Agenda item

            The committee considered the undernoted report:

“1.0     Purpose of Report

1.1       To update Members on the consultation underway on the provisional proposals emerging from the  ‘2018 Review of Parliamentary Constituencies’ and to outline for consideration a proposed response from Belfast City Council.  

2.0       Recommendations

2.1      The Committee is asked to note

·        the contents of the report and

·        that November Committee agreed a Council response should not be submitted to the public consultation.

3.0       Main Report

3.1       The 2018 Review of Parliamentary constituencies started on 24 February 2016.  In accordance with schedule 2 of the Parliamentary Voting System and Constituencies Act 2011, the number of Parliamentary constituencies across the UK will reduce from 650 to 600.  In Northern Ireland, the decrease will be from 18 seats to 17 at the next Westminster elections, expected in 2020.  This will mean redrawing the existing constituency boundaries. The Act requires that Northern Ireland’s electorate (1,243,369 people at 1 December 2015) be divided into 17 constituencies utilising complete local government wards as building blocks.  The electorate of each constituency must also be within a 5 per cent variance of the UK electoral quota of 74,769 (ie. no less than 71,031 and no more than 78,507 people).

3.2       A Boundary Commissioner for Northern Ireland published on 6 September 2016 provisional recommendations for the new Parliamentary Constituencies within NI. Responses are sought by 28 November 2016.  The Commission is required to submit its report on final recommendations to the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland no later than 1 October 2018.

3.3       Based on the proposals put forward, the current four Parliamentary Constituency covering Belfast will be reduced to three comprising of the following:

·        East Belfast - the only Belfast constituency proposed to retain its name. Would cover those wards which lie between the River Lagan and the eastern boundary of the City. This would mean transferring out the wards of Dundonald, Carrowreagh, Grahamsbridge, Ballyanwood and Enler; and transferring in those wards from Belfast South which lie between the River and the City boundary (Hillfoot, Cregagh, Ravenhill, Woodstock, Ormeau, Rosetta and Belvoir). Would have an electorate of 72,001.

·        Belfast North West - proposed new constituency which would retain Valley and Colinbridge from current Belfast North, transfer from Belfast West the wards of Fourth River, Ballygomartin, Clonard, Beechmount, Falls and Shankill; and transfer out those wards lying outside the City boundary (Whitehouse, Rathcoole, O’Neill, Carmoney Hill, Glebe, Glengormley). Would have an electorate of 71,266.

·        Belfast South West – proposed new constituency which would extend from the Lagan to the western boundary encompassing the whole of Dunmurry ward, Colin Glen, Turf Lodge, Ballymurphy, Falls Park, Blackstaff and Central. Would have an electorate of 73,643.

3.4       Elsewhere, eight constituencies would continue with minimal boundary changes; six new constituencies would be created, provisionally called Dalriada, Glenshane, North Tyrone, Upper Bann and Blackwater, West Antrim and West Down; and five names would disappear: Lagan Valley, East Londonderry, North Antrim, West Tyrone and Mid-Ulster.

3.5       Proposed Belfast City Council Response

            Whilst recognising that individual Political Parties will clearly have their own views on the recommendations put forward not only for Belfast but for the wider region, Members may wish to consider submitting a short response from the Council outlining the following points:

·        Given the significance of Belfast as the economic driver and capital city for the region, and its desire to become more competitive on a national, European and International level, the Council would be concerned about any proposal to reduce the number of MPs for the City. This is particular pertinent given the work underway by Council to develop a City Growth Deal for the city-region and the need to continue to lobby and influence regional and national government on city development related issues and seeking to ensure the continued social, economic and physical regeneration of the City and City-Region.

·        As the proposed changes will not come into effect until 2020, the Council would highlight that they do not take account of the ambitious population growth targets set for the city over this period and the associated potential impact on the future electorate of the city.  The Belfast Agenda (Community Plan for the City) includes a population growth target of an additional 70,000 new residents by 2035. Securing population growth will also be a key feature of the Council’s emerging Local Development Plan for Belfast.

3.6       Financial & Resource Implications

            There are no financial or Human Resource implications contained within this report.

3.7       Equality or Good Relations Implications

            None.”

            After discussion it was

            Moved by Councillor Reynolds,

            Seconded by Councillor Craig

      That the Committee approves the proposed Council response to the 2018 Review of Parliamentary Constituencies – Provisional Proposals as set out in paragraph 3.5 of the report.

            On a vote by show of hands ten Members voted for the proposal and nine against and it was declared carried.