Parliamentary boundary changes branded 'madness' by Plymouth leader

PLANS to redraw Plymouth's parliamentary boundaries have been condemned as "madness" by council leader Tudor Evans.

Cllr Evans joined other Labour politicians in the city in attacking the proposals by the Boundary Commission, which were published yesterday.

The new boundaries would see northern parts of Plymouth included in a new Tavistock and Plympton constituency, which includes the Moor View ward.

Cllr Evans said: "I'm appalled by these out-of-touch proposals drawn up by some London quango.

Business Cards From Only £10.95 Delivered www.myprint-247.co.uk

myprint-247

View details

Print voucher

Our heavyweight cards have FREE UV silk coating, FREE next day delivery & VAT included. Choose from 1000's of pre-designed templates or upload your own artwork. Orders dispatched within 24hrs.

Terms: Visit our site for more products: Business Cards, Compliment Slips, Letterheads, Leaflets, Postcards, Posters & much more. All items are free next day delivery. www.myprint-247.co.uk

Contact: 01858 468192

Valid until: Sunday, June 30 2013

"Ripping Estover and Leigham out of Plymouth and giving it to the market town of Tavistock 12 miles away is madness."

Moor View covers Estover, Leigham and Thornbury and includes Derriford Hospital, University College Plymouth St Mark and St John, the airport site.

Labour said 10,000 residents would be removed from Plymouth and given to the MP for Okehampton.

Under the revised proposals Moor View ward would now be represented by the MP for Tavistock.

Alison Seabeck, MP for Plymouth Moor View, said: "The Boundary Commission has chosen to ignore the strongly expressed concerns of Plymouth residents in pushing ahead with their flawed plans.

"This is not an issue which will go away. Parliament needs to debate these matters and I will be expressing the views of my constituents to the coalition Government which is responsible for this unnecessary change.

"I am calling on Plymothians to back the campaign to keep the Moor View Ward in Plymouth."

Cllr Evans urged Plymouth's two Conservative MPs – Gary Streeter and Oliver Colvile – to vote against the changes in the Commons.

"People of Plymouth expect their MPs to stand up for our city," Cllr Evans said.

"This is the time to show whether our MPs put Plymouth or their Party first."

Alison Casey, ward councillor for Moor View said: "The people I represent are proud to live in Plymouth, proud to be Plymothians and want to have a Plymouth MP representing them in Parliament.

"We will continue to fight every step of the way against these proposals that will do so much damage to our community."

The Labour Party has set up a Facebook page to oppose the boundary changes: www.facebook.com/KeepMoorviewinPlymouth.

The revised Tavistock and Plympton seat would lose Okehampton to the north, while gaining Ivybridge, and Wembury and Brixton in the South Hams.

The two Plymouth city constituencies would each swap a ward.

It is proposed to move Eggbuckland from Plymouth Devonport to Plymouth Sutton, with St Peter and the Waterfront moving the other way.

Gary Streeter, the MP for South West Devon, who was highly critical of the original proposals which would have seen his seat carved up among three new constituencies, said: "It has moved from a dog's dinner to a healthy snack."