Summary
Who we are and what we do – ‘The 2023 Review’ 1
1 Further details about the BCE and 2023 Review are published on our website: https://boundarycommissionforengland.independent.gov.uk/
The Boundary Commission for England (BCE) is an independent and impartial non-departmental public body, which is responsible for periodically reviewing Parliamentary constituency boundaries in England.
We are currently conducting a review on the basis of legal rules most recently updated by Parliament in 2020, which will conclude with a final report and recommendations from us by 1 July 2023. The rules require there to still be 650 constituencies across the UK, but more equally distributed across the four parts of the UK, which will see the number of constituencies in England increase to 543. Each (apart from five ‘protected’ constituencies) must also contain a number of electors that is no smaller than 69,724 and no larger than 77,062 (as at the fixed date of 2 March 2020).
We published our initial proposals for the new Parliamentary constituency boundaries in England on 8 June 2021 and there have been two rounds of statutory consultation relating to those to which we received over 45,000 responses. We have considered all of the comments received and taken them into account in developing our revised proposals, which we are now publishing for final consultation. For each region, a full report sets out a summary of the responses received to previous consultation on our initial proposals, our analysis of those, and the conclusions we have reached as to how the proposals should be revised as a result. The Appendix to each report contains details of the composition of each constituency we are now proposing, and maps to illustrate these can be viewed on our website or in hard copy at a local place of deposit.2
Back to topWhat are the revised proposals for the Eastern region?
We have revised the composition of 28 of the 61 constituencies we proposed in June 2021, and maintained our initial proposals for the remainder. We have revised the name of nine of our initially proposed constituencies. Our revised proposals would leave three of the 58 existing constituencies in the Eastern region wholly unchanged, and 15 unchanged except to realign constituency boundaries with local government ward boundaries.3
As is not always possible to allocate whole numbers of constituencies to individual counties or unitary authorities, we sometimes group these into sub-regions, meaning some constituencies cross county or unitary authority boundaries. After consideration of the responses to the sub-regions in our initial proposals, our revised proposals are based on amended sub-regions, as follows: Bedfordshire4 and Hertfordshire (allocated 18 constituencies); Cambridgeshire5 (allocated eight constituencies); Essex6 (allocated 18 constituencies); and Norfolk and Suffolk (allocated 17 constituencies). 34 constituencies would cross local authority boundaries (one fewer than in our initial proposals).
We propose no revisions to the 18 constituencies initially proposed in the Bedfordshire and Hertfordshire sub-region, apart from one name change. We also propose no changes to any of the eight initially proposed constituencies in Cambridgeshire, apart from one name change.
In the initial proposals, we decided to group Essex with Suffolk as a sub-region, and to treat Norfolk on its own. In light of the evidence presented, we now propose that Essex be treated as a stand-alone sub-region, and that Norfolk and Suffolk be included in a sub-region together. We propose a Waveney Valley cross-county boundary constituency, including wards from the South Norfolk, East Suffolk and Mid Suffolk local authorities.
We propose changes to the composition of 28 of the initially proposed constituencies in Essex, Norfolk and Suffolk, seven of which also include name changes. We also propose two split wards: the Pitsea South East ward of the Basildon local authority would be divided between the Castle Point, and South Basildon and East Thurrock constituencies; and the Lexden & Braiswick ward of the Colchester local authority divided between the Colchester, and Harwich and North Essex constituencies.
Back to topHow to have your say
We are consulting on our revised proposals for a four-week period, from 8 November 2022 to 5 December 2022. We encourage everyone to use this final opportunity to contribute to the design of the new constituencies – the more views we hear, the more informed our decisions will be when we make our final recommendations and report to Parliament. Our consultation portal at www.bcereviews.org.uk has more information about our revised proposals and how to give us your views. You can also follow us on Twitter @BCEReviews or at facebook.com/BCEReviews.
Back to top2 A list of places of deposit is published on our website (as above).
3 Where the Order to make such wards was made by 1 December 2020.
4 Comprising the three unitary authorities of Bedford, Central Bedfordshire, and Luton, hereafter together referred to as Bedfordshire.
5 Comprising the county of Cambridgeshire and the unitary authority of Peterborough, hereafter together referred to as Cambridgeshire
6 Comprising the county of Essex, and the unitary authorities of Southend-on-Sea and Thurrock, hereafter together referred to as Essex.