Our submision to the Boundary Commission for England

To the Boundary Commission for England:

1. I wish to object to your initial proposals for the West Midlands, insofar as they relate to two of your proposed constituencies, those of Dudley South & Rowley Regis and Halesowen & Stourbridge. I wish to propose an alternative division of that area, which will accord more with natural communities and historic allegiances.
2. A word about my own interest in the matter: I am Christopher Ashley Bramall, of 14 Duncombe Street, Wollaston, Stourbridge, West Midlands, DY8 3QU (telephone 01384 392438; e-mail chrisbramall@googlemail.com). I have stood for Parliament for the Stourbridge constituency at the last four general elections. I was also a member of Dudley MBC for Norton ward for nine years. I am responding to your consultation in my individual capacity. However, I would add that neither I nor my local party, the Stourbridge and Halesowen Liberal Democrats, have anything to gain or lose by the boundary proposals, one way or another - we came third at the 2010 General Election, both in Stourbridge and in Halesowen & Rowley Regis. We also came third in our two best wards in the 2011 local elections. I am responding purely as a politically involved citizen of Stourbridge.
3. Your initial proposal is for two constituencies extending west to east.

The more northerly constituency, DUDLEY SOUTH & ROWLEY REGIS, would comprise:

v the following five wards of Dudley MBC:

• Wordsley (at present in Dudley South constituency),
• Brierley Hill (at present in Dudley South constituency),
• Amblecote (at present in Stourbridge constituency, and historically part of Stourbridge),
• Lye & Stourbridge North (the recently adopted name for what you call Lye and Wollescote, at present in Stourbridge constituency, and historically part of Stourbridge), and
  • Quarry Bank & Dudley Wood (at present in Stourbridge constituency but not historically part of Stourbridge), and

v the following three wards of Sandwell MBC:

• Cradley Heath & Old Hill (at present in Halesowen & Rowley Regis constituency),
• Rowley (at present in Halesowen & Rowley Regis constituency), and
• Blackheath (at present in Halesowen & Rowley Regis constituency).

The more southerly constituency, HALESOWEN & STOURBRIDGE, would comprise the following eight wards of Dudley MBC:

• Norton (at present in Stourbridge constituency, and historically part of Stourbridge),
• Wollaston & Stourbridge Town (at present in Stourbridge constituency, and historically part of Stourbridge),
• Pedmore & Stourbridge East (at present in Stourbridge constituency, and historically part of Stourbridge),
• Cradley & Wollescote (the recently adopted name for what you call Cradley & Foxcote, at present in Stourbridge constituency; Wollescote is historically part of Stourbridge, although Cradley is not),
• Hayley Green & Cradley South (at present in Halesowen & Rowley Regis constituency),
• Belle Vale (at present in Halesowen & Rowley Regis constituency),
• Halesowen North (at present in Halesowen & Rowley Regis constituency), and
• Halesowen South (at present in Halesowen & Rowley Regis constituency).

1. The biggest disadvantage of this plan, from the point of view of Stourbridge people, is that it arbitrarily divides the historic borough of Stourbridge into two parts, each of which is attached to neighbouring areas. The nomenclature you have proposed for both makes no sense in local terms for either constituency. Many people feel very strongly about such matters in our area. I would add that the publicity in the local press has inadvertently given a false impression of the impact of the plan, which has been presented as a reversion to the previous situation of Halesowen and Stourbridge forming a single constituency, rather than as the division of Stourbridge into two, which is the actual effect. The result is that there has been little or no local reaction of the type one might normally expect.
2. I would ask the Commission to consider the following alternative:

Instead of the completely arbitrary division into a northern and a southern constituency, the division should be into a western constituency centred on the historic borough of Stourbridge, and an eastern constituency centred on the historic borough of Halesowen. This would better represent local communities and historic allegiances. My suggested names for the constituencies would make far better sense in local terms, and in particular would give due recognition to the importance of Brierley Hill.

1. The new alignment would be as follows:

The western constituency, which would be designated STOURBRIDGE & BRIERLEY HILL, would comprise the following eight wards of Dudley MBC:

• Wordsley (at present in Dudley South constituency),
• Brierley Hill (at present in Dudley South constituency),
• Amblecote (at present in Stourbridge constituency, and historically part of Stourbridge),
• Lye & Stourbridge North (the recently adopted name for what you call Lye and Wollescote, at present in Stourbridge constituency, and historically part of Stourbridge),
• Norton (at present in Stourbridge constituency, and historically part of Stourbridge),
• Wollaston & Stourbridge Town (at present in Stourbridge constituency, and historically part of Stourbridge),
• Pedmore & Stourbridge East (at present in Stourbridge constituency, and historically part of Stourbridge), and
• Cradley & Wollescote (the recently adopted name for what you call Cradley & Foxcote, at present in Stourbridge constituency; Wollescote is historically part of Stourbridge, although Cradley is not).

The eastern constituency, which would be designated HALESOWEN & ROWLEY REGIS, would comprise:

v the following five wards of Dudley MBC:

• Quarry Bank & Dudley Wood (at present in Stourbridge constituency but not historically part of Stourbridge),
• Hayley Green & Cradley South (at present in Halesowen & Rowley Regis constituency),
• Belle Vale (at present in Halesowen & Rowley Regis constituency),
• Halesowen North (at present in Halesowen & Rowley Regis constituency), and
• Halesowen South (at present in Halesowen & Rowley Regis constituency), and

v the following three wards of Sandwell MBC:

• Cradley Heath & Old Hill (at present in Halesowen & Rowley Regis constituency),
• Rowley (at present in Halesowen & Rowley Regis constituency), and
• Blackheath (at present in Halesowen & Rowley Regis constituency).

1. This solution would involve far less change than under your initial proposals, and much less confusion will result - which is a benefit in terms of informed participation in the democratic process. Only three wards would be directly affected. The Brierley Hill and Wordsley wards would be transferred from the Dudley South constituency into the Stourbridge constituency, to form the new Stourbridge & Brierley Hill constituency. And the Quarry Bank and Dudley Wood ward would be transferred from the Stourbridge constituency to enlarge the existing Halesowen & Rowley Regis constituency.
2. This proposed solution would comply with your basic parameters, resulting in electorates of 80,133 and 77,967 respectively, both of which come within your limit of 76,641 + 5%.

Chris Bramall

28th October 2011

BCE/IP/005370