Technical Notes 2023, Issue 110 - Outcome of the UK Parliamentary Constituencies  Boundary Reviews

1. The purpose of this Technical Note is to update Members regarding the publication of the Final reports by the four Boundary Commissions across the UK, which were laid before Parliament by the Speaker earlier today, 28 June 2023.
    
2. The final recommendations put forward for Scotland set out 55 constituencies and 2 Island constituencies, both of which were outwith the scope of the review. 
    
3. The impact for the East Dunbartonshire area sees the electorate contributing to 2 UK Parliamentary Constituencies - Cumbernauld & Kirkintilloch Constituency and Mid Dunbartonshire Constituency
    
4. Cumbernauld & Kirkintilloch comprises

• North Lanarkshire Council area wards 1–5;
• part of East Dunbartonshire Council area ward 6 (Lenzie and Kirkintilloch South), where the boundary follows a railway line and the A806 road; and
• part of ward 7 (Kirkintilloch East and North and Twechar) where the boundary follows the Luggie Water.

5. Mid Dunbartonshire Constituency comprises

• East Dunbartonshire Council area: wards 1–5;
• part of ward 6 (Lenzie and Kirkintilloch South) where the boundary follows a railway line and the A806 road; and
• part of ward 7 (Kirkintilloch East and North and Twechar) where the boundary follows the Luggie Water

6. Maps are appended to this Technical Note and full details are available on the Boundary Commission for Scotland website [opens in a new window].
    
7. The Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities (DLUHC) has also provided information in relation to the key actions to implement the recommendations of the Boundary Report and these are set out below: -           

• BOUNDARY ORDER - The UK Government will prepare a draft Order in Council ("Boundary Order") to implement the recommendations in the reports across the UK.  This Order describes the boundaries of each of the new constituencies in detail.  The legislation requires the DLUHC to submit the Boundary Order to a Privy Council meeting as soon as reasonably practicable, and in any event within four months of all four of the reports being laid before Parliament.  The Order will then be made at a Privy Council meeting by the King.  The DLUHC intends to submit the Order towards the end of the four-month window, at an October Privy Council meeting (the exact date in October has not yet been confirmed).
   
• RETURNING OFFICERS DESIGNATION ORDERS – the DLUHC will also prepare separately Orders to designate the Returning Officers and Acting Returning Officers for the new constituencies across England and Wales and Returning Officers in Scotland.
   
• REVIEW OF POLLING DISTRICTS AND PLACES - Local authorities will need to carry out a review of polling districts and places in their area.  These reviews enable polling districts to be updated following a boundary review.  The reviews also assess the accessibility of existing polling places at elections and may designate new locations as polling places which are deemed to be accessible to electors who are disabled.

Local authorities are required to carry out a review in the period from 1 October 2023 to 31 January 2025.  Local Authorities will be able to prepare for the review prior to 1 October 2023 and complete the review in the required period.

Members should note that this review will also be impacted by the changes introduced as a result of the Elections Act 2022, which introduced updated accessibility requirements and also voter id for UK parliamentary elections.

• COMING INTO EFFECT OF NEW BOUNDARIES - Once the Boundary Order has been made (October 2023 – exact date to be confirmed), the new boundaries will then take effect at the next general election called after the Order is made.  In the event that a general election is called prior to the date on which the Order is made then it would continue with the current boundaries.  Any UK parliamentary by-elections will continue to use the existing boundaries until the next general election.  Returning Officers will therefore need to make plans to run elections using both sets of boundaries.