Councillors row over boundary changes proposal
A suggestion to move Priorslee from from one parliamentary constituency into another is an “illogical” attempt at party-political “gerrymandering”, opposition councillors say.
The Boundary Commission for England (BCE) published a draft review of the country’s parliamentary map in June and is asking for feedback.
Telford and Wrekin’s Boundary Review Committee discussed its response earlier this month. Its recommendations included a suggestion, proposed by deputy council leader Richard Overton, to add the Hadley and Leegomery wards to Telford and push Priorslee the other way into The Wrekin.
Conservative Priorslee councillor Veronica Fletcher said her constituents are “totally committed” to Telford, overwhelmingly shopping, going to school and using medical facilities in the town.
Councillor Nigel Dugmore, her group leader, said the suggestion “conveniently ignores” an ongoing separate local boundary review.
A report before a full session of councillors, based on the Boundary Review Committee’s decision, said “Hadley and Leegomery should be in Telford” and “Priorslee should not be included within the Telford constituency”.
At the preceding committee meeting, Labour’s Councillor Overton said Hadley and Leegomery – a ward currently held by three Labour councillors – had “strong links to Telford”.
Incorporating it into the Telford constituency would bring The Wrekin’s electorate below the BCE’s 70,000 lower limit, so he suggested moving Priorslee into the constituency.
To back this up, he said the area has an “affinity” with Shifnal, which is in the Wrekin. He said Priorslee residents often send their children to school in Shifnal, and use the doctor’s surgery there.
Councillor Fletcher, who represents Priorslee along with her husband and fellow Conservative Ian Fletcher, said the area was “part and parcel of Telford constituency”, and even had two signs on the road in reading “Welcome to Telford”.
She Telford, and nearby areas like Oakengates, were residents’ main choice for shopping, medical services and other facilities.
“We are totally committed to Telford constituency, and this proposal is a further indication of this council alienating the local identity and causing confusion,” Councillor Fletcher said.
“Only a few children go to Shifnal. Mostly they go to Holy Trinity and our two Priorslee schools. People from around Telford come into Priorslee as well.”
Councillor Dugmore said the suggested Hadley and Leegomery and Priorslee switches “have no logic to them and are political gerrymandering”.
He pointed out that the Local Government Boundary Commission for England is also currently carrying out a review of Telford and Wrekin’s council ward map, and the BCE has said it plans to use local authority wards as its “building blocks” for new constituencies.
“These suggestions conveniently ignore the ward boundary review,” Councillor Dugmore said.
“The assumption that there will be no changes to any of these wards is misguided.”
The BCE’s proposals also include extending The Wrekin’s borders into parts of the existing North Shropshire constituency and renaming it “Newport and Wellington”.
The Boundary Review Committee – which includes both Councillor Dugmore and Councillor Overton – unanimously opposed the rebrand, and both members repeated this view at the full session.
Councillor Overton told colleagues: “There is a real prospect that anyone from outside either Newport or Wellington would be alienated, living in a constituency named after two towns they have no connection to.”
People can view the BCE’s proposals and submit a response by visiting www.bcereviews.org.uk before Monday, August 2.
