The 2023 Review of Parliamentary Constituency Boundaries in England – Volume one: Report – East Midlands
Leicestershire
Initial proposals
Of the ten existing constituencies in Leicestershire, only Leicester South was within the permitted electorate range, Leicester West fell below and the remaining eight constituencies – Bosworth; Charnwood; Harborough; Leicester East; Loughborough; North West Leicestershire; Rutland and Melton; and South Leicestershire – were all above. Under our initial proposals we proposed to modify all the existing constituencies in Leicestershire.
In formulating our initial proposals, we recognised that it was possible to allocate three whole constituencies to the City of Leicester, but that doing so provided little flexibility in formulating a pattern of constituencies in the remainder of the county. Therefore, as part of our initial proposals, we proposed a Leicester West and Glenfield constituency that included two District of Blaby wards of Ellis and Fairestone – the two wards encompassing the town of Glenfield. We also proposed that this constituency include the City of Leicester ward of Belgrave and that the Leicester East constituency be reconfigured to include the ward of Spinney Hills. We likewise reconfigured the Leicester South constituency to include the ward of Westcotes.
To the west of the City, we proposed a North West Leicestershire constituency that was broadly similar to the existing one, although it would no longer include the District of North West Leicestershire wards of Appleby, and Oakthorpe & Donisthorpe, with these wards included in a reconfigured Hinckley and Bosworth constituency. In the south of the county, we proposed a Harborough constituency that was coterminous with the District of Harborough, and a Blaby, Oadby and Wigston constituency, which included all of the Borough of Oadby and Wigston, and seven wards from the District of Blaby.
In the north of the county, we proposed a Loughborough constituency that was similar to the existing one, although it no longer included the Borough of Charnwood wards of Sileby and The Wolds. We proposed that these wards, along with six other wards from the Borough of Charnwood and all of the Borough of Melton be included in a Melton and Syston constituency. Finally in the county, we proposed a Mid Leicestershire constituency that included the remaining five wards of the Borough of Charnwood, three wards from the Borough of Hinckley and Bosworth, and nine wards from the District of Blaby, including the towns of Fosse, Enderby and Narborough.
In response to the consultation on our initial proposals, we received some support for these, specifically for the proposed constituencies of Hinckley and Bosworth, and North West Leicestershire, and the fact we had treated Leicestershire and the City of Leicester as a single sub-region. However, concerns were raised in opposition to this approach, specifically the configuration of a constituency that included the area of Glenfield in a constituency with the City of Leicester. We also received opposition to the proposed configuration of constituencies in the City of Leicester. These representations were primarily concerned that the removal of the Belgrave ward from the Leicester East constituency broke community ties. On similar grounds, we also received representations that objected to the inclusion of the Spinney Hills ward in the Leicester East constituency, with representations outlining that the ward had local ties with wards in the Leicester South constituency.
We received a number of counter proposals that sought to address the concerns raised in regards to the City of Leicester. Many of these counter proposals sought to propose three whole constituencies for the City of Leicester and proposed no constituency that crossed the city boundary. As previously set out earlier in the report, some of these counter proposals suggested a constituency that combined parts of the counties of Leicestershire and Lincolnshire, and all of Rutland.
In the east of the county, we received opposition to the proposed Melton and Syston constituency. Many of these representations were concerned that the Borough of Melton and Rutland County would no longer form a constituency. Respondents considered that these areas had shared community needs and challenges, with Melton and Syston having different community identities, i.e. rural and suburban. Furthermore, we received opposition to the inclusion of The Wolds ward in the Melton and Syston constituency. Respondents considered this ward had close ties with Loughborough.
We received some support for the proposed following constituencies: Blaby; Oadby and Wigston; Harborough; and Mid Leicestershire. Those in support of these constituencies considered that the coterminosity of the Harborough constituency with the local authority was positive and that the constituency of Blaby, Oadby and Wigston comprised principally suburban areas. However, we also received significant opposition to these three proposed constituencies. We received evidence suggesting that the transport links of these constituencies were incoherent, as under our initial proposals these constituencies were configured east–west, whereas representations considered that the major transport links were north–south. The representations also raised concerns that the initial proposals did not reflect community ties and were also a significant departure from the pattern of existing constituencies in this part of Leicestershire.
We noted that the Hinckley and Bosworth, and North West Leicestershire constituencies had both been largely supported, and therefore decided not to amend these constituencies when formulating our revised proposals. However, we considered that persuasive evidence had been received to reconsider the pattern of constituencies across the remainder of Leicestershire and the City of Leicester.
As noted above, we received different counter proposals, some which allocated three whole constituencies to the City of Leicester and some proposed crossing the City boundary. We noted the concerns raised regarding the inclusion of the Glenfield area in the Leicester West constituency, with alternatives to this proposing that two Borough of Oadby and Wigston wards (Oadby Grange and Oadby Uplands) be included in a reconfigured Leicester East constituency.
Our Assistant Commissioners investigated the alternatives and visited the area in order to better understand the issues. Having considered the evidence, they recommended to us that the City of Leicester should be allocated three whole constituencies. They proposed that Belgrave ward be retained in the Leicester East constituency, the ward of Spinney Hills in the Leicester South constituency and the ward of Westcotes in the Leicester West constituency. In order to bring the Leicester East and Leicester South constituencies within the permitted electorate range they proposed that the Evington ward be split between both constituencies, with the southernmost polling district (EVF) being included in the Leicester South constituency. We agreed with the recommendation of our Assistant Commissioners and included reconfigured constituencies of Leicester East, Leicester South and Leicester West in our revised proposals.
Our Assistant Commissioners then considered what changes needed to be made to other constituencies within Leicestershire. They considered that it was very challenging to formulate a pattern of constituencies in the remainder of the county that were within the electoral quota and reflected the statutory factors. Therefore, they investigated alternative patterns of constituencies that combined parts of Leicestershire with all of Rutland and parts of Lincolnshire. They considered this arrangement enabled a pattern of constituencies across the sub-region that better reflected the statutory factors.
The Assistant Commissioners investigated the representations received concerning the inclusion of Melton Mowbray and Rutland in the same constituency. They noted that no valid counter proposals were received that included both local authorities in the same constituency. They also investigated counter proposals that included Melton Mowbray with Market Harborough in a constituency, but were not persuaded that this configuration would be an improvement on the initial proposals. They therefore proposed only a minor change to the initially proposed Melton and Syston constituency. They proposed that The Wolds ward be included in the Loughborough constituency rather than Melton and Syston, as had been proposed by respondents. We accepted this proposal.
The Assistant Commissioners also proposed some small changes to the Mid Leicestershire constituency. They recommended that this constituency now include the wards covering the Glenfield area and the five District of Blaby wards of: Muxloe; Forest; Winstanley; Millfield; and Ravenshurst and Fosse. We noted that this configuration was closer to the existing constituency boundaries. We accepted the Assistant Commissioners’ recommendations and adopted modified constituencies of Loughborough, Melton and Syston, and Mid Leicestershire, as part of our revised proposals.
In the south of the county the Assistant Commissioners recommended changes to the initial proposals that were more significant, though more in keeping with the existing pattern of constituencies. They proposed a revised South Leicestershire constituency which had been expanded to now include the wards of Fleckney and Bosworth following changes to local government boundaries in the area. Rather than a coterminous Harborough constituency, they recommended a Harborough constituency that included all of the Borough of Oadby and Wigston and seven wards of the Borough of Harborough, including those covering the town of Market Harborough. We noted that this configuration was very close to the existing Harborough constituency. We accepted the recommendations of our Assistant Commissioners and adopted these constituencies as part of our revised proposals. Finally, they recommended that the remaining three wards of the Borough of Harborough – Billesdon & Tilton, Nevill, and Thurnby & Houghton – be included in a cross-county boundary constituency with all of Rutland County and parts of Lincolnshire County, details of which are set out in the Lincolnshire and Rutland section below.
Therefore, our revised proposals for Leicestershire were for constituencies of: Harborough; Hinckley and Bosworth; Leicester East; Leicester South; Leicester West; Loughborough; Melton and Syston; Mid Leicestershire; North West Leicestershire; and South Leicestershire.
In response to the consultation on our revised proposals, we received some support for our revised pattern, including the modifications made to the sub-region which allowed the City of Leicester to be allocated three whole constituencies while minimising disruption to the rest of the county.
We received some opposition to the proposed Harborough constituency, with respondents stating that the areas of Oadby and Wigston had different characteristics to Market Harborough, and instead saying that we should revert to the initial proposals. Some respondents also proposed the constituency should be named Harborough, Oadby and Wigston to reflect that it combined parts of two local authorities. We also received a counter proposal which proposed that the Harborough constituency should include the Bosworth and Fleckney wards, and thus outlined consequential changes to the South Leicestershire constituency. The proponents of this counter proposal considered that it would better reflect community ties. However, we also received support for our proposed Harborough and South Leicestershire constituencies, particularly regarding the fact that they better reflected the existing constituency boundaries.
In Leicester we again received support for our proposed constituencies of Leicester East, Leicester South and Leicester West. Respondents were particularly supportive of Belgrave ward being included in the Leicester East constituency. We received limited opposition to the splitting of the Evington ward between constituencies; those that commented on the split considered that the whole ward should be included in a single constituency. We received limited opposition to the proposed Leicester West constituency; those that commented considered that the Aylestone ward should be retained in a Leicester South constituency as it had community ties with the wards of Eyres Monsell and Saffron.
As we did during the initial proposals consultation, we received support for our proposed Hinckley and Bosworth, and North West Leicestershire constituencies. Those in opposition to this pattern commented that the Oakthorpe & Donisthorpe ward should be included in the North West Leicestershire constituency, although they did not submit any new counter proposals.
We mainly received support for our proposed constituencies of Loughborough, Melton and Syston, and Mid Leicestershire. Those in opposition largely commented again on the inclusion of Melton Mowbray and Syston in the same constituency. We did receive some counter proposals for all three constituencies. One of these counter proposals was identical to that received in earlier consultations, which was to include the Sileby ward in the Loughborough constituency, Quorn and Mountsorrel Castle within the Mid Leicestershire constituency, and the two Birstall wards in the Melton and Syston constituency. An alternative counter proposal was received, which sought to split the Barrow and Sileby West ward to include the AK polling district in the Melton and Syston constituency in order to realign the constituency boundary with the new Borough of Charnwood ward boundaries. We also received some representations commenting on the name of the proposed Mid Leicestershire constituency, with an alternative suggestion of Charnwood in order to better reflect the local authority covered by some of the constituency.
We have considered the evidence received and are not making changes to the boundaries of our proposed constituencies in Leicestershire. We recognise the opposition received regarding Melton Mowbray and Rutland not being in the same constituency, but consider that the counter proposals resulted in significant changes to other constituencies that had largely been supported.
Similarly, we note the concerns regarding the division of Sileby between constituencies and we did investigate alternative proposals. We considered that the counter proposal to reconfigure Loughborough, Melton and Syston, and Mid Leicestershire constituencies, while better reflecting community ties in Sileby, would likely break community ties between the Quorn and Mountsorrel Castle ward and Loughborough. We also had concerns that this configuration would further extend the Melton and Syston constituency eastwards and require the crossing of the River Soar in the Thurmaston area, which we considered provided for an identifiable boundary. We also considered the alternative proposal to split the Barrow and Sileby West ward in order to reflect the new ward boundaries made by Order during the course of the review, with the intention to also reflect the parish council boundary. We were not persuaded to split this ward, as doing so provided no wider benefits to the pattern of constituencies in the area.
We note that some respondents have encouraged us to revert to our initial proposals for the constituencies of Blaby, Oadby and Wigston, and Harborough, although we note that our revised pattern of constituencies for Harborough and South Leicestershire has also been supported during the consultation. However, we do propose modifying the name of the Harborough constituency. We are renaming the constituency Harborough, Oadby and Wigston to reflect the constituency including all of the latter local authority.
We are not minded to modify our revised proposals within the City of Leicester, as we consider that this pattern has been broadly supported and alternative proposals are likely to break community ties.
Our final recommendations for Leicestershire are therefore for constituencies of: Harborough, Oadby and Wigston; Hinckley and Bosworth; Leicester East; Leicester South; Leicester West; Loughborough; Melton and Syston; Mid Leicestershire; North West Leicestershire; and South Leicestershire. The areas covered by these constituencies are listed in Volume two and shown on the maps in Volume three of this report.
