New Brighton and Hove constituency boundaries '˜outrageous'

The number of MPs in the UK is set to be reduced from 650 to 600 and the Boundary Commission for England (BCE) held a 12-week consultation last autumn on its initial draft proposals. Brighton Kemptown is set to become ‘Brighton East and Newhaven’, gaining Newhaven and Seaford, but losing Falmer, Moulscoomb, Bevendean, Woodingdean, all to Brighton North. This would be the new name for Brighton Pavilion, which in turn would lose Brighton City Centre but gain Hove Park and the surrounding area. Hove would be renamed Brighton Central and Hove. As a second round of consultation opens today (Tuesday February 28), initial comments from the first round have been published. One resident wrote: “I have lived in Hove for 66 years and have always been proud to inform people that I am from Hove as it’s a wonderful town with a lot of history in its own right. “I am absolutely enraged that Hove will become extinct and my area will be named Brighton North.” Another respondent said: “The new boundaries for Brighton and Hove seem very poor. They do not respect Hove as having a separate identify and instead lump a large part of central Brighton in with them.” One resident called it ‘undemocratic and the very definition of gerrymandering’, while another respondent labelled the proposals ‘devious, misguided, unhelpful’. Plans to include a constituency stretching from central Brighton all the way to the Newhaven and beyond were labelled ‘culturally illogical’. Another respondent added: “This is a blatant political goalpost moving to shore up Tory rule. Outrageous” A Hove resident added: “To amalgamate parts of Hove with areas in Brighton such as the North Laines is to show a total disregard for the organic, cultural and geographical nature of such areas. “Furthermore, to remove Hove Park - our local, well-loved green space in the centre of residential Hove - and place it together with other Brighton districts (including Preston Park) is a nonsense.” Tom Druitt, Green councillor for the Regency ward, described the initial proposals as a ‘random mess’, adding: “Without wanting to be disrespectful the plans are completely inappropriate because they fail to recognise the existing communities within the city.” Rob Shepherd, on behalf of Hands off Hove, said: ”Absorbing Hove into Brighton and giving its name second billing will for many Hoveites be the final nail in the coffin, sealing the fate of Hove to become little more than West Brighton. “This gravely injures the Hove community and threatens the social fabric of the whole city.” Meanwhile Andrea Finch, who started a petition ‘Don’t Break up the Deans’, which gained more than 300 signatures, said: “I live in Woodingdean, currently in Brighton Kemptown. It feels wrong that the proposed new boundary cuts us off from our neighbours in Rottingdean, Ovingdean, and Saltdean.” Lee Wares, chairman of the Federation of Brighton Pavilion and Hove & Portslade Conservative Associations, presented a counter-proposal, including Patcham, Withdean and Hove Park in a new Hove and Brighton North constituency. Brighton Pavilion would gain the Central Hove ward, Brunswick and Adelaide, Woodingdean, Bevendean and Moulsecoomb. Lloyd Russell-Moyle, Labour councillor for East Brighton and responding as acting chair of the Labour Party covering the three constituencies, explained the changes to Hove and Brighton Central and Brighton North were ‘broadly supported locally and make sense’. But he proposed to include Lewes within the Brighton East constituency and pair both Seaford and Polegate with Uckfield. He explained: “Creating a constituency which wraps around the East of Brighton and up to Ouse Valley works numbers wise but also creates a cohesive constituency. Sam Hartley, Secretary to the Boundary Commission for England, said: “Public input is invaluable throughout the 2018 Boundary Review. Comments made during both consultations will help us develop a well-rounded picture of how local communities live and work together across the country. This local knowledge will be essential when we revise our proposals. Any changes will be based on your comments so it’s important to have your say.” Following the second consultation, the BCE’s assistant commissioners will look through all comments received during both consultations, considering all the evidence submitted. They will then advise the Commission on where they think the proposals should be revised. Revised proposals will be published as part of a final consultation in late 2017/early 2018 and any further changes made based on comments received. BCE must report to Parliament with its final recommendation in September 2018. If agreed by Parliament, the new constituencies will be in use at the next scheduled General Election in 2020.