VOTERS will soon have another chance to have their say on major boundary changes which could see Nailsworth, Horsley, Dursley and Wotton leave the Stroud constituency.

Last week the Boundary Commission, which is carrying out a huge review of the UK’s parliamentary map, announced that a second consultation will run from Tuesday February 28 to Monday March 27.

This will give constituents in Stroud a chance to see alternative suggestions a second opportunity to scrutinise, oppose and suggest changes to the review.

Initial proposals made in September last year would see Nailsworth leave the Stroud constituency and join the Cotswolds instead.

This would mean Nailsworth and Horsley residents would vote for a different MP in 2020 – despite their current MP Neil Carmichael’s constituency office being located in the town.

Meanwhile, Cam East, Dursley, Kingswood, Vale and Wotton-under-Edge would instead form part of the new Dursley, Thornbury and Yate constituency.

In return for these losses, Stroud would gain Quedgeley Severn Vale and Quedgeley Fieldcourt from the Gloucester constituency to the north.

This would mean the wards formed by the Stroud District Council area would have a total of three MPs, rather than two.

Overall these changes would mean the Stroud constituency would be left with 71,843 voters – more in line with the guidelines set out by the government.

Stroud News and Journal:

However, Labour councillors on the ruling Co-operative Alliance at Stroud District Council have criticised plans to redraw the constituency map as “heavy-handed tinkering”.

They have put forward counter proposals that would instead see Bisley and Painswick shift from Stroud to the Cotswolds constituency, rather than Nailsworth. Cam, Dursley and Berkeley would also be retained by the Stroud constituency.

Steve Lydon, Labour leader of Stroud District Council, said: “I hope and trust that the boundary commission will listen to concerns of the council and electors of Stroud and not split the constituency three ways.”

Doina Cornell, Labour deputy leader, added: “The existing proposals would split the district between three not two MPs and also break the historical and geographical links between the valley market towns of Stroud, Nailsworth and Dursley.

“Our alternative proposals keep the integrity of our own constituency and that of our neighbours and yet still meet the needs of adjusting to match population numbers - altogether a simpler and less disruptive process.”

This idea, formed by the former SDC leader Geoff Wheeler backed by the current administration, has however been opposed by Mr Carmichael.

His fellow Conservatives at SDC argue Labour’s alternative boundaries clearly have a political agenda and have opposed the plan.

This is a view shared by UKIP member Scott Clacher from Quedgeley, who accused Labour of attempting to redraw the map for their own electoral advantage.

He said: [The plans] involve ‘giving’ Quedgeley back to Gloucester, and allocating the overwhelmingly Conservative voters of Painswick and Bisley to the Cotswolds constituency, where their votes are plainly not needed as the Cotswolds already has one of the largest Conservative majorities in the country.

“Labour would then incorporate the historically large Labour vote in Nailsworth and Dursley back into Stroud from the Cotswolds and Thornbury constituencies respectively, in order, of course, to increase Labour's chances of winning back the Stroud seat at the next General Election.

“This is nothing other than a brazen attempt by both of them to gerrymander constituency boundaries to their own electoral advantage, dressed up with whatever spurious and seemingly well-meaning argument they can conjecture.”

A statement on the Boundary Commission for England’s website said: “The purpose of this consultation is to publish all representations received during last year’s 12-week consultation on the initial proposals.

“Nearly 20,000 individuals gave their views in writing, or at public hearings held by the Commission around the country. You will be able to view the representations on our consultation website, at www.bce2018.org.uk.

“We will be inviting everyone to look at what others have said, and contribute their views, from 28 February 2017 to 27 March 2017.

“Following this consultation, the Commissioners will consider all representations from both consultation periods, before deciding whether to revise the initial proposals.”

Visit www.bce2018.org.uk for more information.