Agenda item

Parliamentary Constituency Boundary Review

To consider the report of the Electoral Registration & Returning Officer.

 

 

Decision:

Agreed:

 

RECOMMENDED that Council:-

 

(1)        decides which of either of the Pinhoe or Priory City Council wards should be suggested for inclusion in a revised Parliamentary Constituency to the east of the City;

 

(2)        suggests that the name of any new parliamentary constituency to the east of the city include a reference to the fact that it included a significant proportion of the city within its boundary, with the suggested name of Exmouth and East Exeter; and

 

(3)        instructs officers to inform the Boundary Commission for England of its views on the proposals.

 

Reason for Decision: As set out in the report.

 

 

Minutes:

The Executive received the report, which set out the suggested response of the views of the Council on the recently published Parliamentary Constituency Boundary Review and its impact on the existing Parliamentary constituency’s boundaries and Exeter City area.

 

Members noted that the current boundaries included parts of Priory, St. Loye’s and Topsham City Council wards in the East Devon Parliamentary constituency and that the proposed changes would only affect the Parliamentary constituency boundary’s and would not affect local government ward areas.

 

The Electoral Registration & Returning Officer made particular reference to:-

 

·        the initial proposal of the Boundary Commission would include the whole City Council wards of Priory, St Loye’s, and Topsham in a new parliamentary constituency which would stretch as far as Exmouth;

·        this extension, particularly in the Priory ward, could be viewed as being too far into the urban area of the city, especially as it included the Royal Devon and Exeter Hospital;

·        in addition to the whole of St Loyes and Topsham wards being included, the Council would need to decide whether the whole of the Pinhoe ward rather than Priory should be included as then the three most easterly wards would be part of the new Parliamentary Constituency allowing a contiguous boundary between the City Council and East Devon District Council;

·        as almost 25% of Exeter’s electorate would be included in the new constituency the name should be the Exmouth and East Exeter Constituency;

·        the figures for  electorates for both Pinhoe and Priory wards, were taken from March 2020 figures were equal at 6,399;

·        the Returning Officer for the current East Devon constituency had no issue with the proposals;

·        the closing date for consultation was 2 August 2021 for Members, the public and organisations to respond via the Government website; and

·        theParliamentary timetable in the report, set out the schedule going forward, and that any changes to the law would not be made until late 2023.

 

The Chair stated that the report before the Executive was for commentary on the process and that the recommendations on proposals to be put to the Boundary Commission would be a matter for Council to discuss on 21 July 2021.

 

In response to questions from Members, the Electoral Registration & Returning Officer, explained:-

 

·        subject to a Parliamentary Election not being called in the period leading up to consideration of the proposals by the Privy Council in late 2023, the new boundaries would come into effect from 2024; and

·        it was understood that legislation required Parliamentary Constituencies to be reviewed during the period of each Parliament to help maintain consistency of electorates across the country. Currently, Parliamentary periods were fixed for five years although Parliament could vote to hold an emergency election.

 

RECOMMENDED that Council:-

 

(1)        decides which of either of the Pinhoe or Priory City Council wards should be suggested for inclusion in a revised Parliamentary Constituency to the east of the City;

 

(2)        suggests that the name of any new parliamentary constituency to the east of the city include a reference to the fact that it included a significant proportion of the city within its boundary, with the suggested name of Exmouth and East Exeter; and

 

(3)        instructs officers to inform the Boundary Commission for England of its views on the proposals.

 

 

Supporting documents: