This is your final chance to have a say on boundary changes in Cumbria.
The Boundary Commission for England has been looking at parliamentary constituencies across the country and proposed that Cumbria’s make-up changes.
Currently, the constituencies are Barrow and Furness, Carlisle, Copeland, Penrith and the Border, Westmorland and Lonsdale and Workington.
Under the new plans, the county would lose an MP as the constituencies drop to five – Barrow & Furness, Carlisle, Penrith & Solway, Westmorland & Lonsdale and Whitehaven & Workington.
Only the Carlisle constituency has not been redrawn by the commission in the latest proposal – although its boundary will change.
The review, which was requested by Parliament, will rebalance the number of electors each MP represents, the commission said, resulting in significant change to the existing constituency map. Overall, the number of constituencies in England will increase from 533 to 543.
A public consultation was held last year and as a result of feedback from that, the Boundary Commission has redrawn some of the areas that would become the new constituencies.
From today until December 5, people can tell the commission what they think.
After the consultation closes, the commission will analyse responses and form its final recommendations. These will be submitted to Parliament by July 1 2023.
The Commission is undertaking an independent review of all constituencies in England as requested by Parliament. The number of electors within each constituency currently varies widely due to population changes since the last boundary review.
Tim Bowden, Secretary to the Boundary Commission for England, said: “Today’s publication is the culmination of months of analysis and we have revised nearly half of our initial proposals based on what people have told us. We now believe we are close to the best map of constituencies that can be achieved under the rules we are working to.”
People can comment on the proposals at https://www.bcereviews.org.uk/.
