Save Montgomeryshire!

 

The changes will be made in a bid to reduce the number of MPs, with Montgomeryshire disappearing and Welshpool being lumped into a northern zone which stretches to Denbigh and Newtown thrown into south Powys with Brecon. Parts of the west shire will join another zone.

 

But the town council said it will oppose such a move, and will join other dissenters including MP Glyn Davies, in asking for common sense to prevail.

 

“It was generally agreed that any splitting up of Montgomeryshire should be resisted,” said Town Clerk Robert Robinson. “Councillors fear a loss of identity and said that at least the title of any constituency should include Montgomeryshire if the boundaries cannot be changed. Montgomeryshire should be retained at all costs."

 

Mr Robinson said councillors fear that no consideration was given to the land mass of the proposed constituencies, with special dispensation given to four other rural areas including the Orkney and Shetlands in Scotland.

 

The reduction, the council says, is also unbalanced with England losing just 10% of its MPs while Wales will lose up to 25%.

 

“Councillors believe the whole process appears to be just numbers based with no feeling for communities,” said Mr Robinson.

 

The Council will make two representations to the Boundary Commission:

 

1.      The loss of Montgomeryshire as a parliamentary seat is not acceptable and the seat should be retained as a special case.

 

2.      If Montgomeryshire cannot be considered as a special case then a new constituency should be formed of Radnor and Montgomeryshire. In this case Brecnockshire would be merged in some way with Merthyr Tydfil (along the lines of the National Park).