The Right Honourable Member for

Newton Aycliffe & Sedgefield

Dear Sir,

The Boundary Commission for England (BCE) review on Constituency boundaries has proposed that our existing Constituency of Sedgefield, currently with an electorate of 64,581, should be replaced by a new constituency called Newton Aycliffe and Sedgefield, with an electorate of 70,149. The full details of the proposals can be viewed on this link:

www.bcereviews.org.uk – and just type in your post code, DL5

Here you can view the differences in the existing and proposed constituency. You can also submit your views and comments, either anonymously or publicly. The number of constituencies in the North East will decrease from 29 to 27 and The Boundary Commission says “These latest rules retain 650 constituencies for the UK Parliament as a whole, and require constituencies that we propose or recommend to comply with strict parameters, in particular as far as the number of electors in each constituency is concerned by law, every constituency must contain between 69,724 and 77,062 Parliamentary electors (as at 2nd March 2020). As far as possible, we try to have regard to local ties, geographic factors, local government boundaries (as they were known at 1st December 2020), existing constituencies, and minimising disruption caused by proposed change. We use local government wards as the building blocks for proposed constituencies, but will consider splitting a ward where there is a strong case for doing so that helps us better respect the factors above. The BCE is required to make a formal final report to the Speaker of the House of Commons before 1st July 2023, recommending any changes that it believes are appropriate to the distribution, size, shape, name or designation of constituencies in England. The Government must turn the recommendations of the BCE into an ‘Order in Council’ that implements the recommendations. The constituencies set out in the Order will then be implemented for the next General Election after the date on which the legislation is approved.”

So if you have an interest in these matters click on the link, input DL5 and view the details and comment. I believe that the new proposed Constituency Boundary has a lot to commend itself. It is well balanced and rounded geographically and politically, taking in the whole of Shildon, whilst removing the extended areas surrounding Darlington (in a previous proposal several years ago but now discarded, Newton Aycliffe was to join in with Billingham!).

This new constituency will include Newton Aycliffe in the name, thus, for the first time ever, giving us some political national prominence too. Whoever our MP is at the next general election, he or she will be referred to as ‘The Member for Newton Aycliffe and Sedgefield’.

Arun M Chandran