Local representatives have welcomed the next step of the Boundary Commission’s Parliamentary Constituency Boundary Review, as proposals to split up historically linked china clay communities have been scrapped.
In their recently released report, the Boundary Commission notes,
“In their response to the secondary consultation (BCE-97624), the Conservative Party supported the inclusion of the Roche & Bugle ward in St Austell and Newquay, but proposed instead that the St Columb Major, St Mawgan & St Wenn ward be included in the North Cornwall constituency. This was in response to the representation by Cornwall Council, in a detailed rationale from James Mustoe, and by Steve Double, MP for St Austell and Newquay…
…The Assistant Commissioners accepted that the China Clay area should be wholly contained within one constituency and recommended the inclusion of the Roche & Bugle ward in the St Austell and Newquay constituency, which they considered was best accommodated by including the St Columb Major, St Mawgan & St Wenn ward in the North Cornwall constituency.”
Commenting, Steve Double, Member of Parliament for St Austell and Newquay said:
“I am pleased to have supported the sensible suggestions made by Cornwall Council and local people to keep the historic clay area community within one constituency, while also welcoming that the Boundary Commission have taken onboard the sensible suggestion on how this could be accomplished, by moving St Columb Major Division into the North Cornwall constituency, where it had been placed historically.”
“This makes sense for joined up governance and keeps the historic clay communities together, which in turn will give them a greater voice locally and in Westminster.”
At the same time the Boundary Commission has also refused to endorse proposals from the Labour Party and Liberal Democrats that would have seen Fowey and Par put in the South East Cornwall Parliamentary Constituency and be separated from St Blazey.
In their report the Boundary Commission said:
“… Our Assistant Commissioners considered that there is a strong association between this ward and the neighbouring St Blazey ward, both of which are included in the existing St Austell and Newquay constituency, as well as there being significantly weaker links to South East Cornwall, including a lack of a river crossing from this ward across the Fowey estuary… They considered that a persuasive case had not been made for the inclusion of the Fowey, Tywardreath & Par ward in the South East Cornwall constituency.”
Commenting, Chairman of the Conservative Party for St Austell and Newquay Cllr James Mustoe said:
“I was pleased to attend the Boundary Commission public hearing and speak up both in favour of keeping the clay communities whole but also against the ridiculous Lib Dem/Labour proposals which would have seen Par and St Blazey split up.”
“It is clear from their completely bonkers proposals that the Labour and Lib Dems clearly have no local knowledge or understanding of how closely linked these communities have been in the past and continue to be to this day. I am glad the Boundary Commission agreed and threw them out!”
The proposals now go on for a further round of consultation before being finalised next year.