By Eddie Bisknell

BOUNDARY changes were rebuffed by Stroud district councillors in a narrow vote at Thursday night's full council meeting.

The proposal would have shifted Nailsworth to the Cotswolds and Cam East and West Dursley, Kingswood, Vale and Wotton-under-edge to form the new Dursley, Thornbury and Yate constituency, giving the region three MP’s rather than two.

Before the motion proceeded to a vote, an amendment was added by Cllr Catherine Braun (Green, Wotton-under-Edge) to request a change from first-past-the-post voting to proportional representation.

The acceptance of this amendment by Cllr Steve Lydon (Lab, The Stanleys), who proposed the motion, may have been vital for its success.

Cllr Steve Lydon (Lab, The Stanleys), informed the council that the Boundary Commission for England (BCE) had based their proposals on May 7 2015 figures.

He said: “The total electorate in England in 2015 was some 1.5million less than those registered for the referendum.

“It is not possible to retain nine constituencies without transfer of electorate between the Gloucestershire constituencies and South Gloucestershire.”

This is due to a government scheme to reduce the number of constituencies in the UK from 650 to 600 and to equalise electorate figures.

The current electorate for Stroud is 80,909, with BCE advice stating that constituencies should have between 71,031 and 78,507.

However, Cllr Lydon stated: “These proposals would dismember the present Stroud constituency and split a homogeneous area of towns and rural areas with strong community awareness.

“And losing the positive effects that can be gained by one MP representing most of the local district.

“We hope to keep as much of Stroud within Stroud.”

Cllr Nigel Cooper (Con, Painswick & Upton), said: “It was ridiculous from a democratic representation that one MP represented over 92,000 voters in Ilford whereas some MPs in Wales represent less than half that number, in the low 40,000s.”

Cllr Tom Skinner (Con, Hardwicke) said: “This is absolutely bonkers, to say this is non-political is a little naïve.

“This attempt at gerrymandering votes.

“I don’t think we should be wasting tax payers money on this Labour counter proposal.”

However, Cllr Doina Cornell (Lab, Dursley), insisted: “I think people would accept this proposal regardless of whether they vote Labour or not.”

The amendment to the initial proposal came from Cllr Catherine Braun (Green, Wotton-under-Edge) which was:

“Recognising that the current first-past-the-post electoral system is undemocratic, the council urges the Boundary Commission to make a representation to the government that in order to provide a fair and truly democratic system – where all votes count – the first priority must be to adopt a proportional representation electoral system.”

Cllr Martin Whiteside (Green, Thrupp), explained this further, he said: “In the Green Party we believe passionately in democracy.

“We support the idea that each person’s vote should count equally.

“Reducing the number of elected MPs in England from 650 to 600 while at the same time increasing the number of unelected members of the House of Lords to over 800 is an insult to democracy.

“Boundary revisions unless they are accompanied by PR don’t bring democracy.”

The council’s counter proposition would see Bisley and Painswick shift from Stroud to the Cotswolds constituency, Kingswood and Wotton-under-Edge move from the Cotswolds to the new third constituency as well as Vale from Stroud.

The motion passed by 22 votes to 20.