Agenda item

Council is requested to agree a response to the Boundary Commission for England’s consultation on its revised proposals for new Parliamentary Constituency Boundaries.

Council was aware that, in February 2016, the Boundary Commission for England (BCE) had announced the start of a review of the Parliamentary Constituencies in England. On 13 September 2016 the BCE had published its initial proposals for new Parliamentary constituencies. Council had considered those initial proposals at its meeting held on 29 November 2016 (Minute 107 referred) and had agreed the following response to the BCE:

“At present the Harwich and North Essex constituency surrounds the Colchester constituency at its north-west, north, east and south sides, taking in the port of Harwich to the east. We propose to modify this arrangement by pairing Harwich with Clacton-on-Sea in a Harwich and Clacton constituency. In addition, we propose a North East Essex constituency that completely surrounds the Colchester constituency. Our proposed North East Essex constituency comprises 13 wards from the Borough of Colchester and ten wards from the District of Tendring. As a result, the villages of Point Clear, St. Osyth, Seawick and Jaywick are no longer included in a constituency with Clacton. The entirety of our proposed Harwich and Clacton constituency falls within the District of Tendring.”

It was reported that on 17 October 2017 the BCE had published revised recommendations which were out for consultation until 11 December 2017.

Council was informed that as far as the District of Tendring was concerned the BCE now proposed a Harwich and Clacton County Constituency (electorate 77,200) wholly within the Tendring District and a North East Essex County Constituency (electorate 77,481) comprising ten wards within the Tendring District and thirteen wards of the Borough of Colchester. The two constituencies proposed would comprise the following wards:-

Harwich and Clacton County Constituency – Twenty five wards of the District of Tendring:- 

Alton Park, Beaumont and Thorpe, Bockings Elm, Burrsville, Frinton, Golf Green, Great and Little Oakley, Hamford, Harwich East Central, Harwich East, Harwich West Central, Harwich West, Haven, Holland and Kirby, Homelands, Peter Bruff, Pier, Ramsey and Parkeston, Rush Green, St Bartholomews, St James, St Johns, St Marys, St Pauls and Walton.

North East Essex County Constituency -  Thirteen wards of the Borough of Colchester:-

Birch and Winstree, Copford and West Stanway, Dedham and Langham, Fordham and Stour, Great Tey, Marks Tey, Pyefleet, Stanway, Tiptree, West Bergholt and Eight Ash Green, West Mersea, Wivenhoe Cross and Wivenhoe Quay; and

Ten wards of the District of Tendring:- 

Alresford, Ardleigh and Little Bromley, Bradfield, Wrabness and Wix, Brightlingsea, Golf Green, Great Bentley, Lawford, Little Clacton and Weeley, Manningtree, Mistley, Little Bentley and Tendring, St Osyth and Point Clear and Thorrington, Frating, Elmstead and Great Bromley.

Council was advised that the changes from the initial proposals were that the Golf Green Ward had been moved from the North East Essex County Constituency to the Harwich and Clacton County Constituency whilst the Little Clacton and Weeley Ward had moved from the Harwich and Clacton County Constituency to the North East Essex County Constituency.

Councillors Bucke, I J Henderson, Parsons and Stock each addressed the Council on the subject matter of this item.

Having considered the BCE’s revised proposals it was moved by Councillor Stock OBE, seconded by Councillor Honeywood and:

RESOLVED that Council –

(a)       notes the revised proposals on the Parliamentary Boundary Review; and

(b)          commends the decision of the Boundary Commission for England to restore the Golf Green Ward to the Harwich and Clacton County Constituency.