DAVID MCWHINNEY Postal area: BT22 Response ID: BHLF-FFDS-VS6W-S Composite comments regarding the proposals Response to the 2018 Parliamentary Constituency Review in Northern Ireland 19th October 2016 David McWhinney *****************, ******** ***********. BT22 *** Even after a cursory glance at Northern Irish electoral map, the difficulties encountered by the Boundary Commission in drawing up seventeen new parliamentary constituencies are clearly evident. The tight restrictions on electorate size imposed by the Parliamentary Voting System and Constituencies Act 2011, together with the new larger and in places awkwardly shaped local government wards make the formation of cohesive constituency units more problematic. The first and most important decision made by the commission, namely which region of Northern Ireland must suffer the loss of one constituency, is sensible. For some time our capital city has experienced a declining population producing significantly undersized electorates in each of the four Belfast constituencies. Even though previous reviews have expanded these constituencies well outside the limits of the city council, several, most notably Belfast West and East, currently remain at the smaller end of the range of electorate sizes in Northern Ireland. The reduction of four constituencies to three is therefore entirely reasonable and fair. The alternative, to attempt to maintain the four urban constituencies, would create seats that would be unrecognisable as 'Belfast' containing either rural wards or large parts of neighbouring cities and towns such as Lisburn, Holywood or Newtownabbey. The follow on disruptive effects in constituencies in Counties Antrim and Down would also be severe on long established local ties. The three constituency proposal in Belfast is the only possible outcome given the electoral size constraints the commission must operate within. However many of the specific proposals made by the commission outside Belfast warrant major changes. Two of the new proposed constituencies appear especially artificial. 'Upper Bann and Blackwater' curves around Lough Neagh from eastern Tyrone through north Armagh finishing in southern Antrim connecting towns such as Coalisland and Lurgan with no natural ties. Equally 'West Antrim' binds Ballymena in the heart of rural County Antrim with a corner of the northern suburbia on the outskirts of Belfast. Many of Northern Ireland's largest towns have been cut of from their traditional hinterlands, Coleraine, Ballymena, Antrim, Lisburn and Lurgan have been treated in this manner. Worse, several towns have been dismembered by a boundary cleaving intrinsic parts into another constituency. Dungannon (Mullaghmore), Portadown (Mahon and Bleary), Glengormley (Hightown and Collinbridge) and Lisburn (Blaris and Hillhall) have all suffered. The commission should limit these incongruities as best it can in it's revised proposals. The proposed constituencies all have a variance of less than three percent from the Northern Ireland electoral average. While the commission is not under any obligation to do so, the determination to reduce excessive electoral size variation within Northern Ireland is admirable given that each Westminster constituency elects an equal number of assembly members. However I would suggest a little more leniency, the central principle of the 2011 Act limits variance to five percent from the UK electoral quota, a similar degree of deviation from the Northern Ireland electoral average would be a reasonable aim. The commission also states that the conditions for the application of Rule 7, permitting a lower electorate limit, have not been met. If the commission takes a more relaxed position on both these issues a better model for Northern Ireland's Parliamentary seats becomes possible respecting traditional local community ties and the approximate positions of the existing fourteen constituencies outside Belfast. The following proposals demonstrate that such a redrawing of Northern Ireland's political boundaries is possible in an equitable way, despite the tight restrictions imposed on the commission. Belfast As previously stated a 3 seat city is the logical response to the reduction of constituencies within Northern Ireland. The Boundary Commission states it's intention to honour as far as possible the new City Council boundary. However given the total electorate within the local government district is insufficient for the formation of three constituencies without the application of Rule 7 and that the natural frontier of the city of Belfast is more expansive than the rigid City Council line would suggest it is reasonable to propose the inclusion of several surrounding urban wards to form constituencies of the appropriate electoral size. Several minor ward changes can improve the cohesion and shape of the commission's proposed boundaries. Belfast East The commission uses the river Lagan as a natural dividing line across the city. This produces a peculiar salient projecting south west from the bulk of the constituency. The Belvoir ward has no obvious tie to East Belfast, it's inappropriate inclusion breaks it's traditional connections with either the south of the city or the Castlereagh area. It would be better to consider the arterial roads radiating out of Belfast city centre as natural units each with it's own local identification. The addition of the Central, Ormeau and Galwally wards preserves the integrity of the residential areas along the full length of the Ormeau and Saintfield Roads from the Forestside Shopping Centre into the heart of the city when joined with the three eastern Belfast DEAs. Lisnasharragh DEA Ormiston DEA Titanic DEA Ormeau and Central wards from Botanic DEA Galwally ward from Castlereagh South DEA Total electorate 75225 Belfast North The commission has proposed the addition of two Antrim and Newtownabbey Council wards to make up the required electoral numbers but one of these is ill considered. Collinbridge is naturally part of the Glengormley area, it's proposed inclusion in North Belfast creates a boundary that runs through residential streets and splits the integrity of this district. The electorate of Collinbridge would also be physically isolated from the rest of North Belfast by it's position on the northern slope of Cavehill. The northwestern boundary of Belfast could be readily defined by the line of hills extending from Divis and Blackmountain, across Cavehill to Carmoney Hill enclosing the city that stretches from their eastern slopes to Belfast Lough. By adding the four wards to the immediate northeast of the M2 to the three northern Belfast DEAs not only meets the prescribed electoral numbers but also preserves this natural geographical limit of the city. Also note that these wards have been part of the North Belfast constituency since 1997. The entire constituency is directed northwards. As such, the name change to North West is not necessary. Castle DEA Oldpark DEA Court DEA O'Neill, Rathcoole, Valley and Whitehouse wards from Macedon DEA Total Electorate 71,963 Belfast South West The remaining Belfast City Council wards meet the electoral quota, no further wards need be added. The commission included Beechmount in North West Belfast; I have placed it in the South West constituency due to its very close associations with the heart of west Belfast and to preserve the unity of the Black Mountain DEA. Black Mountain DEA Collin DEA Balmoral DEA Blackstaff, Stranmillis and Windsor wards from Botanic DEA Total Electorate 76,220 Southern Region Four of the six proposed constituencies in Counties Down and Armagh require only minor changes at most, once the glaring anomaly of 'Upper Bann and Blackwater' has been rectified. This constituency combines areas without any known ties, forcing rural east Tyrone together with suburban Craigavon in an odd lop sided shape, slicing off parts of Portadown and Dungannon in the process. If the commission considers the Blackwater river as a natural geographical line of demarcation, the creation of constituencies which respect both local connections and the rough outline of the current boundaries becomes possible. Upper Bann The simple combination of the Portadown, Craigavon and Lurgan DEAs with four surrounding rural wards provides the necessary electoral numbers. Portadown DEA Craigavon DEA Lurgan DEA Tandragee ward from Cusher DEA Donaghcloney and Waringstown wards from Lagan River DEA Gilford ward from Banbridge DEA Total Electorate 73,471 Newry and Armagh The remaining County Armagh wards when combined with the city of Newry meets the electoral quota requirement with only minimal changes to the existing constituency boundary. Newry DEA Slieve Gullion DEA Armagh DEA Hamiltonsbawn, Markethill, Richhill and Seagahan wards from Cusher DEA Total Electorate 71,959 South Down As proposed Crotlieve DEA The Mournes DEA Slieve Croob DEA Downpatrick DEA Loughbrickland and Rathfriland wards from Banbridge DEA Total Electorate 74,040 Lisburn and West Down The commission's proposed 'West Down' constituency is an interesting and meritorious idea. Possible objections include the separation of both Lurgan and Lisburn from their immediate hinterland; towns which do not respect ancestral county boundaries. However once the mistakes of 'Upper Bann and Blackwater' have been rectified some changes are necessary to reach the electoral quota limit. A new constituency loosely based on the present Lagan Valley seat could be created by aggregating the towns and villages along the A1 corridor, one of