency constituencies allocated to each sub‑region boundaries in September 2018. They is determined by the electorate of the also result in a significant reduction in combined local authorities. the number of constituencies in England (from 533 to 501), and require that every Consequently, it has been necessary to constituency – apart from two specified propose some constituencies that cross exceptions – must have an electorate that county or unitary authority boundaries. 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 Yorkshire and the Humber 3 Sub‑region Existing allocation Proposed allocation Humberside 10 9 North Yorkshire, West Yorkshire 44 41 and South Yorkshire We have proposed four constituencies How to have your say that contain electors from North Yorkshire, West Yorkshire and South Yorkshire. Two We are consulting on our initial proposals of these constituencies combine electors for a 12‑week period, from 13 September from North Yorkshire and West Yorkshire, 2016 to 5 December 2016. We encourage with both constituencies including wards everyone to use this opportunity to help of the District of Selby. The remaining two us shape the new constituencies – the constituencies combine electors from more views we hear, the more informed our West Yorkshire and South Yorkshire, which decisions will be when considering whether include wards of the Borough of Barnsley, to revise our proposals. the Borough of Kirklees and the Borough of Wakefield. Our website at www.bce2018.org.uk has more information about how to respond In Humberside, we have proposed a as well as details of where and when we pattern of nine constituencies, which will be holding public hearings in your includes two constituencies that are area. You can also follow us on Twitter completely unchanged. @BCE2018 or using #2018boundaryreview. 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 Yorkshire and the Humber 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 Yorkshire and the Humber. 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 number. England, together with the reduction in This means that the number of constituencies the total number of constituencies, means in England must be reduced from 533 that a significant amount of change to the to 501. There are also other rules that existing map of constituencies is inevitable. the Commission has regard to when conducting the review – a full set of the 6 Our Guide to the 2018 Review rules can be found in our Guide to the contains further detailed background 2018 Review3 published in summer 2016, information, and explains all the policies but they are also summarised later in and procedures that we are following 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 to read this document, which will give them Isle of Wight) to contain no fewer than a greater understanding of the rules and 71,031 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 Yorkshire and the Humber 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 proved • special geographical considerations, difficult. Our initial proposals retain just including in particular the size, shape under 6% of the existing constituencies in and accessibility of a constituency; Yorkshire and the Humber – the remainder • local government boundaries as they are new constituencies (although in a existed on 7 May 2015; number of cases we have been able to limit • boundaries of existing constituencies; the changes to existing constituencies, and making only minor changes as necessary • any local ties that would be broken by to enable us to comply with the rules). changes in constituencies. 10 Our proposals are based on the 8 In addition, in relation to local nine regions used for European elections government boundaries in particular, it (though it should be clear that our work has should be noted that we are obliged to take no effect on European electoral matters, into account local government boundaries nor is it affected by the recent referendum as they existed in May 2015, rather than any result). This report relates to Yorkshire and subsequent changes that may have been the Humber. There are eight other separate made (or are due to be made). Our initial reports containing our initial proposals for proposals for Yorkshire and the Humber the other regions. You can find more details (and the accompanying maps) are therefore on our website. While this approach does based on local government boundaries not prevent anyone from making proposals as they existed in May 2015. Our Guide to to us that cross regional boundaries (for the 2018 Review outlines further our policy example, between Yorkshire and the on how, and to what extent, we take into Humber and the North West regions), account local government boundaries. We very compelling reasons would need to have used the wards as at May 2015 of be given to persuade the Commission to unitary authorities, and borough and district depart from the region‑based approach.