Shakeup for Brighton and Lewes constituencies announced (From The Argus)

Shakeup for Brighton and Lewes constituencies announced

12:43pm Tuesday 16th October 2012 in News

New proposals for constituency boundaries in Brighton and Hove have been published today which could radically change the city’s political landscape.

The Boundary Commission originally proposed wholesale changes to the Brighton Pavilion, Brighton Kemptown and Hove constituencies which split the city north and south, with Lewes joining the east of the city.

But after consultation, it is now proposing:

• Adding Regency ward (currently a Green stronghold in Brighton Pavilion) to the existing Hove constituency
• Adding Moulsecoomb and Bevendean wards (currently Labour areas in Brighton Kemptown) to Brighton Pavilion
• Creating a Brighton East and Seahaven ward by extending Brighton Kemptown to incorporate most of the Newhaven and Seaford wards from the Liberal Democrat Lewes constituency.

More details of the changes can be found in its report here.

Of the first two constituencies, the Boundary Commission says: “[Our proposed Hove and Brighton Pavilion constituencies] are contained entirely within the unitary authority boundary, and better reflect the separate identity of Hove and the boundaries of the existing constituencies than do the initial proposals.”

It adds: “[Brighton East and Seahaven] recognises the links that exist between Brighton and the towns along the coast to the east .

"It further recognises that this area is separated from the rest of East Sussex by the hills of the South Downs. We believe an extension from Brighton in this direction is preferable to the extension into Lewes proposed by the commission, and we accept the force of the many responses received by the commission objecting to its proposed Lewes and Brighton East constituency.”

The plans will now go out for a further eight-week consultation starting today and closing on December 10, 2012. You can have your say by emailing southeast@bcommengland.x.gsi.gov.uk.

Once the consultation is over, the commission will make its final recommendations to the Government, which it must do by October 2013. 

However, it is uncertain whether the changes will ever be made, as in August Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg said he would block the changes when the Liberal Democrat's reform plans for the House of Lords were blocked by David Cameron.

What do you think? Have your say in the comments below.