General Election: Harlow constituency set to double in size
News / Thu 29th Jun 2023 at 07:51am
THE final recommendations for changes to England’s UK parliamentary constituencies have been published today (June 28). The Boundary Commission regularly reviews how parliamentary constituencies are formed in England, including whether any changes should be made.
The new recommendations have been published after the report was submitted to the Speaker of the House of Commons on Tuesday (June 27). The report is set to be laid before parliament and reviewed over the coming months.
The Boundary Commission has now fulfilled its statutory responsibilities, and the submission of the report and its publication ends the commission’s involvement in the 2023 Boundary Review.
Secretary to the Commission, Tim Bowden, said: ‘The recommendations we have published today mark the end of a thorough and consultative process to build the new map of parliamentary constituencies. We have taken into account over 60,000 public comments, travelled the country, and heard many passionate views about how best to reflect local community ties in our recommendations.
“We are confident that our final recommendations are the best reflection of the statutory rules Parliament has set us. We are incredibly grateful to everyone who has participated in the 2023 Boundary Review.” The government now has four months to bring forward an order to give effect to the final recommendations.
Harlow has been given one of the biggest recommended changes by the Boundary Commission in Essex, which could see it nearly double in size. The commission has recommended the Harlow constituency expand into the Saffron Walden territory, adopting villages of Hatfield Broad Oak, Little Hallingbury, White Roding and Great Canfield.
The number of electors will rise from 68,244 to 73,479. An increase of 5,057.
David Forman
2023-06-29 08:28:05
More Conservative leaning voters in the villages, so Robert Halfon must be pleased. However, when many of them see their mortgages go through the roof next year they will vote Liberal or Green
James Leppard
2023-06-29 08:36:12
This is not about voting preference but about electoral equality, ensuring that constituencies are broadly equal in terms of electorate numbers. It reflects demographic changes. What would be interesting given the very confined borders of Harlow (compared with most other comparable New Towns) would be to make the District Council area that of the Parliamentary constituency, providing more land for housing and new businesses. It would address the anomalies of the HGGT, ensuring that new affordable housing and council tax comes to Harlow.
James Leppard
2023-06-29 09:02:59
The headline to this article is misleading and factually incorrect. The map shows the boundaries of Harlow District in black, but this is not the current constituency boundary which already includes villages such as Sheering, Lower Sheering, Royston and Nazeing, etc. It would have been more informative if the present constituency boundaries were shown together with the changes. To state that the constituency will double in size is completely wrong. YH should correct this.
Kim Oconnor
2023-06-29 09:44:26
James Leppard,, HGGT, are on our boarders, of course this doesn't benift Harlow, because as you so often say, there not in Harlow. So council will not come to Harlow.
Kim Oconnor
2023-06-29 09:45:23
Council tax will not benefit Harlow.
Nicholas Taylor
2023-06-29 10:11:07
This really sounds like the Tories trying to retain this seat. Tinkering with the election boundaries to even up electorate numbers only creates more problems that any it might solve. It should be noted that within a decade the electoral numbers within the present boundary will increase by at least 10,000 so will changes need to be done yet again? The interests of those of us living in Harlow compared with for say Hatfield Heath and the Hallingburys are very different and the MP has to deal with four Local Authorities (Harlow, Epping Forest, East Herts and Uttlesford, who have differing policies and practices. Just one small example, each are different when it comes to refuse collection, different bins and what can be put in each. This example my sound trivial but dealing for instance as to who can go on a council housing waiting list are far more reaching. HAP's position is quite clear, Harlow's boundary should be extended to cover the whole of the HGGT boundary which as things stand will have well over 100,000 voters by the time three elections come around.
James Leppard
2023-06-29 10:30:53
Nicholas Taylor the Boundary reform is undertaken nationwide by the independent Boundary Commission. It is nothing to do with Robert Halfon MP. Many constituencies and councils cover urban and rural areas. This nothing new. Already Harlow constituency covers a number of villages outside Harlow District. The changes are based on nothing more than demographics. There is no other reason. As for the comments of Kim O'Connor, if she had actually read my comments she would see that I was in fact advocating and expansion of Harlow's current District boundaries so that we would receive Council Tax on new developments and be able to designate and allocate affordable housing.
Seamus
2023-06-29 13:05:53
It looks like development creep. I can't see how having a 50% increase in area will help residents who want to attend their mp's surgery. Nor can I see how increasing the mp's workload by 50% mean he can give quality time to his constituents. I checked his calender meetings and no constituency meetings as far as October, I stopped looking after that. What good is a "Local MP" if there is hardly any time for locals?
Bruce Downey
2023-06-29 21:43:44
Gonna be very interesting the year 2025, local and national elections..🙄
Bruce Downey
2023-06-29 21:54:06
Correction, 2024.🤔
James Leppard
2023-06-30 13:12:31
Nicholas Taylor might like to consider the new constituency of Halstead & Haverhill which crosses the Essex and Suffolk county boundaries. That Harlow constituency already includes a number of villages, adding fee more is of little consequence.
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