Have your say on plans to expand Kenilworth's constituency
By James Smith
17th Mar 2022 | Local News
Kenilworth residents are being encouraged to share their views on plans to expand the town's parliamentary constituency.
Current suggestions would see the Kenilworth and Southam constituency take Hatton, Hampton Magna, Sherbourne, Barford and Wasperton from neighbours Warwick and Leamington.
As the map below shows, the changes would see Kenilworth and Southam completely surround Warwick and Leamington.
Whilst the latter would take Old Milverton and Blackdown in the opposite direction, Kenilworth's electorate would grow from 63,000 to 74,000.
The number of constituencies in the West Midlands could also drop from 59 to 57.
Plans were first revealed last June and a second public consultation is currently underway to gauge local opinion.
MP for Kenilworth and Southam Jeremy Wright has already welcomed the 'minimum disruption' presented by the government's proposals.
"These proposals from the Boundary Commission reflect an intention to make constituencies across the UK roughly the same size, which is an objective I support," he said.
"Some change to the Kenilworth and Southam constituency was inevitable to achieve that and it seems to me the Boundary Commission proposals in Warwickshire achieve this objective with minimal disruption, though I appreciate that this will be a confusing change for some."
But Budbrooke councillors said they would rather remain under Labour MP Matt Western in Warwick and Leamington, rather than be transferred to Mr Wright's Tory constituency.
The first consultation was held last summer, with the current one running until April 4.
Final recommendations are due by 1 July 2023, after which the government has four months to alter the plans.
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