Boundary Changes – South West Holderness Consultation update
| March 8, 2012 | Filled under Consultation, Debate, Holderness, Hull, Politics, South West Holderness |
Proposed East Hull Constituency including SW Holderness
THE CONSULTATION on the Boundary Changes – which could see South West Holderness Ward (SWH) moved into the Hull East constituency for General Election voting – has reached its next stage.
The transcriptions from those that attended the Public Hearings on the boundary change proposals have been published. The opinions of those taking part in the Hull City Hall hearings, have revealed a general political split between Conservative and Labour participants over whether the interests of residents of South West Holderness Ward (SWH) would be better served by being part of East Hull constituency or not.
Summary of comments made at the Public Hearings at Hull City Hall (24th/25th Oct 2011):
Mr Hulland from Hull spoke at the hearing on the first day and generally agreed with the proposals regarding SWH being included in Hull East, but said that the major town in the Ward should be recognised in the constituency name: Kingston Upon Hull East and Hedon.
Andrew Percy MP (Conservative) commented that Hedon in particular is a very distinct rural community. Hedon and the little villages in SWH have very few ties with East Hull.
Mr McCobb (Lib Dem Councillor) from Hull said that Hedon, Preston and Paull were separate towns and villages, rural in character and share very little in common with urban East Hull. They look to Beverley administratively and to the rest of Holderness. You do not get the splitting of streets between Hull’s eastern boundary and the East Riding like you do in the west.
George McManus (Beverley and Holderness Labour Party) said that incorporating SWH into Hull East is a good idea. Many people living in SWH (Hedon, Preston and Thorngumbald) grew up and worked in East Hull. There are social links between SWH and East Hull. The big East Hull employers draw their workers from SWH.
Gordon Thurston (Hedon Town Councillor but speaking as member of the public) had gone to hear what was said and get more information. He said it was important that the Government and Boundary Commission take into account that it’s about people and a sense of place.
John Dennis (Conservative Councillor) objected strongly to purely rural Ward SWH being included within the entirely urban constituency of East Hull. One-seventh of the population in the proposed new East Hull constituency would live in SWH which would account for more than two-thirds of the overall land area. This in all likelihood would lead to rural residents being under-represented by any MP.
Beverley is the county town located in the middle of the current constituency and many use Beverley for shopping and entertainment rather than Hull.
Karl Turner MP (Labour) explained he was speaking on his own behalf rather than for his party. On this issue he said that SWH is in fact a natural extension of Hull East. He accepted the Commission proposals which would mean SWH moving into the East Hull villages.
Graham Stuart MP (Conservative) raised the risks of under-representation for rural residents. He said the predominantly rural interests of 11,000 residents in SWH will in all likelihood be swallowed up by the priorities of more than 60,000 urban residents of Hull.
The above is only a summary of the issues raised during the transcripts. The full transcript documents from Day 1 and Day 2 of the Public Hearings held in Hull are available by following the links at the Boundary Commission for England (BCE) consultation website. HU12 Online has also made them available below as PDF files:
You can make comments on these and other transcribed responses. You have until midday Tuesday 3rd April 2012 to send your comments to the BCE.
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[...] ONLINE has reviewed the transcripts of the Public Hearings (held in October 2011) into the proposed Boundary [...]
[...] ONLINE has reviewed the transcripts of the Public Hearings (held in October 2011) into the proposed Boundary [...]