New Boundary Commission plans see Flint and Bagillt added to Alyn & Deeside Parliamentary constituency
Fresh plans for Westminster constituency boundaries have been revealed today which could see significant changes with Flint and Bagillt wards now added the Alyn and Deeside seat.
Initial plans were first revealed last year, they showed the number of Welsh seats in the House of Commons will still be cut from 40 to 32.
Following an eight-week consultation, the Boundary Commission for Wales has now published revised proposals for the new map of Parliamentary constituencies which will come into force at the next ordinary general election.
Alyn and Deeside
Original proposals included the addition of two Wrexham wards, Brymbo and Minera – forming part of the existing Clwyd South constituency – and the Argoed, Leeswood and New Brighton electoral wards from the current Delyn constituency added to Alyn and Deeside.
However plans published today show Brymbo and Minera placed back in a proposed Wrexham constituency.
They also show that the current Delyn wards of Flint and Bagillt [Bagillt East, Bagillt West, Flint Castle, Flint Coleshill, Flint Oakenholt and Flint Trelawny wards] moved to Alyn and Deeside, a seat currently held by Labour MP Mark Tami.
The Commission said it received a number of representations, including from the MPs for Wrexham and Clwyd South, that stated that “the electoral wards of Brymbo and Minera share local ties and community links with Wrexham, rather than with Alyn and Deeside.”
“These representations argued that these wards should not be included in this proposed constituency and should remain within a Wrexham constituency.” The Commission said.
A number of those responding to the original consultation also stated that the areas of Bagillt and Flint should be returned to a proposed Alyn and Deeside constituency, stating that these areas had more in common with the Alyn and Deeside constituency than they do with the areas included in Delyn.
“A significant number of the representations received argued that the make-up of the proposed constituencies in North Wales should be designed with consideration for the different cultures of areas, such as urban, industrial, rural and coastal.” The Commission said.
There was also a consensus amongst the political parties that the electoral wards of Brymbo and Minera should be returned to a proposed Wrexham constituency.
The Boundary Commission said: “Having considered the representations, including the Assistant Commissioners recommendations, the Commission agrees with the representations that stated that the Brymbo and Minera electoral wards should be included in a Wrexham constituency and the representations that stated that the areas of Bagillt and Flint share more local ties with the wards included in Alyn and Deeside.”
Delyn
The Delyn constituency, a seat which is held by Independent MP Rob Roberts and currently contained within Flintshire would see eight Vale of Clwyd wards and three Clwyd West wards included.
Those changes will see the likes of Holywell and Northop join Llangollen in a new constituency named Clwyd East.
The Denbighshire wards – which are currently in the Vale of Clwyd included in the Clwyd East constituency under the proposals – are Dyserth, Llandyrnog, Prestatyn Central, Prestatyn East, Prestatyn Meliden, Prestatyn North, Prestatyn South West and Tremeirchion.
The electoral wards within Denbighshire currently forming part of the existing Clwyd West seat – Llanarmon-yn-Ial/Llandegla, Llanbedr Dyffryn Clwyd/Llangynhafal and Ruthin would also be added to the Clwyd East seat.
As would the electoral wards of Llangollen and Llangollen Rural.
Argoed, Leeswood and New Brighton along with Bagillt and Flint as mentioned above will move to Alyn and Deeside under the plans.
Have your say
The newly published proposals were created following two separate consultations and 5 Public Hearings since the Commission’s Initial Proposals were published.
Commenting on the publication of the revised proposals, secretary to the Boundary Commission for Wales, Shereen Williams MBE OStJ said, “I’m delighted to be publishing these proposals today.
“When the Commission published the Initial Proposals in September 2021, we asked for the public’s help in strengthening the new map of Welsh constituencies.
“Thanks to the record number of responses we’ve received, we have made changes, in some cases significant changes, to those initial proposals.
“There is now one more opportunity to affect the new map of Welsh constituencies, during our final 4-week consultation period.
“I would urge everyone, regardless of your views on the proposals, to let the Commission know.”
The Commission is now inviting comments on its proposals as it launches its final 4-week consultation period.
The consultation period opened today, 19 October 2022 and closes on 15 November 2022.
Members of the public are encouraged to send in their views, whether they support or oppose the proposals.
Following the consultation period, the Commission will assess the representations received and submit its Final Recommendations to Parliament in July 2023.
The Final Recommendations will come into effect automatically at the next scheduled General Election.
- People can also take part in the consultation by emailing bcw@boundaries.wales or writing to The Commission in the post at Boundary Commission for Wales, Hastings House, Cardiff, CF24 0BL.
- The proposals in full, and the consultation portal, can be accessed at www.bcw-reviews.org.uk
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