Residents invited to comment on parliamentary constituency boundaries
Solihull Council is encouraging residents to comment on the proposed parliamentary constituency boundaries that have been proposed by the Boundary Commission for England (BCE), as part of an eight-week consultation.
The BCE is required to ensure that the number of electors in each constituency is more equal and in doing so, the number of constituencies in England will increase from 533 to 543. The Commission is undertaking an independent review and will present their final recommendations to Parliament by July 2023.
The West Midlands has been allocated 57 constituencies – a reduction of two from the current number. The proposals leave nine of the 59 existing constituencies wholly unchanged, and 12 unchanged except to realign constituency boundaries with new local government ward boundaries.
The two existing constituencies in the Borough of Solihull – Meriden and Solihull – both exceed the permitted electorate range. The BCE proposes to extend the Birmingham Hodge Hill constituency to take in the Solihull borough wards of Castle Bromwich and Smith’s Wood. And to also move the existing Solihull constituency wards Elmdon and Silhill into the Meriden constituency. It is also proposed that Blythe ward, which is currently in the Meriden constituency, will be moved to the Solihull constituency.
These proposals relate only to the Parliamentary constituency boundaries. There are no plans for any changes to be made to the Borough Council boundaries and this process has no implications for the services provided by Solihull Council.
People can visit www.bcereviews.org.uk to view maps showing the proposed new boundaries and provide feedback before the consultation closes on 2 August 2021. Comments can be made on anything from where the proposed new boundary lines are, to the names of the constituencies.
There will be a further two rounds of consultation in 2022. Following the conclusion of all three consultation periods, the Commission will look at all the evidence received before forming its final recommendations.