Fresh consultation on Shropshire constituency boundary changes and controversial Wrekin name change
Changes to who MPs in Shropshire represent – including a historic name change – are the subject of a second consultation.
The Boundary Commission for England has launched its latest information gathering exercise over its plans to redraw parliamentary constituencies across the country.
The changes in Shropshire centre on all of the county's five parliamentary constituencies – North Shropshire, Shrewsbury & Atcham, Telford, The Wrekin, and Ludlow.
The first consultation last year resulted in scores of responses from county residents, and the latest will run until April 4.
Under the Boundary Commission plans, which aim to make sure all constituencies have between 69,724 and 77,062 electors, only Telford sees no significant change.
However, The Wrekin will lose its historic name – tied to the landmark and beauty spot, which has been in place since it was created in 1918 – and will instead become Wellington and Newport.
Shrewsbury & Atcham will become just 'Shrewsbury', while Ludlow becomes 'Ludlow and Bridgnorth'.
The detail of the proposals will see the Ludlow constituency stretching north to take both the Shropshire wards of Burnell and Severn Valley from the existing Shrewsbury and Atcham constituency.
The move is to bring the size of the Shrewsbury electorate down, as it currently stands at over 80,000.
North Shropshire will lose Hodnet and Cheswardine, which will go into the new Wellington and Newport constituency – taking with it the Clive Barracks at Tern Hill, which falls just on the Wellington and Newport side of the new border.
Again the proposal is being made because of the size of the North Shropshire constituency, which is close to 84,000.
There has been significant opposition to the plans to change the name of the Wrekin constituency.
One of the official consultation responses, from Telford & Wrekin Councillor for Oakengates and Ketley Bank, Stephen Reynolds, outlined his calls for the plan to be dropped.
He said: "I do not support the proposal to change the name of the Wrekin Constituency to Newport & Wellington Constituency.
"The Wrekin Constituency is an accepted and acknowledged constituency both for its geographical reference and historical importance to the community, there is more to this constituency than just Wellington and Newport.
"The rest of this constituency will undoubtedly lose its identity and feel alienated and abandoned.
"Importantly Telford & Wrekin Borough Council incorporates these two distinct constituencies within its border and name. There is no need to change the constituency name of The Wrekin."
Secretary to the Boundary Commission for England, Tim Bowden, has encouraged people to take part in the latest round of consultation.
He said: "The 2023 Boundary Review will rebalance the number of electors represented by each MP.
"It’s important that the constituencies we shape reflect your local community as best as possible. We received over 34,000 responses during our first consultation last year which are available online for the public to read and comment on. We’re inviting more people to have their say in our current secondary consultation, which is open now until April 4."
To take part in the consultation visit bcereviews.org.uk/
A third consultation will then take place later this year, before final proposals are published next year.
