FINAL RECOMMENDATIONS FOR PARLIAMENTARY CONSTITUENCY BOUNDARIES IN
THE UNITARY AUTHORITY OF SOUTH GLOUCESTERSHIRE
14 Nov 2001 03:20 PM
The Commission propose to make no further changes to their revised
recommendations for parliamentary constituency boundaries in South
Gloucestershire and, today, confirm their revised recommendations as
their final recommendations.
1. Provisional recommendations for parliamentary constituencies in
South Gloucestershire were published on 28 June 2000. Objections to
these proposals led to a public inquiry, which was held in Bristol on
9 January 2001. The Assistant Commissioner who conducted the inquiry
recommended one change to the Commission''s proposals in respect of
the name of Filton CC, and suggested the alternative name of Filton
and Bradley Stoke CC.
2. Having considered his report and recommendations, and the
evidence, the Commission decided to revise their original proposals
and to change the name of Filton CC to Filton and Bradley Stoke CC.
The revised recommendations were published on 28 June 2001. As with
their provisional recommendations, the Commission were required to
consider representations about their revised recommendations made
within one month of local publication. However, the Commission were
not obliged to hold a further inquiry into representations about
their revised recommendations.
3. After considering the representations made in respect of their
revised recommendations, the Commission have decided not to make any
further changes to their recommendations for constituencies in South
Gloucestershire and to confirm their revised recommendations as their
final recommendations.
4. The Commission received eighteen representations following
publication of their revised recommendations. Two representations
from political party organisations approved of the recommendations in
full, fifteen representations from members of the public objected to
the recommendations and one representation from a political party
organisation commented that it had no further views on the
Commission''s recommendations.
5. Five of the representations objected to the inclusion of the
Almondsbury ward in the Filton and Bradley Stoke seat. It was argued
that the ward was predominantly rural and had little in common with
Filton, Bradley Stoke and Patchway, and that Almondsbury had historic
and traditional links with Thornbury. It was further argued that the
M5 motorway lying to the south-east of Almondsbury acted as a
''natural'' boundary. The Commission considered that these issues had
been explored in depth at the inquiry and noted that there was no new
evidence in the latest representations. They accordingly agreed with
the Assistant Commissioner''s recommendation that the ward should be
included in the Filton and Bradley Stoke seat. The Commission
therefore propose no alteration to their proposals in respect to this
ward.
6. Three of the representations objected to the name of ''Filton and
Bradley Stoke CC''. One of the representations suggested the
alternative name of ''Severn Beach and Downend CC'' or the retention of
''Filton CC'', whilst another suggested that all the proposed names
should be pre-fixed with ''South Gloucestershire''. The Commission
considered that the issue was discussed fully at the local inquiry
and that there was no universal support for any of the proposed
alternative names. The Commission have accordingly agreed with the
Assistant Commissioner''s proposals with respect to the revised name.
7. Two of the representations objected to the inclusion of the
Winterbourne ward in the Filton and Bradley Stoke seat. It was argued
that the ward is contiguous with Frampton Cotterrell, and is
predominantly rural, having strong agricultural links with Thornbury
and Yate. However, the Commission noted that no representations
relating to the Winterbourne ward had been received with respect to
its provisional recommendations, and that the issue of Winterbourne
being linked with the Frampton Cotterrell in a seat comprising Yate
had been discussed at the local inquiry. The Commission therefore
propose no alteration to their proposals in respect of the
Winterbourne ward.
8. Three representations objected to the individual, or joint,
inclusion of the Downend or Staple Hill wards in the Filton and
Bradley Stoke seat. It was argued that the community ties and focal
points for these two wards are with Kingswood town centre and that
the River Frome forms a boundary between Downend and the Filton area.
The Commission considered that these issues had been explored at the
inquiry and noted that there was no new evidence in the latest
representations. They accordingly agreed with the Assistant
Commissioner''s proposals for these wards, and recommended that there
be no alteration to their proposals in respect to these wards.
9. Two of the representations put forward counter-proposals. One of
these suggested changes to all three seats, whilst the other
suggested revised seats as a result of pairing South Gloucestershire
with the City of Bristol. The Commission took the view that there had
been ample opportunity for these to have been presented at the
inquiry and fully debated there. Also, there had been no local
support for pairing South Gloucestershire and Bristol during the
consultation process or for the kind of proposals being put forward
at this late stage. Therefore, the Commission would not consider them
further.
Final Recommendations
10. After considering the written representations received regarding
the revised recommendations, the Commission were satisfied that no
persuasive new arguments or issues were raised against their revised
recommendations. The Commission accordingly confirm their revised
recommendations in South Gloucestershire as final. No further
representations will be considered.
11. The Commission''s final recommendations for South Gloucestershire
which will be embodied in their report to the Secretary of State at
the end of the general review, and which are shown on the attached
outline map, are for three constituencies to be as follows (with 2000
electorates in brackets):-
FILTON AND BRADLEY STOKE COUNTY CONSTITUENCY (62,299). Eleven wards
of South Gloucestershire:- Almondsbury, Bradley Stoke Baileys Court,
Bradley Stoke Bowsland, Bradley Stoke Sherbourne, Downend, Filton,
Patchway, Pilning and Severn Beach, Staple Hill, Stoke Gifford,
Winterbourne.
KINGSWOOD BOROUGH CONSTITUENCY (60,936). Nine wards of South
Gloucestershire:- Bitton, Hanham, Kings Chase, Longwell Green,
Oldland Common, Parkwall, Rodway, Siston, Woodstock.
THORNBURY AND YATE COUNTY CONSTITUENCY (63,320). Fifteen wards of
South Gloucestershire: - Alveston, Boyd Valley, Charfield, Chipping
Sodbury, Cotswold Edge, Dodington, Frampton Cotterell, Ladden Brook,
Severn, Thornbury North, Thornbury South, Westerleigh, Yate Central,
Yate North, Yate West.
Representations
12. No further representations can be considered. When the Commission
have completed their review of the whole of England they will submit
a report to the Secretary of State.
Implementation of the Recommendations
13. The Commission are required to submit their report on the general
review for the whole of England to the Secretary of State after 11
April 2003 and before 12 April 2007. The Secretary of State has a
statutory duty to lay the Commission''s report before Parliament
together with a draft Order in Council giving effect to the
Commission''s recommendations with or without modifications. If
modifications are proposed, the Secretary of State must also lay a
statement of reasons for the modifications. The draft Order in
Council is submitted to both Houses of Parliament for approval and,
after it is made by Her Majesty in Council, it cannot be called into
question in any legal proceedings. The new constituencies take effect
at the next general election following the making of the Order in
Council.
Outline map
14. The recommended constituencies are illustrated in outline on the
map which forms part of this document (please note the following
copyright warning concerning the map). The wards on the map are
numbered, and the districts are lettered. These numbers and letters,
together with the names of the wards and districts, are listed at the
end of this document. The list also contains the 2000 district and
ward electorate figures on which the Commission are required by law
to work.
Crown Copyright
15. The outline map, which forms part of this document, is based on
Ordnance Survey data and is subject to ©crown copyright. Unauthorised
reproduction will infringe crown copyright and may lead to
prosecution or civil proceedings. Any person wishing to reproduce the
outline map in this document should first contact the Copyright
Office at Ordnance Survey, Romsey Road, Maybush, Southampton SO16 4GU
(telephone 023 8079 2929).
Enquiries
16. Should you require further information about these final
recommendations or about other aspects of the Commission''s work
please write to:-
Boundary Commission for England
PO Box 31060
London
SW1V 2FF
or telephone:
South Gloucestershire enquiries 020 7533 5173 or 020 7533 5164
General enquiries 020 7533 5177
Fax 020 7533 5176
Email address for South Gloucestershire enquiries:
gerald.tessier@ons.gov.uk
Email address for general enquiries: bcomm.england@ons.gov.uk
The internet version of this news release and the outline map (please
note the Crown copyright warning above) are now available on:-
http://www.statistics.gov.uk/pbc/
SOUTH GLOUCESTERSHIRE 2000 ELECTORATES BY WARD TO BE USED THROUGHOUT
THE REVIEW
South Gloucestershire 186,555
1. Almondsbury 2,944
2. Alveston 2,518
3. Bitton 2,689
4. Boyd Valley 5,496
5. Bradley Stoke Baileys Court 3,061
6. Bradley Stoke Bowsland 5,811
7. Bradley Stoke Sherbourne 3,329
8. Charfield 2,608
9. Chipping Sodbury 5,192
10. Cotswold Edge 2,812
11. Dodington 5,332
12. Downend 8,258
13. Filton 7,601
14. Frampton Cotterrell 4,969
15. Hanham 7,957
16. Kings Chase 8,137
17. Ladden Brook 2,886
18. Longwell Green 5,763
19. Oldland Common 5,241
20. Parkwall 6,097
21. Patchway 7,894
22. Pilning and Severn Beach 2,531
23. Rodway 7,803
24. Severn 2,763
25. Siston 8,947
26. Staple Hill 5,429
27. Stoke Gifford 8,020
28. Thornbury North 5,400
29. Thornbury South 5,189
30. Westerleigh 2,646
31. Winterbourne 7,421
32. Woodstock 8,302
33. Yate Central 5,232
34. Yate North 5,384
35. Yate West 4,893
Issued by the
Boundary Commission for England
PO Box 31060
Telephone 020 7533 5173
or 020 7533 5164
Fax 020 7533 5176
London
SW1V 2FF