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Revised proposals for new Parliamentary constituency boundaries in the South East region

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Glossary

Assistant CommissionerIndependent person appointed at the request of the BCE to assist it with the discharge of its functions.
Borough constituency (abbreviated to BC)The designation for a Parliamentary constituency containing a predominantly urban area.
County constituency (abbreviated to CC)The designation for a Parliamentary constituency containing more than a small rural element.
DesignationOfficial classification as either a borough constituency or a county constituency. The designation of a constituency guides the determination of who the returning officer will be, and determines how much candidates can spend, in any election for that constituency.
ElectorateThe number of registered Parliamentary electors in a given area.
(Statutory/Permitted) Electorate rangeThe statutory rule that requires the electorate of every recommended constituency to be – for the 2023 Review – between 69,724 and 77,062.
Final recommendationsThe recommendations submitted in a formal final report to Parliament at the end of a review. They may – or may not – have been revised since the initial proposals in any given area.
Initial proposalsFirst formal proposals published by the BCE during the review for public consultation.
Periodical reportReport to Parliament following a general review of Parliamentary constituencies.
Places of depositIn each constituency the Commission will make available hard copies of its revised proposals (including report and maps). The places of deposit where the public may inspect the proposals are usually the offices of the relevant local authority, although other public places such as libraries may be used. The Commission will publish a full list of places of deposit on its website.
Public hearingFormal opportunity during the secondary consultation period for people to make oral representations, chaired by an Assistant Commissioner.
RepresentationsThe views provided by an individual, group or organisation to the BCE on its initial or revised proposals (or on the representations of others), either for or against, including counter-proposals and petitions.
Review dateThe ‘effective date’ at which electorate and local government boundary data is fixed so that we can then work with it on a stable basis. Defined by the 2020 Act for the 2023 Review as 2 March 2020 for the electorate numbers, and 1 December 2020 for local government boundaries.
Revised proposalsThe initial proposals as subsequently revised.
RulesThe statutory criteria for Parliamentary constituencies recommended by a Parliamentary Boundary Commission, as set out in Schedule 2 to the Parliamentary Constituencies Act 1986 (as amended by Acts up to and including the 2020 Act).
UK electoral quotaThe average number of electors in a constituency, found by dividing the total electorate of the UK (less that of the five specific ‘protected’ constituencies in the UK) by 645.
Unitary authorityAn area where there is only one tier of ‘principal area’ local council (above any parish or town council). Contrasted with those ‘shire district’ areas that have two tiers (i.e. both a non-metropolitan county council and a district/borough/city council).

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