HIGHLAND Council has called for a “fundamental review” of the intended boundary changes for the north of Scotland.
Council leader Margaret Davidson sent a scathing letter to the Boundary Commission for Scotland which said the proposed changes would have a “damaging effect on democracy and representation” in the Highlands.
The plans, which were published in October, would see the overall number of Westminster seats for Scottish MPs reduced from 59 to 57.
Currently, there are three UK constituencies in the Highlands council area: Caithness, Sutherland and Easter Ross, held by Lib Dem MP Jamie Stone, Ross, Skye and Lochaber, held by SNP Westminster leader Ian Blackford, and Inverness, Nairn, Badenoch and Strathspey, held by SNP MP Drew Hendry.
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However, under the changes, there would be three new constituencies, with the Ardnamurchan ward being brought under a proposed Argyll area.
Highland Central would include Inverness, Fort William and Skye, Highland North contains the northern half of the Highland council area, and the Highland East and Elgin constituency is set to include Badenoch and Strathspey, as well as Nairn and Elgin.
In September, Highland Council voted unanimously against the plans, and in a letter sent to Isobel Drummon-Murray, Secretary of the Boundary Commission for Scotland called for the Highland area to be given protected status.
Protected status is already in place in the island constituencies Orkney, Shetland and Na h-Eileanan an Iar.
Proposed changes to the constituencies include the creation of Highland Central
A constituency called Highland North was also included in the proposals
In the letter, Davidson states that the plans do not give “sufficient consideration” to the rurality of the Highlands and raised concerns about the impact on democracy.
She added: “The proposals would significantly curtail an MPs’ ability to be visible and engage with constituents which given the existing size of the constituencies was already challenging.
“To create a constituency over 12,000 square kilometres as being proposed for North Highland was simply unreasonable.”
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Davidson added that the council believes the proposals were “predominantly focussed on numbers” and didn’t consider the “geographical issues” the rural area faces.
She added: “Boundary proposals should take account of the unique geographic nature and remoteness of the Highlands, to maintain the integrity of the Highland boundaries and allow for these Parliamentary Constituencies to better reflect local community ties and current Ward boundaries.”
There were also concerns in the council that community ties were being cut “simply to fulfil a number exercise”.
The proposal would create a Highland East and Elgin constituency
Ardnamurchan will be taken into the Argyll constituency under the proposal
The letter added: “Specifically, there was very little relationship between Badenoch and Strathspey and Elgin.
“Equally members did not support transferring part of the Ardnamurchan ward to Argyll and Bute Council.”
The letter ended by calling for a “fundamental review of the methodology of approach” used by the commission and said the council are keen to “engage constructively” on alternative proposals.
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A spokesperson for the Boundary Commission for Scotland said: "We have received over 1000 responses to our initial consultation on proposals for new UK Parliament constituency boundaries in Scotland and expect to publish the responses for a further period of consultation early next year.
"We also plan to hold five public hearings across Scotland.
"Where suggestions are made that fall outwith the legislative requirements of the review they clearly cannot be implemented but all other suggestions, whether for boundary changes or name changes, will be fully considered by the Commission in due course."
We previously told how the two Westminster seats set to go in Scotland will be cut from the Glasgow City, Inverclyde and Renfrewshire council areas and the Aberdeen City, Aberdeenshire, Argyll and Bute, Highland and Moray Council areas.
Both groupings currently have 10 constituencies, which the proposals will reduce to nine each.
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